SPARKY: ALERT! ONE BLOW AGAINST THE RAT BASTARD GOP!

U.S. house majority leader DeLay indicted, steps down temporarily

First rate RAT BASTARD REPUBLICAN SLIME BALL Tom DeLay!

September 28, 2005

U.S House of Representatives majority leader Tom DeLay was indicted today by a Travis County Texas grand jury on conspiracy charges. He annouced that he will step down temporarily.

Dishonored and disgraced U.S House of Representatives majority leader Tom DeLay

Mr. DeLay's attorney Steve Brittain said that DeLay was accused of a criminal conspiracy in a campaign finance scheme along with two associates, namely John Colyandro, former executive director of a Texas political action committee formed by DeLay, and Jim Ellis, the head of DeLay's national political committee.

According to the indictment, "the defendants herein, with the intent that a felony be committed, did enter into an agreement with one or more of each other with a general purpose committee known as Texans for a Republican Majority PAC (Political action committee) that one or more of them would engage in conduct that would constitute the offense of knowingly making a political contribution in violation of Subchapter D of Chapter 253 of the Texas Election Code..."

Mr. DeLay, upon announcement of the indictment, made a solitary public comment: "I have notified the speaker that I will temporarily step aside from my position as majority leader pursuant to rules of the House Republican Conference and the actions of the Travis County district attorney today."

Earlier, DeLay denied all charges in the lengthy investigation. Bill White, another of DeLay's attorneys, said "it's a skunky indictment if they have one." DeLay's spokesman, Kevin Madden, called the indictment "nothing more than prosecutorial retribution by a partisan Democrat," refering to prosecutor Ronnie Earle, a Democrat.

According to House Republican party rules, DeLay must resign upon indictment. Party officals told the Associated Press that Speaker of the House, Dennis Hastert R-Illinois, will likely recommend Republican David Dreier of California as replacement, while some duties may also go to Majority whip Roy Blunt, R-Missouri.

DeLay has previously been admonished three times by a Congressional ethics committee, for "objectionable behavior".

House Republicans earlier eliminated the rule requiring his resignation upon indictment, but reinstated it fearing voters' outcry.

DeLay's Political Action Committee, Texans for a Republican Majority, was earlier indicted on charges it accepted corporate contributions for use in state legislative elections. Texas law prohibits corporate money from being used in elections, permitting it only for administrative expenses.

Having gained GOP control of Texas' legislature, DeLay masterminded a redistricting plan in 2004 that allowed the GOP to gain six seats in the U.S. House, formerly won by Democrats, and build a majority in Congress. In one case, one lawmaker switched parties, to maintain office.

External Links

• The Indictment (pdf-file)

Sources

• "DeLay indicted, will step aside as majority leader". CNN, September 28, 2005
• "House Majority Leader Tom DeLay Indicted". Fox News, September 28, 2005
• "DeLay Indicted in Campaign Finance Probe". Associated Press

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AP: LARRY MARGASAK: DeLay Indicted in Campaign Finance Probe

DeLay Indicted in Texas Campaign Finance Probe; Expected to Temporarily Relinquish Majority Post

Sep. 28, 2005

House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, looks on during a news conference regarding Hurricane Katrina on Capitol Hill in this Sept. 2, 2005 file photo in Washington. A Texas grand jury on Wednesday Sept. 28, 2005 charged DeLay and two political associates with conspiracy in a campaign finance scheme, an indictment that could force him to step down as House majority leader. (AP Photo Charles Dharapak, cite fair use)

A Texas grand jury on Wednesday charged Rep. Tom DeLay and two political associates with conspiracy in a campaign finance scheme, an indictment that likely will force him to step down as House majority leader.

DeLay attorney Steve Brittain said DeLay was accused of a criminal conspiracy along with two associates, John Colyandro, former executive director of a Texas political action committee formed by DeLay, and Jim Ellis, who heads DeLay's national political committee.

GOP congressional officials said the plan was for DeLay to temporarily relinquish his leadership post and Speaker Dennis Hastert will recommend that Rep. David Dreier of California step into those duties.

Some of the duties may go to the GOP whip, Rep. Roy Blunt of Missouri. The Republican rank and file may meet as early as Wednesday night to act on Hastert's recommendation.

"The defendants enetered into an agreement with each other or with TRMPAC (Texans for a Republican Majority Political Action Committee) to make a political contribution in violation of the Texas election code," says the four-page indictment. "The contribution was made directly to the Republican National Committee within 60 days of a general election."

The indictment against the second-ranking, and most assertive Republican leader came on the final day of the grand jury's term. It followed earlier indictments of a state political action committee founded by DeLay and three of his political associates.

The grand jury action is expected to have immediate consequences in the House, where DeLay is largely responsible for winning passage of the Republican legislative program. House Republican Party rules require leaders who are indicted to temporarily step aside from their leadership posts.

However, DeLay retains his seat representing Texas' 22nd congressional district, suburbs southwest of Houston.

DeLay has denied committing any crime and accused the Democratic district attorney leading the investigation, Ronnie Earle, of pursuing the case for political motives.

Democrats have kept up a crescendo of criticism of DeLay's ethics, citing three times last year that the House ethics committee admonished DeLay for his conduct.

Earlier, DeLay attorney Bill White told reporters, "It's a skunky indictment if they have one."

As a sign of loyalty to DeLay after the grand jury returned indictments against three of his associates, House Republicans last November repealed a rule requiring any of their leaders to step aside if indicted. The rule was reinstituted in January after lawmakers returned to Washington from the holidays fearing the repeal might create a backlash from voters.

DeLay, 58, also is the center of an ethics swirl in Washington. The 11-term congressman was admonished last year by the House ethics committee on three separate issues and is the center of a political storm this year over lobbyists paying his and other lawmakers' tabs for expensive travel abroad.

Wednesday's indictment stems from a plan DeLay helped set in motion in 2001 to help Republicans win control of the Texas House in the 2002 elections for the first time since Reconstruction.

A state political action committee he created, Texans for a Republican Majority, was indicted earlier this month on charges of accepting corporate contributions for use in state legislative races. Texas law prohibits corporate money from being used to advocate the election or defeat of candidates; it is allowed only for administrative expenses.

With GOP control of the Texas legislature, DeLay then engineered a redistricting plan that enabled the GOP take six Texas seats in the U.S. House away from Democrats including one lawmaker switching parties in 2004 and build its majority in Congress.

Copyright 2005 The Associated Press.
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• DeLay Indicted in Campaign Finance Probe
• Jury indicts top US congressman
• DeLay indicted in campaign finance probe
• DeLay defense fears more indictments as jury wraps up

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Sparky, Today Tom DeLay's House of Scandal took a wrecking ball as he was indicted in Texas for - what else - criminal conspiracy related to illegal corporate fundraising. Tom DeLay, the most powerful Republican the House has ever seen, is under indictment. Senate Leader Bill Frist and White House mastermind Karl Rove are likewise mired in federal investigations. But Tom DeLay and Bill Frist are not alone in their shady style of governing - it is a systemic problem in the Republican Party that goes far beyond these two men. Tom DeLay's hardnosed influence peddling has permeated the Republican money machine, from the top strategists and committees to the lowliest backbenchers in the Congress. This is the Party that is deciding the fate of the country we love. We cannot allow it to continue. If you contribute $35, $50, or more to the DCCC today, your contribution will be DOUBLED! Nothing could have highlighted better the reasons for the DCCC's Campaign for Change. The poetic justice of DeLay being indicted on the very anniversary of the self-righteous Contract with America will go down in history as one of the most spectacular falls in American politics, and the closing chapter in the so-called "Republican Revolution." The days of selling out the American people to big oil and the pharmaceutical industry must end. It is time for a new day, a wholesale change in the House of Representatives. America need not waste its time, resources, and treasure on this culture of corruption any longer. If you contribute $35, $50, or more to the DCCC today, your contribution will be DOUBLED! The DCCC is focused on ousting Tom DeLay and his cronies. We told you about Tom DeLay's scandals and super-lobbyist Jack Abramoff, known as "Director of Travel for DeLay Inc." We launched our House of Scandal website, and we have been relentless in exposing every Member of Congress tied to DeLay. We are not going to rest. We must put Democrats in the majority to put an end to this corruption once and for all. A strong showing at the end of the quarter will prove to the Republicans that we have the resources to hold them accountable. Make your contribution today and I will personally see to it that every dollar goes to exposing Republicans for their betrayal of America's trust: If you contribute $35, $50, or more to the DCCC today, your contribution will be DOUBLED! Under House rules, Tom DeLay DOES NOT have to resign as a Member of Congress. Under the rules of the GOP conference, he ONLY has to step down from his leadership post while under indictment. This means it is up to us -- you, me and the DCCC -- to make sure Tom DeLay does not keep his seat. We need to defeat him and his cronies in 2006. With the indictment of DeLay, the "Republican Revolution" and their precious "Contract with America" are exposed as frauds. The whole Republican system of pay-to-play politics and lobbyist-driven legislating that DeLay put into place, benefiting the special interests at the expense of average families and our country. Until that system is dismantled and the "people's House" is returned to the people, Congress will not address the challenges and concerns facing families across our nation. We need to bring a permanent end to DeLay's House of Scandal. We need leadership that will work for the American people and not the special interests like the oil and gas industries and the big drug and insurance companies. We will work with you to take the Democratic message into every corner of the country, and make sure Republicans' constituents know that their representatives have been serving the interests of an indicted, entrenched influence-peddler instead of their own. The Republican Party has betrayed the trust of the American people, and it is time that they are thrown out. It's our job to make that happen, and we will with your help. Over the next year, we'll need your input and your action; today we need your help to make our fundraising goal and show the Republicans their time is over: If you contribute $35, $50, or more to the DCCC today, your contribution will be DOUBLED! You'll hear much, much more from us soon. This is only the beginning. Thank you. Sincerely, John Lapp Executive Director, DCCC

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Peace Out!
- Sparky :D