LAT: As Scandal Echoes, DeLay's GOP Critics Grow Louder

[hang a left]

As Scandal Echoes, DeLay's GOP Critics Grow Louder
By Mary Curtius, Times Staff Writer

WASHINGTON — Pressure mounted Thursday on former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay to abandon his plan to reclaim his Republican leadership post, with one conservative saying the Texan's legal woes and links to former lobbyist Jack Abramoff had made him a political liability.

"Sooner or later, self-interest creeps in," said Rep. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.). "Here is the threshold question that my colleagues will be asking themselves: How many would today accept a contribution from Mr. DeLay or ask him to come to their district? That becomes the threshold question, the barometer. That is something Tom DeLay understands."


Flake also said that although many Republicans still regarded DeLay as a masterful politician, "certainly, in the last couple of days, more people have seen it differently."

Flake's blunt assessment reflected the views of a growing number of Republican lawmakers and senior GOP aides on Capitol Hill. Although few were willing to speak on the record, the discussions about DeLay's future illustrated the unease within party ranks sparked by the Abramoff scandal.

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http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-gop6jan06,1,4416538.story?coll=la-headlines-nation

[Catrina]

1. Why did it take them so long to see what many Americans saw

ten years ago? The rats are beginning to jump ship. They were hedging their bets, imo, waiting to see which way the wind would blow.

What do they know today about Tom Delay's relationship with Abramoff that they didn't know a week ago? I haven't learned anything new. All the facts were there. Hypocrites ~ unbelievable hypocrisy. If they stood behind him and went to fund-raisers, after he was indicted in Texas, bent the ethics rules when he was caught bribing and threatening another Congressman into changing his vote of conscience, accused Earle of 'partisanship', what is it now, that their extreme tolerance of Republican crime, has been shaken by? Nothing has changed, except maybe, the polls?

Republican morality: So long as you don't get caught, anything goes!

[acmavm]

2. Yeah, you're right. We've known about his fake 'children's charities' and

money laundering schemes for years now.

Takes a lot of gall for republicans to act like they're surprised. They're all just scared to death of the guy and his dirty tricks machine.

Hastert better be thinking again about what he's doing. He's as dirty as DeLay, and he's showing it rather blatantly holding up the convening of Congress.

[BR_Parkway]

3. masterful politician = masterful criminal n/t