ABC, MSNBC and CNN have confirmed that Tom DeLay will not seek reelection.
This goes to show that even in DC the classical tragic flaws of hubris and greed can bring you down. You just have to get really f-cking egregious about it. Good riddance, Tom.
***Update***
Time has the rest of the story.
Kevin Drum asks the pertinent question: How long before the other shoe drops?
From Josh Marshall, a run-down of the amazingly criminal circle with which DeLay surrounded himself.
And of course, Duncan Black has a classic from Hewitt:
A Texas prosecutor with a history of abuse of his office, Ronnie Earle, has indicted Tom DeLay. Earle is a sort of Jim Garrison without the integrity. Soon to follow: Giant MSM coverage, show trial, acquittal and exoneration, DeLay’s return to Majority Leader for another 20 years.
Thank god the German language lets you throw together unrelated phrases into a longer-but-catchy word that takes on a cultural life of its own. Zeitgeist is one. Schadenfreude is another.
***Update 2***
I’m late to the party on this one, but DeLay is resigning his seat as well. It seems like two basic storylines can explain this. Either he doesn’t expect to beat Nick Lampson and wants to clear a special election so that the party can keep his seat, or else he doesn’t want to exit Congress in shackles. Place your bets.
Par R
Jane Hamsher: “This is indeed a sad day for America.” Or something like that….well, maybe not from Jane.
ppGaz
He’s moving to Virginia. You don’t suppose that he’ll become a lobbyist, do you?
Nah.
Jon H
“Or something like that….well, maybe not from Jane.”
But from people like her.
CaseyL
ppGaz, he might have a wee problem lobbying from prison. (Well, one can hope, anyway.)
Cunningham, Abramoff, Rudy, DeLay… Here’s hoping the rest of the K Street Project collapses.
Ancient Purple
Couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy.
Good riddance to bad rubbish.
This space for rent.
Pardon me while I open a bottle of champagne and celebrate that this weasel is gone. I am hoping Santorum follows suit.
Paul Wartenberg
My biggest concern: who are they gonna tap to be his corrupt replacement in the special election?
Beware of whoever it is running with his blessings, and/or with his rolodex of lobbyist phone numbers.
Mean Gene
One less bag of human garbage in Congress is one less bag of human garbage in Congress. It’s still not the ideal situation, but it’s a step in the right direction. As Tim says, good riddence. It’s a good day/night in America.
Hugh Hewitt. One shakes one’s head at his position in our national discourse. Namely, that the has any postion at all, short of your typical nutball shrieking from a soapbox in the town square. A symptom of all that ails us.
fwiffo
Hmm, isn’t filing closed for Texas – does this mean Nick Lampson is running unopposed (third parties notwithstanding)?
fwiffo
Should have read the second page of the Time article before commenting. Changing his legal residence to Virginia makes him ineligable and thereby allows the state party to pick a replacement. Kinda a bummer really.
CaseyL
fwiffo – AP says a special election will be held:
The special election would be to replace him for the rest of this term; then the regular election will be held with, presumably, a Dem and a GOP candidate. Over at dKos, they think a GOP will probably win the special, which would put that person in a good position to win a full term in November.
Kazinski
As a former constituent of Delay who voted for him a few times in the early 90’s, I’m kind of dissapointed he is leaving. Ronnie Earle’s prosecution is bogus, and Ambramoff has said that he has no info of any wrongdoing by Delay, so it seems more that he was hounded from office by for being so effective. On the other hand I think the Republicans would have been much better off keeping Dick Armey as the majority leader, it’s too bad he retired. Delay was just much better suited as the whip than the leader.
But the good thing about it is that after the Ronnie Earle circus has folded up its tent then Delay can enjoy his retirement, and there isn’t any doubt that the district will stay Republican.
DougJ
Spoof or not a spoof? I love the fact that a very respected prosecutor, who has mostly prosecuted Democrats in the past, is described as a “circus show”. Welcome to either a good spoof or the deranged mind of a true believer in the cult of the Lord Emperor George Jesus Bush and his follower the Apostle Tom DeLay.
Richard Bottoms
Is it November yet? Because I really can’t wait.
I say we go out there and kick a little demon ass.
— Spike
Perry Como
Time to crank up the terror threat level. Either Rove or Hadley is going to face a grand jury indictment.
Why do the Democrats insist on politicizing crime?
SomeGuy
DeLay escapes with no charges…
Meanwhile, Cynthia McKinney assaults a cop – lefties on balloonjuice jam fingers in ears.
Pot – meet kettle.
SomeGuy
More on that “Culture of Corruption” that we hear so much about.
And whatever happened to Schumer aide who tried to steal LtGov. Steele’s credit card info? Indicted? Donk?
Lotsa room to crow here, though. No doubt.
Baron Elmo
Because, after all, hitting a cop is every bit as bad as whoring out your elected office to reap limitless power and filthy lucre for yourself and your pals…
Funny, but I have yet to see a single lefty blogger defending Cynthia McKinney. Every mention of this story on the blog circuit seems to issue from some spittle-spraying conservative, howling for her head on a stick. Wonder how many of those selfsame conservatives were whining without cease about how poor widdle misunderstood Tom DeLay was getting railroaded by the big mean liberals…
Yep – that’s one black, black pot you guys are lugging around.
Slide
Gee… with both Tom Delay and John Cole retiring who are we going to have to kick around anymore?
Steve
Cynthia McKinney is an embarassing sideshow. The difference between her and Tom DeLay, I guess, is that you don’t see the entire Democratic caucus voting to make it legal to grab a cop.
SomeGuy
Neither did DeLay. Nice argument.
The Other Steve
That’s largely because the supposed “assaults a cop” is a non-story. She was on her way to session, and you can’t stop, assault or arrest her, per the Constitution. That the Republicans are trying to make hay out of the story is evidence of why the founding fathers put that provision in there in the first place.
Although, as Josh Marshall points out, using taxpayer dollars to fly celebrities to the dedication of your office is against the letter and spirit of the law.
The Other Steve
I’m actually disappointed that DeLay is leaving.
I’m going to miss kicking him around.
The Other Steve
Although, I do think it’s rather pathetic… that DeLay won’t admit this has something to do with his aid pleading guilty to bribery charges.
Instead it’s all the fault of his critics.
What a fucking whiner.
SomeGuy
Did you read the link, about McKinney whoring out tax money to celebrities? Here it is again.
How about this?
Bush and Co. ain’t running in 08 (thank G-d), but the left wingnuts here don’t seem to be offering anything other than pissing contests to determine who can sound the most angry.
SomeGuy
If you think its bad now, wait until the ultimate object of left wingnut derision – Bush – leaves office – you won’t know where to direct that firehose of hatred!
Steve
Legally speaking, I’m sad to say, activist judges wrote that one out of the Constitution long ago.
I would expect the police to back off the arrest warrant just about the time McKinney drops her silly threat of a civil suit, but hey, what do I know. I’m just an angry leftie who can’t come up with a reasonable response like, say, claiming the Capitol Police are on a partisan witchhunt.
SomeGuy
See? Common sense prevails, race-baiting and assault on police officers loses.
SomeGuy
Go ahead, leftikks – defend the right to assault a police officer if you are a Democrat Congresswoman. If it was Tom DeLay and not Cynthia McKinney, it would be Quailgate Pt 2.
fwiffo
Almost nobody on the left has defended McKinney, in fact, some left bloggers have ripped into her. See John Aravosis’s rant for instance. TPM reported on the stupid Issac Hayes thing.
Are conservatives upset because they can’t crow about lefty bloggers defending her? Cause it looks like pretty few of them are.
Rusty Shackleford
DeLay is pulling out of the race now so he can use his campaign contributions for his legal defense.
Tim F.
Point: Jackalope.
SomeGuy
Nobody claimed that – you are making assumptions. The commenters here, however, are quick to jump down a Republican’s throat at even the appearence of impropriety (DeLay has not been convicted of any crime, had his original indictments thrown out of court multiple times, and was cleared by Abramoff himself), so somebody needs to keep the Good Train Leftwingnut from barreling over the cliff…
John S.
Nobody has assumed the position of your strawman yet, but keep on trucking.
Have you ever noticed how similar apples and oranges really are? They are both fruits, after all.
Nice to see we have another troll/spoofer.
yet another jeff
Damn that Partisan Hack/Attack Dog Ronnie Earle!!
Won’t you all donate to the Tom DeLay Defense Fund?
Help Congressman Tom DeLay defend himself against frivolous charges filed against him by the vicious, partisan, attack dog, Ronnie Earle. All funds collected will go to pay legal bills and other costs for matters that have been approved by the U.S. House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct. Or, they’ll go somewhere, for some important cause.
We’re not seeing those phones light up, people.
Think about it: You compromise your ethics in little and big ways every day in your daily life…and you’re not even a Congressman! These valiant men and women are under all sorts of pressure, being wined and dined by corporate lobbyists or hiding line items in appropriations bills that give billions of dollars of pork to your home state. All we’re asking is that you set aside your conscience just one more time and pledge. We need your pledge. Tom DeLay needs your pledge.
SomeGuy
Actually, John S-
From The Other Steve:
Read the posts before you open you mouth and stick your foot in it. If Cheneygate was news, then this is news. The silence of the “left-blogosphere” tells us all we need to know, and the approval and dismissal by commenters such as yourself and The Other Steve prove my point.
Plame over, man.
SomeGuy
(Channeling Al Gore – )
Tom DeLay is gone – its time to MoveOn…….
yet another jeff
It’s not that I condone Cynthia McKinney, it’s just that I hate the Capitol Hill Police.
Krista
Abramoff himself? Well, that settles it, then. We know what a fine, upstanding gentleman he is.
Andrew
Cynthia McKinney: punched cop, misused $1000
Dick Cheney: shot man in face and misled sheriff, misused a few trillion
Bring on the comparisons.
yet another jeff
Now if Abramoff will just clear Cynthia, then we can finally tie up all the loose ends.
Steve
I wonder if you could provide links for the assertions that (1) DeLay’s original indictments were thrown out of court “multiple times” and (2) DeLay was cleared by Abramoff himself.
The Other Steve
I don’t hate or condone either. I just don’t understand why the Capitol Hill Police is trying to politicize this.
Congress woman walks past gate.
Officer doesn’t recognize her, demands she stop.
Congress woman responds back the usual “Don’t you know who I am?”
Officer grabs her.
Congresswoman pushes him back.
And this is news?
Once the Officer realized who she was, his proper response should have been “Oh, I’m terribly sorry, Ma’am.” Not “Whaaaa! I’m going to file a lawsuit because you shoved me. Now I’ve got a booboo.”
This is just patent nonsense of the most nonsensical, and what has made it even more ridiculous is that we’ve got Asshat Hastert making comments about it. Like, what the fuck?
I certainly don’t give a fuck about McKinney. I mean if she used tax dollars to pay for something she shouldn’t, I’ll be the first to push her off the pier.
What I will not stand for is:
– Capitol Police acting in a political manner
– Hastert trying to use this in a political manner
– Some Guy making a fool out of himself even bringing this up in a thread talking about DeLay resigning because of improprieties.
This is no longer about McKinney, it’s about people trying to make political hay out of nothing.
The Other Steve
BTW. I think DeLay’s seat is going to go to the Democrat.
DeLay has really left a foul taste in everyone’s mouth who used to be a Republican.
CaptainComeback
He’s moving to Virginia. You don’t suppose that he’ll become a lobbyist, do you?
That’s probably what he will do, or some type of executive somewhere. Considering that Rick Santorum says that he lives paycheck to paycheck, I think lobbying is definitely in his future if he loses to Bob Casey.
The Other Steve
Oh, and since we’re already off topic, out in wingnut land.
Let’s add some more wingnuttery to the fire to really get it stoking.
Professor criticized over comments about impending pandemic
How sweet of the loony right.
I remember when I was in college, there was a nutty professor who suggested blowing off a chunk of the moon and landing it in the pacific ocean would solve a lot of the world’s problems. He got a lot of crap on campus, but I don’t recall the loony right going after him like this guy.
The Other Steve
$165,200 just isn’t enough to raise a family on these days.
SomeGuy
Krista –
Keeping in mind that lying to investigators is a felony and would add to the time he is facing…
And what of the Donks on the till? Why no outrage, inquisition, or even feigned interest in the back-room dealings “the alternative to Bush” Party? Its relevant, since most liberal morons in this country will be trying to argue that the Democrats are somhow above it all…Bwahahahahahahahahahahaha!!
But when did facts ever get in the way of leftwingut self-righteousness?
SomeGuy
Other Steve –
You seem to have no problem paying worthless hunks of life like pre-Alzheimer’s case Ted Kennedy and aforementioned dumbass Cynthia McKinney those salaries, so why all the huffy-puffiness over Santorum?
Did you see the Gov. polls in PA recently? Swann is up, Rendell is down…
Tim F.
So now we’re playing six degrees of Jack Abramoff. How about Jack Abramoff’s cousin’s sister-in-law’s marriage counselor? He gave almost exclusively to Democrats! Explain that, donk punks.
SomeGuy
No offense to Alzheimer’s patients – I know not all of you are Ted Kennedys…
SomeGuy
Did you read the link I’ve been repeatedly posting?
Here is is again.
Sorry, Timmy, but Abramoff spread the love over both parties, and your buddies on the left side of the aisle aren’t going to get a pass – no matter how much you try to ignore it.
Tim F.
From the link:
Oops.
SomeGuy
And I’ll thank u not 2 point aut mie dumm typos.
yet another jeff
Damn, SomeGuy…you really should try some decaf…
Why is it that some folks get the parables all wrong? “Why do you squint at the splinter in your brother’s eye, and fail to see the log in your own eye?”
SomeGuy
Yeah – did you read the list of recipients? Or did you read three sentences and think you “got it?”
Read again. Note Harry Reid, the the DNC, Charlie Rangel, Byron Dorgan, etc.
Ooops.
SomeGuy
I don’t like decaf – it bores me.
yet another jeff
Maybe changing brands? “Chock Full o’ Wingnuts” is heavenly.
Tim F.
SomeGuy,
Apart from the anger management you seem like a reasonable enough guy, so here is a helpful guide to the link that you keep posting.
First, you assume that everything that Abramoff did was illegal. That basic smudging of the Abramoff story always gives me a good laugh.
Next, the quote that I posted above. You apparently did not know that the writer tallied contributions from not only Abramoff but the Abramoff-adjacent, now you do. You’re welcome.
Finally, you assume that every donation by the Abramoff-adjacent was personally directed by Abramoff. Why? Does hiring a lobbyist grant him mind-control powers? If you succeed in arguing that case I will personally nominate you for a Blogger award.
yet another jeff
SomeGuy…have you contributed to the Defense fund? Help the Hammer!
DougJ
You morons let SomeGuy turn this into a discussion of Cynthia McKinney.
Bob In Pacifica
Delay equals McKinney. So what exact words did the cop say when they grabbed her the fourth time?
You know, there are so many black women in Congress, and they all look the same.
Tim F.
As I said,
The Abramoff stuff definitely pertains to DeLay though, and it honestly amazes me how much disinformation a person can internalize.
I have a hunch that SomeGuy is out scouring the rightie blogs for a coherent answer. If he can’t prove that a) everything Abramoff did was illegal and b) Abramoff personally directed every contribution by the Abramoff-adjacent then he’ll start with the anger management again.
It’s my favorite kind of rightwinger, honestly. The faux-reasonable ones say how they understand how somebody could think that their political opponents hate America and want the terrorists to win but take offense at the idea that they themselves might say such a thing, and that’s just plain weak. It’s refreshing to have the real-deal around once in a while.
SomeGuy
Tim F –
Re-education, huh? Lets get to it –
1. It seems that many of you are assuming DeLay’s guilt (which was not evidenced by his refusal to run again), so turnabout is fair play.
2. Yes, and about those Democrat names on the list…you don’t seem to want to address the substance of the data presented here – I would be interested in your comment on that data, however…
3. I assumed nothing of the sort – you’ve erected a straw man to knock down here, but swung and missed.
Anger management? Puh-lease.
Bob In Pacifica
Some guy, the chart doesn’t differentiate between Abramoff and the Indian tribes. In fact, it lumps them together. It’s like saying that Germany and Paraguay invaded France in WWII because when you lump them together there were German soldiers in Paris.
Indian tribes, like a lot of interest groups, have donated to both parties. What the lugheads have never shown is
Abramoff, who ran illegal scams against Indian tribes, giving money to Democrats.
Can’t wait for Grover Norquist to have his fascist ass behind bars.
yet another jeff
DeLay is out…is this the beginning of the Debastardification?
“I’m moving my residency to Virginia, for no real reason…I just am. So…I can’t run.” Lame, but sounds better than “my lawyers say I should spend more time trying to stay out of prison.”
SomeGuy
Actually, since you never actually addressed the substance of the data I cited, I’ll post it until you do.
Point – Antelope.
SomeGuy
And where is the proof DeLay was involved in any of that?
GAME. SET. MATCH.
Tim F.
SomeGuy,
It seems like you still have not realized that your list has no substance at all. Can you show that Abramoff personally directed those contributions to Democrats? No you cannot, or you would have done so. People who hire Abramoff to lobby for them don’t grant him mind-control powers.
Look, I don’t blame you for clinging to that list. For the hard-partisans of the right the truth about Abramoff is about as welcome as a cold shower in January. This list is your morphine lever and I don’t expect that anything that anybody says here will pry that away from you.
SomeGuy
Tim F – And that leads to my central question which nobody here has the balls to answer:
Can you show that Abramoff personally contributed to Tom DeLay’s coffers?
Didn’t thik so. Until you do, your arguments make as much sense as this list, which you disavow.
Advantage – Antelope.
SomeGuy
Smarts, don’t it?
SomeGuy
And if anyone needs morphine, its this guy.
Blue Neponset
What has that got to do with Cynthia McKinney?
Sojourner
Wow, SomeGuy. This is the piece of shit you support?
here
Nice.
Tim F.
Irrelevant question. If you want to defend your list then defend your list. If you don’t want to defend your list then admit that you made a bullshit point and we can all move on.
yet another jeff
In the list of “Abramoff-linked cash,” please read “cash from other victims of Abramoff’s fraud.”
Like if I gave five bucks to Abramoff and five bucks to the Red Cross, the Red Cross’d be corrupt for taking my money.
Now if that list separated things out into the number of Democrats under investigation for trading votes and inserting legislative riders at the last minute into proposed bills for campaign contributions from Ambramoff linked political action committees…
But, that would be a short list…somewhere around 0.
Votes for $$ IS the Abramoff scandal. Like Tim F. was saying, this is not about the legal process of giving money to a lobby group, following the rules to get face time.
The link you keep pushing tells us nothing. It’s all lumped together. Everyont that was given money by one of the lobbying firms that Abramoff worked for, as well as the Indian Affairs Commission is there. It lumps the legal in with the illegal. Granted, even the legal donations are about 3:1 Republican…but that’s not the scandal, no one is being indicted for that, that’s not illegal. Trading votes for $$ and laundering money into political action committess is the issue here.
Stop trying to make this into Six Degrees of Jack Abramoff. You’re a discombobulator.
SomeGuy
It shows how you are willing to jump down one person’s throat for something you have no proof of (like DeLay and his mysterious, illusive connection to Abramoff), while passing on other more obvious things (like assaulting police officers and then crying “racism”).
Double standard. Illustrative of. You get it.
fwiffo
The data you cited is irrelevant. The tribes were among Abramoff’s VICTIMS. There is no evidence their donations to Democrats were illegal, unethical or in any way directed by Abramoff. Or do you find it completely impossible that an Indian tribe in Nevada with casinos could possibly have ever donated to a Democratic senator from Nevada?
In fact, if you look at the actual data, donations to Democrats from the tribes in question actually decreased (and donations to Republicans increased) after they became Abramoff clients.
Sensible conservatives have long ago accepted the fact that Tom Delay is a crooked SOB. The rest of you are only digging a deeper hole.
SomeGuy
Tim F –
You can’t answer that “irrelevant question” because there is no proof. The question does not suddenyl become irrelevant because you can’t answer it.
Evidence is the ONLY question when proving guilt or innocence. Here in the reality based community, at least.
Tim F.
To answer SomeGuy’s irrelevant question, here are the personal contributions from Jack Abramoff to Tom DeLay:
$1000 on 1/12/2001
$1000 on 3/06/2003
$5000 to Americans for a Republican Majority, Tom DeLay’s leadership committee, on 2/17/2004
SomeGuy
Source?
SomeGuy
And why did Abramoff clear DeLay?
What crime are you accusing him of? I know what he is being charged with – I’m interested to see wshat YOU think the crime is.
Blue Neponset
Not really, if this post was about the hypocrisy of the Lefty bloggers in the Balloon Juice comment section you might have a point, but it isn’t.
Paul L.
You have seen the security video? If the video comes out and proves that your events are wrong will you retract these statements on your blog? I am willing to do the same.
Here is what was reported that a eyewitness saw:
Breaking News: Cynthia McKinney Slaps Cop On Capitol Hill
“Rep. Cynthia McKinney (D-GA) punched a U.S. Capitol Police officer today after he mistakenly pursued her for failing to pass through a metal detector.
Members are not required to pass through metal detectors and the officer, manning a position at Longworth House Office Building, apparently did not recognize McKinney and didn’t see her Member pin.
The officer called out “Ma’am, Ma’am,” in an attempt to stop her.
When the officer caught up to McKinney, he grabbed her by the arm.
McKinney pulled her arm away, swung around, cell phone in hand, and punched the officer square in the chest, according to the witness.””
Quite different from your list of events.
SomeGuy
Yes it IS about these commentors, sir.
I stated that here:
Richard 23
The Other Steve – from what I’ve heard, that professor, Dr. Eric R. Pianka, was suggesting we need to reduce world population by 90% and mentioned airborne ebola as a means to that end. But then I read about it here.
If true, if he advocates the use of ebola to kill people off, then I’d be a little testy too. But I haven’t seen a transcript. Sounds a little like Twelve Monkeys.
Oh, and goodbye Tom Delay. It’s about time you spent some time with your real family.
yet another jeff
How uptight is the world getting when people are hassled to retract COMMENTS?
yet another jeff
DeLay is being charged with money laundering, not his connection to Abramoff…so whether or not there is a connection despite the “clearing” is moot.
W.B. Reeves
It’s interesting to note the regularity with which partisans of the Right bring up false comparisons. Rep. McKinney is pressed into service as the elected equivalent of Ward Churchill in order to muddy the waters. Whatever the outcome of McKinney’s current brouhaha, it clearly doesn’t rise to the same magnitude as the charges made against Delay. Nor does McKinney hold a position within the Democratic Party in anyway as pivotal as the one occupied by DeLay in the GOP.
None of which matters to those who raise such canards. Their purpose isn’t to illuminate legitimate parallels. Rather, they simply wish to find someone or something to distract attention from the substantive issues. McKinney is handy because she is perceived to be both unpopular and unsympathetic. The trick is to shift the focus from corruption in high places to the hate object de jour. Once this is accomplished, the presumption is that the hated individual can be turned into a proxy for the opposition as a whole. Something along the lines of: “The dispicable, America hating (fill in the blank) represents the true face of the (Democrats, the Left, et al)”
The problem with this strategy, as in the case of Ward Churchill, is that the chosen target is a marginal, though controversial, figure. For this tactic to succeed, the chosen hate object has to be inextricably entangled with the opposition. This is hardly the case with McKinney, who was hung out to dry by her party and subsequently lost her seat, only to be returned to office by the voters in the next election. McKinney’s relation to the Democratic Party and the Left as a whole could be described as falling somewhere between maverick and loose cannon. Such terms would hardly be applicable to someone elected by their party to be Majority Leader.
Further complicating matters for those forwarding this strategy of diversion and vilification is the Dems and the “Left’s” refusal to follow the script. As in the Churchill episode, there has been no fulsome embrace or defense of the selected target. The McKinney kerfluffle has not become a cause celebre for anyone outside of the self referential Right.
So thwarted, such partisans resort to claiming that indifference to their transparently bogus propaganda somehow proves their point. Never mind that their “point” has no more substance than the grade schooler’s retort of “So’s your old man” or “You’re another one.”
DougJ
Paul L and OtherGuy — you are either scum or spoofers. I really think that if you are not spoofs, then you are traitors, who pledge allegiance to God’s Own Party, not the United States of America. You are really no different from John Walker Lindh.
DeLay stepped down because he thinks he’ll be indicted in the Abramoff probe as well. One indictment he could handle, but not two. Even Republicans have standards.
Andrew
In the spirit of SomeGuy, I would like you to source this.
yet another jeff
Yeah, harder to pass off the DOJ as being the partisan left.
The Other Steve
LOL! Not really. But if you want to feel like it’s different, I can’t change your sense of reality.
The Other Steve
Jack Abramhoff told me.
The Other Steve
BTW, I have to agree with Josh Marshall on his post from last week.
Josh may be right. That certainly is what DeLay’s defenders are arguing.
The Other Steve
And yes, I do think it’s kind of pitiful that SomeGuy comes in here and tries to get us all to defend McKinney, to turn the heat away from the fact that he’s defending DeLay.
W.B. Reeves
I find one fact of interest. It’s reported that McKinney was holding her cell phone. That would seem to indicate that she was using it when the guard was calling out to her which, in turn, would suggest why she may not have heard him. This raises another question.
How do you “punch” someone while holding a “cell phone in hand?”
yet another jeff
And what about Ward Churchill? He claims to be 1/16 Cherokee…and the Bureau of Indian Affairs has given money to both the Dems and the GOP…so doesn’t that mean that Ward Churchill is…oh hell, I can’t do it. Someone finish the wingnutty thought, too much for me.
Paul L.
Here is my sense of reality
Congress woman walks past gate. – OK
Officer doesn’t recognize her, demands she stop. – OK
The officer called out “Ma’am, Ma’am,” in an attempt to stop her.
Congress woman responds back the usual “Don’t you know who I am?” – Different.
Officer grabs her. – OK
“When the officer caught up to McKinney, he grabbed her by the arm.”
Congresswoman pushes him back. – Different.
“McKinney pulled her arm away, swung around, cell phone in hand, and punched the officer square in the chest, according to the witness.”
Well, 3 out of 5 is close enough. Guess you saw the security video.
Care to provide a reason/source why I should believe your differences from the eyewitness?
DougJ
Why do you hate America, Paul Walker Lindh?
Paul L.
She does have two arms.
I guess you will have to wait for the security video to find out.
yet another jeff
Maybe Cynthia was wearing a Cindy Sheehan tshirt…one that was made in a sweatshop in the Marianas…which had a “made in the USA” tag in the collar, thanks to Tom DeLay’s efforts. It’s all connected, man.
Sojourner
Who cares? The Repubs are selling our government to the highest bidder and you’re in a snit over this?
What is the matter with you?
DougJ
Blind support for George Bush is a mental illness. There’s no rhyme or reason to it.
tBone
Because he was one of his “oldest and dearest friends,” of course.
Please continue flailing away, SomeGuy. You’re one of the most amusing trolls to come along in quite a while.
Tim F.
You apparently do not know how to track political contributions from individuals. Got to the FEC website here and fill out the form. For example, Abramoff, Jack. Now scroll down until you see DeLay, Thomas. It won’t take long. See all those contributions? Looks like I undersold the case. By quite a bit in fact, I count $6000 total. The $5000 for DeLay’s ARMPAC fund is in there as well.
Richard 23
John or Tim: please make a post about McKinney so posters can differentiate between DeLay and McKinney. Enough about McKinney in this thread. But I suppose it’s too late for that.
Hot tub Tom has quit on you pro-DeLay folks. McKinney’s conduct is a separate issue.
W.B. Reeves
Good advice. You should follow it as well.
But since you chose to cite an unattributed “eyewitness” account, I presume you think it worth discussing.
There is ample reason to suppose, based on your source, that McKinney was unaware of the guard until the moment that he laid hands on her. Since she had her “cell phone in hand” it is a fair assumption that she was using it at the time. How likely is it that a guard would grab her by her upraised arm rather than her free one? If some stranger grabbed me from behind there is a fair chance that I might have reacted exactly as McKinney did, assuming that your “eyewitness” account is accurate.
If anything, this discription far more exculpatory for McKinney than the Other Steve’s original post. Certainly more exculpatory than Right Wing News’ original presentation of events:
Never let the facts get in the way of a good story.
W.B. Reeves
Appologies to Richard 23. Your points well taken. I didn’t see your post until until after I posted my last comment.
yet another jeff
SomeGuy:
You forgive DeLay for his part in the Shaivo incident? For saying that “the budget’s not fat, it’s just big boned” remark?
Paul L.
So you are one of those self-absorbed rude a$$holes who walks around talking on a cellphone and is oblivious to everything going on around them including some guy who is trying to get your attention?
Krista
I won’t defend McKinney – she obviously heard the guy if she gave him the “Do you know who I am?” spiel.
However, I can attest that if someone grabbed my arm, and I wasn’t expecting it and was startled badly enough, I’d reflexively go for the guy’s throat or nads. We’re told over and over again that rapists and murderers are lurking everywhere…it’s made we women a wee bit jumpy, sad to say.
W.B. Reeves
Unlike the sort of self-absorbed person who can’t respond to an argument from fact except with sophmoric personal invective? Having been mugged, I don’t take being grabbed from behind by persons unknown lightly. I imagine that most women would be even less tolerant, particularly if the grabber was male. Get back to me if and when you decide to behave like an adult.
DecidedFenceSitter
No Paul, we don’t have to be. I just happen to be one of those people who doesn’t believe everyone in the world who says “Excuse me Sir” is talking to me. Do you assume everyone is talking to you?
John S.
SomeGuy, are you so ignorant that you think that The Other Steve represents everyone on the left? You may want to check out Tim’s latest post, although it does make you look like an ass (not that you aren’t doing a fine job of it yourself).
Perry Como
What about all the good news about Delay? What about all the Russian mobsters he didn’t get a million dollars from?
DougJ
And what about all the Republican Congressmen who aren’t under investigation? How come we never hear about them?
By my count, there’s only about 10-20 Republican Congressmen facing possible indictment, out of a total of about 290. That’s well below 10 percent, which is much lower than the percentage of youths in a typical inner city housing project who have been indicted or convicted.
So Republican Washington is a much more law-abiding place than inner city Detroit or Chicago. But you’ll never hear about that from the left-wing media.
Paul L.
I have not heard of her saying “Do you know who I am?” from any source other than Steve commenting here. Care the cite your source?
You just passed a security point. You would not think to yell for help? He did not put his hand over her BIG mouth.
And you say George W. Bush shoots first, Asks Questions later.
No wonder you liberals are for gun control. No restraint.
It is not acting adult when I judge how she was acting?
You compared the way she acted with how you would have reacted.
DougJ
So how ’bout it, Paul Walker Lindh? Is the death penalty on the table here for McKinney?
I say that if we don’t execute her, the terrorists win.
Krista
Nope. Don’t have one. I was taking Steve’s word for it that she actually heard the guy when he called to her. If it’s true that she didn’t hear him, and the guy grabbed her, then the punching may have been reflexive. Who knows? Maybe she just came from a self-defense class. When I’m startled, my breath actually freezes in my lungs, and I’m physically unable to yell. She might be the same way. There’s not much point in speculating, anyway – I’m sure much more information will be coming out before long.
W.B. Reeves
With this specious, incoherent, non-response the poster reveals himself to be:
A. A troll pure and simple.
B. A bit thick.
C. Suffering from a reading comprehension disorder.
D. All of the above.
In any case, it appears he has reached the phase of wiseguy posturing that ensues when such folk find themselves unequal to the challenge of true debate.
Paul L.
W.B. Reeves
Great job showing me how to truely debate by engaging in ad hominem attacks.
Krista
Actually, not really.
Yep. A lot of people do that when trying to understand a situation, as opposed to judging it.
yet another jeff
DougJ brings up a good point. If we compare the percentage of GOP Congressmen and Senators under investigation to the percentage of inner city youth under investigation/indictment in Detroit, I think you’ll find that the House and the Senate are much safer places to be.
W.B. Reeves
Not as great as the job you did with this one:
Too bad you had to spoil it with this childish gambit:
You were not addressing Rep. McKinney, you were addressing me. Your intent was quite clear. Play all the juvenile word games you like, you won’t fool anyone except possibly yourself.
Like I said. Get back to me when you decide to behave like an adult.
Steve
Here’s what I think is kinda funny about SomeGuy, the dude who has like half of the posts in this thread.
He says:
DeLay has not been convicted of any crime, had his original indictments thrown out of court multiple times, and was cleared by Abramoff himself
I say:
I wonder if you could provide links for the assertions that (1) DeLay’s original indictments were thrown out of court “multiple times” and (2) DeLay was cleared by Abramoff himself.
He has made EIGHTEEN comments since then, without saying anything further about these claims, which sound like obvious bullshit to me.
But I guess if you guys are going to let him get away with just changing the subject to whatever, then he is going to keep on changing the subject!
yet another jeff
Well, only half of that was bullshit. Google “Abramoff clears DeLay” Then again, that was back when things were simpler.
Bruce Moomaw
SomeGuy is basing his statement that “Abramoff cleared DeLay” entirely on one recent Robert Novak column, whose accuracy is still open. Of course, where DeLay’s honesty is concerned, we can also (as Tim F. says) note Josh Marshall’s astonishing rogue’s gallery of confessed criminals among his staffers, all of whose nefarious activities he was of course completely unaware of. My own suspicion is that his sudden resignation may have something to do with the fact that Tony Rudy, as part of his own plea-bargain, agreed to squeal on Edwin Buckham: “former DeLay Chief of Staff and pastor — implicated in Rudy’s plea, up front costs for lobby shop funded by Abramoff clients, helped funnel Russian oil-KGB money to DeLay, Inc.” — which would of course imfluence Buckham to try to plea-bargain by squealing on DeLay himself.
Tonight, however, the Wash. Post cites another speculation as to why DeLay held on until now:
“An additional impetus for putting off the resignation until now was suggested by John Feehery, a former aide to DeLay and House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.). ‘He needed to raise money for the defense fund. That was the bottom line,’ Feehery said. ‘He wanted to make sure he could take care of himself in the court of law.’ Under federal campaign rules, any reelection money a lawmaker raises can be used to pay legal fees stemming from official duties.” That is, he pretended to be running for reelection in order to swindle his political supporters into helping pay his legal defense fees.
Steve
Oh, so if Bob Novak claims that Abramoff has told unnamed friends that he has no dirt on DeLay, that adds up to “DeLay was cleared by Abramoff himself.” Got it.
yet another jeff
Exactly. The Douchebag of Liberty said so, therefore it’s true.