Fallout from a House ethics probe(DeLay)

[RedEarth]

Charges of vote trading and unethical fundraising against DeLay may curb his ability to raise money.

By Gail Russell Chaddock | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor

WASHINGTON - On Monday, a fundraiser to reelect House majority leader Tom DeLay was quietly rescheduled a few hours earlier than previously announced - a trifle in ordinary times.

But these are not ordinary times for the top GOP fundraiser, now facing daily questions on the only issue that does topple powerful leaders in the increasingly voterproof House of Representatives: ethics.

"History has shown that once top party leaders are tainted by ethics accusations, there is a downward spiral," says Ross Baker, a political scientist at Rutgers University in New Jersey.

Last week, Mr. DeLay and two other House members received a rare public "admonishment" from the House ethics committee. He could face a full investigation on a more serious complaint - or dismissal of the complaint - as early as this week.

Meanwhile, three DeLay aides were recently indicted by a grand jury in Travis County, Texas. Two other DeLay associates face an ongoing probe by the Senate Indian Affairs Committee concerning some $66 million in fees from tribal casino clients.


http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/1006/p02s01-uspo.htm

[amber dog democrat]

1. The Hammer has been careless

Chickens are coming home to roost. Hopefully this will be an ongoing cascade of consequences eventually leading to his impeachement and removal from the senate.
One can overlook how delusional people can become after they achieve too much power.

[Hawkeye-X]

3. Fortunately he isn't an Senator

but he'll go the way of the Traficant.

Hawkeye-X

[amber dog democrat]

7. in Texas, Delay has made lots of enemies

who won't have much sympathy for him when he goes down.
Prison would be great, but just seeing him banned from public office will do.

[realFedUp]

2. No more delays

Do we still have a justice system in this country?

[Kimber Scott]

4. What do they mean "voterproof House of Representatives?"

Is it really such the voters cannot elect or remove their representatives now?

[snippy]

6. I think it is a reference to the fact that, because of gerrymandering

during redistricting, there are very few House seats that are competitive anymore. The vast majority of House districts are safe seats for one party or the other.

[AndyTiedye]

9. That's What All the Gerrymandering Was For. and Diebold, of course.

to ensure that the House could never become Democratic again.
Nearly all Repubs are in ultra-safe seats now,and many members are answerable only to Diebold and not the voters.

It would take the biggest Democratic landslide ever to get the House back,
but it might still be possible.

[Kimber Scott]

10. Why does our political system have all these caveats in it?

Our democracy is in shambles.

[sam sarrha]

5. so that is why they are on a witch hunt on Hillery based on jail house

testimony and i think the guy is in a Brazilian Prison at that..

hell, I'd charge my own mother to get out of there, guess you can't blame him..

[farmbo]

8. How about curb his ability to live outside a prison cell?

"Charges of vote trading and unethical fundraising against DeLay may curb his ability to raise money".

WTF?

[Southpaw Bookworm]

11. Third time's a charm?

Here's a new article published this morning in the Washington Post: How many chances is this fucker gonna get before he gets sent up the river with Traficant and every other congressperson found guilty of being a cheatin', lyin' embarassment to this country?

The House ethics committee last night admonished Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex.) for asking federal aviation officials to track an airplane involved in a Texas political spat, and for conduct that suggested political donations might influence legislative action.

The two-pronged rebuke marked the second time in six days -- and the third time overall -- that the ethics panel has admonished the House's second-ranking Republican. The back-to-back chastisements are highly unusual for any lawmaker, let alone one who aspires to be speaker, and some watchdog groups called on him to resign his leadership post.

The ethics committee, five Republicans and five Democrats who voted unanimously on the findings, concluded its seven-page letter to DeLay by saying: "In view of the number of instances to date in which the committee has found it necessary to comment on conduct in which you have engaged, it is clearly necessary for you to temper your future actions to assure that you are in full compliance at all times with the applicable House rules and standards of conduct."

DeLay said in a statement that he believed the complaint "should have been thrown out immediately," but, "I accept the committee's guidance. . . . For years Democrats have hurled relentless personal attacks at me, hoping to tie my hands and smear my name. All have fallen short, not because of insufficient venom, but because of insufficient merit."


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A12933-2004Oct6.html