Tom DeLay Indicted

[jeff]

I can't believe this juicy topic hasn't spawned a thread till now. Come on, all you opinionated guys: overdue retribution or partisan hacking? Side bets?

[Have At You]

I don't know the facts! (Bad H.A.Y.)

I did note, however, that the Republican rules required him to step down upon the mere indictment, rather than upon conviction. The Democrat rules don't have any such requirement. So if it WAS a political hack job (which I am NOT saying), then it's a beautiful bit of political judo! Using their own ethics rules against them.

[esskreemr]

I think it will be hard to make it stick. Unless they have more than the check used for the crime, a 'conspiracy' charge will probably not make it that far. There are several other DeLay 'activities' that could get more exposure from this however.

Note: In November of last year, the Republicans actually rescinded the inconvenient ethics agreement that House Leaders indicted must step down. After a few months of being beaten over the head with it, they reinstated it soon as they were back in session.

[esskreemr]

Now he's been indicted for money laundering....

http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/10/...ent/index.html

[jeff]

My, my - indicted twice. I had to re-read that to make sure that it was a second indictment. It's Hammer time!

[Have At You]

This is a great opportunity for the fiscal conservatives -- if any remain in the Republican party -- to get some budget cuts in there along with the tax cuts. Anyone want to place odds?

[epeeisky]

This is a great opportunity for the fiscal conservatives -- if any remain in the Republican party -- to get some budget cuts in there along with the tax cuts. Anyone want to place odds?

15 to 1 against budget cuts. Dems wont do it, and most of the Repubs wont here of it.

[jeff]

Dem's *can't* do it - the Republicans hold the purse strings, and they've been making Democrats look like pikers when it comes to spending...

[Philistine]

My, my - indicted twice. I had to re-read that to make sure that it was a second indictment. It's Hammer time!

It's not really a second indictment, as such. It's an amended indictment in the same case adding one count of money laundering and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, based on the same facts as in the original indictment.

Apparently, this was done in response to Delay's lawyers filing a motion to dismiss the first indictment saying that under Texas law, "conspiracy to commit election fraud" didn't become illegal until after the actions alleged in the indictment. (Don't know if this is a valid argument or not).

I've got to wonder why--if the money laundering charges were strong--they weren't brought in the first indictment. I think Delay richly deserves all manner of things coming his way, but all the charges are fairly weak, IMHO.

--Philistine

[Gav]

So can someone five me a quick 5 point guide to this De Lay chap?

[Maeve_Mari]

WASHINGTON — Drip, drip, drip. The criminal conspiracy indictment against Tom DeLay adds to the political water torture of Republicans, the party in power that stands to lose if the public's mood continues to sour:

Voters are turning against the Iraq war, fretting about the economy and losing faith in their political leaders.

Less than a year ago, President Bush won re-election and the GOP picked up seats in the House and the Senate, raising hopes in conservative circles that Republicans could control Congress and the White House for a generation or more.

Suddenly, they're worried about clinging to power beyond the 2006 and 2008 elections.

‘‘We can still stabilize the situation and make it right, but there's no question that this is a rough patch,'' said Republican consultant Joe Gaylord, an adviser to former House Speaker Newt Gingrich.

A confluence of events — the spate of GOP scandals, the rising death toll in Iraq, the lethally slow response to Hurricane Katrina and a steep decline in consumer confidence with the economy — has shifted the political landscape.

Bush, who rose to power in 2000 on a pledge to restore integrity to the Oval Office, now presides over a party rocked by controversy.

DeLay and two of his political associates are charged with laundering campaign money through the Republican National Committee in violation of Texas law. While not charged, longtime Bush adviser Terry Nelson is named in the indictment as the RNC official through whom the money flowed.

Senate Majority Leader Bill First, R-Tenn., faces federal investigations into his stock sales.

A former White House official was arrested last week in the investigation of Jack Abramoff, a high-powered lobbyist and fundraiser.

In a direct threat to the White House, a federal prosecutor is investigating the disclosure of a CIA agent's identify. Two years ago, the White House denied that Bush confidant Karl Rove played any role, but revelations in recent months have shown that the deputy chief of staff spoke with two journalists about the operative. Whether Bush knew the truth while the White House was issuing its denials is not publicly known.

It is also unclear whether Democrats can overcome their own problems — the lack of a single, strong leader or unified message. Party leaders managed to speak with one voice Wednesday, accusing Bush of fostering a ‘‘culture of corruption.''

The GOP's change of fortunes came at a bad time: Both parties are busy recruiting candidates for the 2006 elections. A senior GOP official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said several potential candidates are expressing jitters.

Bush's reputation has taken hit after hit.

His government's response to Katrina led to the ouster of disaster chief Michael Brown, condemned by Republicans and Democrats alike as an underqualified, out-of-touch political hack whose hiring suggests a wider practice of cronyism inside the Bush administration.

A year after many voters set aside concerns about Bush's policies out of respect for his leadership skills, polls suggest that most voters now question whether the president can handle himself in a crisis.

Many Republican strategists believe Katrina crystalized voters' simmering concerns about the state of the nation, elevating issues of class and race, the national debt, the effectiveness of government and even the war in Iraq.

Four in 10 voters want to cut spending in Iraq to pay for Katrina recovery, according to an AP-Ipsos poll last week. Two-thirds of voters say the president is spending too much in Iraq. Just as many were concerned the money was not being spent wisely.

Mark McKinnon, who coordinated Bush's campaign advertising, said voters won't hold Iraq or the ethical scandals against the party. ‘‘The public will see that partisan axes are being ground,'' he said.

For some Republicans, the worst news of the week was that consumer confidence had suffered its biggest drop in 15 years, a sign that Katrina and rising fuel costs were wearing on Americans.

But polls show voters are disenchanted with both parties, their faith in government is low and they want bold, bipartisan action to resolve the nation's problems.

DeLay is just another politician in trouble, just like Katrina was just another example of government incompetence at all levels.

[Maeve_Mari]

Irony: Tom Delay complaining about politics of destruction
Democrats have gone over the top in targeting House Majority Leader Tom DeLay. Watching the campaign to oust him could lead a visitor to America to believe that he is the devil incarnate.

That said, we can only shake our head at the irony of DeLay, master of the politics of personal destruction, complaining that he is now the target of such tactics.

Tom DeLay, who has hammered recalcitrant allies and intractable foes into submission, now finds that he does not like being on the receiving end of such pressure. And no one has yet called out the Texas Rangers on him.

DeLay, for all his efforts to accuse others for his current predicament, has only himself to blame.

When confronted with ethical lapses, he refused to take his medicine. Instead, he convinced his colleagues to change House ethics rules. He got Republicans who voted against him kicked off the ethics committee.

He played hardball, and now his foes are doing the same with him. The difference is that they have substance; he had only the ability to exercise raw power.

DeLay's days are numbered. We only hope he does not take down with him Rep. Roy Blunt, who has come to DeLay's defense. Chalk it up to loyalty; Blunt owes his leadership position to DeLay.
http://springfield.news-leader.com/o...omDelayco.html

[Maeve_Mari]

So can someone five me a quick 5 point guide to this De Lay chap?

Thomas Dale DeLay (born April 8, 1947 in Laredo, Texas) is an American politician from Sugar Land, Texas and a prominent Republican.

A conservative, DeLay was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1984 from Texas's 22nd congressional district. Known as "The Hammer" for his enforcement of party discipline in close votes and his reputation for exacting political retribution on opponents, he was appointed Deputy Minority Whip in 1988, and was elected House Majority Whip in 1994, leading the Republican Revolution. After the retirement of Dick Armey, he was elected House Majority Leader after the 2002 midterm elections.

On September 28, 2005, DeLay was indicted in Austin, Texas on charges of criminal conspiracy by a Travis County, Texas grand jury after having waived his rights under the statutes of limitations [1]. In accordance with Republican Caucus rules, DeLay resigned from his position as House Majority Leader (see below). DeLay has publicly denied the charges, saying that they are a partisan move by what he considers a politically motivated Democratic opponent, Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle. [2] On October 3, 2005, DeLay was indicted on a separate charge of money laundering. [3]

[jeff]

Thanks MM! I knew we could count on you for this topic!

[Inquartata]

As one op ed piece I read noted, there are no good guys in this matter. Delay, quite aside from being a politician and all this implies, has been pushing the ethical envelope for a long time and is Not a Nice Person. Ronnie Earle is a vindictive partisan shark in the mold of Ken Starr. If they destroy each other neither will be a great loss to the human race.

I suapect, though, that Delay will survive this. His power base is broader and stronger. Earle has failed miserably in past stabs at big Republican targets, and the whole case looks to be pretty thin this time around, too. Have to wait and see...and in the meantime Delay, who though scum was also effective, is somewhat hamstrung. That may be good enough for the Democrats.

[jeff]

It'll be interesting to see. I was listening to Trent Lott being interviewed on NPR, and he said that Democrats protect their own under attack, while Republicans leave them to fend for themselves. Whether or not this is true (and considering the source), it will be interesting to see if DeLay gets the same fates as Wright and Gingrich before him.

[Maeve_Mari]

It'll be interesting to see. I was listening to Trent Lott being interviewed on NPR, and he said that Democrats protect their own under attack, while Republicans leave them to fend for themselves. Whether or not this is true (and considering the source), it will be interesting to see if DeLay gets the same fates as Wright and Gingrich before him.

Interesting comment on the compassion and loyalty of the party and how it also is reflected in policy and platform.

[Inquartata]

Republicans believe in individualism. You make it or fail on your own merits. Democrats seem to believe that they need to huddle together to succeed and to shield each other from criticism. The Republicans are wolves, the Democrats sheep. I know which I'd rather be.

[jeff]

As I said, you have to consider the source. Lott became radioactive after praising an arch-segregationist (I put that in the category of "we agree, but you were stupid to say it in public"), but Republicans are normally known for their partisan loyalty. Look at the support for Gingrich then and DeLay now (the new head of the congressional ethics committee is a DeLay protege and has already proclaimed DeLay's innocence while saying he doesn't have resources to investigate), as well as how the Bush administration is driven by personal loyalty even in the face of incompetence or malfeasance.

For what it's worth, non-sheep organizations like the US Marines also make a point of "taking care of their own" and not leaving their wounded behind, and wolves hunt in social, mutually supporting groups

[schlager7]

As one op ed piece I read noted, there are no good guys in this matter. Delay, quite aside from being a politician and all this implies, has been pushing the ethical envelope for a long time and is Not a Nice Person. Ronnie Earle is a vindictive partisan shark in the mold of Ken Starr.

If I was a card-carrying democrat, I'd be disappointed in Earle as a political hack. He has, over the years, indicted more democrats than republicans.