Republicans

Delay, What Next?

December 5, 2005 ⋅  E-Mail Article ⋅  Print Article ⋅ Post a comment

Tom Delay will have to face money laundering charges but as for the conspiracy charges against him they have been thrown out by a judge presiding over the accusations. Many believe that had Delay been admonished of both charges he would have immediately tried reclaiming his position as House majority leader.

Many feel DeLay will be an easy target for Democrats running in 2006 election campaigns. Many feel the Democrats will use the name of Delay to slander the reputation of the Republican Party. Many Republicans see DeLay in a different light, they feel that DeLay will serve as a martyr figure, displaying to voters how the Democrats are just an ‘Angry Old Man Party’ who is still looking to bring down President Bush and the new Republicans.

Regardless of which spin you decide to follow, it appears DeLay will be a controversial figure for some time to come. DeLay has advised that he has no intentions of backing away from politics; he hopes to regain his seat in congress and get back to work for the American people.

Vice President Dick Cheney was scheduled to headline a Republican fundraiser for the embattled Texas Congressman Tom DeLay in Houston Monday night. Many feel the President and Vice President should distance themselves from Delay at this time but Cheney felt he needed to show up for support of the embattled congressman.

DeLay was indicted in September; he was required under House rules to relinquish his majority leadership position at that time. Many Republican insiders feel that the prosecution of Tom Delay is a partisan hack job perpetrated by district attorney Ronnie Earl. Kevin Madden stated that, “The court’s decision to dismiss Ronnie Earle’s numerous charges against Mr. DeLay underscores just how baseless and politically motivated the charges were.” Ronnie Earl is a Democratic district attorney who brought the case against Tom DeLay.

Delay will still face one criminal accusation. According to the accusation, Republicans Tom DeLay, John Colyandro, and Jim Ellis, are all accused of having illegally channeled $190,000 in corporate donations to various 2002 Republican candidates running for positions in the Texas Legislature. In Texas it is illegal for corporate money to be used for political campaigns, the money can be used for administrative functions.

Tom DeLay has been an active member of congress for numerous years. Tom DeLay was elected the majority whip in 1994. Tom was also part of a political group that unsuccessfully tried to have House Speaker Newt Gingrich removed from office in 1997. In 2002 Tom was elected majority leader of the House. In September of 2004Grand juries in Texas indicted three DeLay associates, Jim Ellis, John Colyandro, and Warren RoBold, in regards to an investigation of alleged illegal corporate contributions to a political action committee Tom DeLay had founded. In September of 2005 Tom DeLay Delay, What Next?

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