I don’t think I am being a ‘weak-kneed’ Republican, nor am I simply bending to the demands of my ‘liberal masters’ when I state that it is simply time for Tom DeLay to go. In the past, I have defended him, because I, too, instinctively suspect partisan politics in any ethics violation charge, particularly when characters like Ronnie Earle are involved.
However, it is increasingly apparent that Tom DeLay is as crooked as Forrest Gump’s back. The man, OUR MAJORITY LEADER, was admonished not once, not twice, but THREE times in the past few years for ethics violations. Those violations included:
– During the re-districting in Texas (supposedly a state issue), DeLay asked the FAA to track a plane thought to house the renegae Democratic legislators.
– Accepting what amounts to $56,000 in bribes from Westar Energy.
– Vote buying for the Medicare Prescription Drug Act.
Vote buying in the giveaway to the pharmaceutical industry- this is the type of corporate cronyism that the folks at Media Matters and MoveOn.Org salivate over. And that doesn’t even cover everything he has been accused of- which, granted, may turn out to be inaccurate. But with this kind of track record, you have to wonder. Currently, Ronnie Earle is slicing through DeLay’s inner circle like a hot knife through butter, and it appears there is nothing DeLay does not have his hands in.
Other antics include:
– DeLay obstructed justice for low-paid sweatshop workers on the island of Saipan by taking large campaign contributions from Saipan’s chief lobbyist and blocking any Congressional investigation of the appalling conditions there.
– DeLay obstructed justice by lying to the FBI when he charged that the reporter who broke the Henry Hyde adultery story in the 1990s had been working with the White House to expose Hyde.
– During a deposition for a lawsuit filed by a former business partner in the pest company in 1994, DeLay lied that he had not been an officer of the company for two or three years. On congressional financial disclosure forms filed in 1995, he listed himself as chairman of the company’s board of directors.
– In 1997, DeLay actually shoved Rep. David Obey [D-Wisconsin] and called him a “chicken shit” on the House floor. That same year, DeLay tried to impeach federal judges he didn’t like.
– In 1998, DeLay said that people with “foreign-sounding names” probably aren’t Americans.
You would think that someone who has caused the Republican party so much shame would think it would be wise to maintain a low profile, and would perhaps to work to better his image and change for the better. You would be wrong. Hubris produces more hubris, and DeLay’s response should have been a clear warning sign for everyone in the GOP:
House Republicans proposed changing their rules last night to allow members indicted by state grand juries to remain in a leadership post, a move that would benefit Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex.) in case he is charged by a Texas grand jury that has indicted three of his political associates, according to GOP leaders.
The proposed rule change, which several leaders predicted would win approval at a closed meeting today, comes as House Republicans return to Washington feeling indebted to DeLay for the slightly enhanced majority they won in this month’s elections. DeLay led an aggressive redistricting effort in Texas last year that resulted in five Democratic House members retiring or losing reelection. It also triggered a grand jury inquiry into fundraising efforts related to the state legislature’s redistricting actions.
Can’t live ethically? Easy- change what is considered ethical. And rather than serving as a warning, DeLay’s infuence is such that the ethical backbone of the party is corroding from the inside out:
House GOP leaders and aides said many rank-and-file Republicans are eager to change the rule to help DeLay, and will do so if given a chance at today’s closed meeting. A handful of them have proposed language for changing the rule, and they will be free to offer amendments, officials said. Some aides said it was conceivable that DeLay and Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) ultimately could decide the move would be politically damaging and ask their caucus not to do it. But Rep. Jack Kingston (Ga.), another member of the GOP leadership, said he did not think Hastert and DeLay would intervene.
Tom DeLay is crooked, self-serving, hypocritical, unethical, bigoted, unprincipled (unless the principle is power), a loudmouth bully boy and venomous attack dog, incapable of recognizing the separation of powers, and, since that isn’t going to be enough for many of you, let’s put it in a framework of self-preservation:
Tom DeLay is bad for the Republican party.
Even the WSJ is getting in on the act:
Say what you want about The Wall Street Journal editorial page, but they are consistent in their minimum regard for ethical mores in Washington. And ominously for DeLay, the page has begun to view him as an example of what
Mikey
That is not the face I want the GOP to put forward. Not good at all.
CadillaqJaq
Why stop with DeLay? If a clean slate ethics wise is the criterion, dozens of representatives (on both sides of the aisle) should go.
It ain’t going to happen but it’s pleasurable as hell to fantasize.
q
This falls into the “careful what you wish for” dept for the Dems.
If they succeed in ousting Delay, they are in fact improving the Republican party. lol. In their shortsighted desire to hurt Delay, they fail to see that they would be hurting themselves.
I agree with some of what you wrote John: Delay is an unnecessary liability.
The Republicans are making a huge mistake by taking their slight majority for granted. Instead of dealing the death blow to the dems, actions such as their interference in the Terri case, will cause a great many voters int eh middle to perhaps switch. I see the Dems winning 2006. The public is rightly concerned with EITHER party gaining too much power.
Why can’t these fools see the power lies in the middle??? You have two parties who are constantly battling with, and paying the price for, their extreme elements. Ridiculous.
Steve4Clark
“If they succeed in ousting Delay, they are in fact improving the Republican party. lol. In their shortsighted desire to hurt Delay, they fail to see that they would be hurting themselves.”
Kind of like the Republicans helping Democrats get rid of that creep Daschle.
I find it disappointing to see people talking as if this is a big game. It’s not about partisanship, it’s about doing what is right.
DeLay and much of the Republican leadership place party over country. That is wrong. They must go.
Kimmitt
The implication that by removing DeLay you will not end up replacing him with someone even worse is interesting to me. Tom DeLay isn’t bad for the Republican Party. Tom DeLay is the Republican Party. Who would replace him? We already know that the guy with the money to pass out runs things. So who has a comparably large pile of money? I guarantee you, he’ll make DeLay look like an angel by comparison — or at least just another guy.
There’s no taking the Republican Party back until it starts losing elections — a lot of elections. There is a lot of room here on the Dems’ side for center-right conservatives; to be honest, we’ll take anybody with half an ounce of sense (that’s our usual criterion — it’s why we’re usually the minority Party). Come over here and balance the Kucinich crunchies; maybe we can get some good work done.
Oh, hell, I dunno, join the Libertarian Party or something. But you aren’t going to get anywhere with the current Republican structure while it continues to dominate all three branches of government. Overwhelming success does not breed reform. It’s time to decide whether you hate people like me enough to tolerate people like DeLay or not.
John Cole
I systematically and emphatically reject the notion that everyone in the Republican party is as bad as or worse than Tom DeLay. Your desire to crush the Republican party is squandering an opportunity to get rid of the worst of the Republican party.
Oliver
Keep DeLay. At least until October of ’06.
JC
I’m with Oliver. Keep him until October of next year!
AWJ
I don’t think Kimmitt was saying that everyone in the Republican party is as bad as DeLay. He was saying that whoever replaces DeLay in the event of his departure will be someone as bad as DeLay, because in politics the most ruthless and unprincipled people unfortunately tend to rise (or claw their way) to the top.
Veeshir
I was wondering what had you so upset until I got to the second list of his actions. You can’t get any facts out of just about any report on it as most of the media acts as if the GOP are the first ones to ever do anything bad. The first set isn’t that bad except for having the FAA track the airplane. That was definitely a misuse of power. But I bet they all do stuff like that. I don’t like it but you would have to get all of them.
The second list is bad. Very bad. The obstructing justice by lying to the FBI is every bit as bad as what Clinton did. So is the deposition in the lawsuit.
That’s flaunting the Constitution. He took an oath in the deposition and lied.
Now I’m for getting rid of him. The only drawback is the MSM will think it’s a victory.
Too bad he didn’t lie about sex, the NY Times would defend him.
Oh well.
Kimmitt
I systematically and emphatically reject the notion that everyone in the Republican party is as bad as or worse than Tom DeLay.
Of course not, and not everyone in the Republican party is as academically untalented as the President. But the Party is an institution, and it has leaders, and the rest of them are about as corrupt as DeLay. There is no “cutting out the rot” with one bad section. It’s all rot from the head down quite a ways.
You cannot truly believe that I was contending that 30% (+/-) of Americans share any given personality trait, especially corruption. I’m assuming your response was basically a rhetorical device to ask me to clarify my statement, which I hope I’ve done.
Birkel
Admonished /= Ethics violations
If he was found guilty of the things which have been alleged I’d agree. Maybe he’s a very bad man who shouldn’t hold public office. In fact, I don’t know whether he is or not.
I worked against Jesse Helms because I was familiar with him. He deserved to go because of more than just his politics, IMO. Ditto Strom, Byrd and Kennedy.
I’d be all for him stepping aside and letting another Republican win his extraordinarily gerrymandered district. But until he can’t run (a la that crazy with the bad rug from Ohio whose name escapes me–Traficanti (sp?) maybe?) because he’s in jail then the Constitution is our guide. He’s eligible.
Now, should he be booted from the leadership of the Republican Party a la Trent Lott? Yep. Sure enough.
Kathy K
Welcome to the Independent side, John. I’ve been here for years. Vote for the least worst, because there usually is no best. Ignore the party affiliations and vote on the issues. You’ll have to hold your nose alot, no matter which side you vote for.
Kimmitt
If he was found guilty of the things which have been alleged I’d agree.
I can’t agree with this metric, when the majority of the people who would be doing the finding of guilt have accepted multiple tens of thousands of dollars from DeLay’s PAC.
Birkel
Ah, Kimmitt, so trustworthy.
“Guilty before the trial” and your communist tendencies go hand in glove.
Nice to see some consistency on your side of the aisle.
carol, new jersey
Don’t know anything about the veracity of the complaints against DeLay. If I were from the great State of West Virginia, however, I think I’d leave DeLay to the Texans and concentrate a little more on an old Senator that mis(opps)represented me!!
Kimmitt
“Guilty before the trial” and your communist tendencies go hand in glove.
Hee. Red-baiting is, like, so ’80s, man. Get with the times. Anyone who disagrees with the hard-right conservative viewpoint is a terrorist sympathizer, not a commie. Otherwise you’re stuck in some kind of time warp, and you find yourself accusing your opponents of being British plants sent to help facilitate a recapture of the colonies, and then how silly will you look? Er, how much sillier?
Birkel
Kimmitt,
It was a show trial reference.
I prefer my alleged criminals tried before conviction.
You?