Delay Indicted

[Happy Monkey]

no details yet... Check the top of MSNBC.

edit:

Here's the story:

WASHINGTON - A Texas grand jury on Wednesday charged Rep. Tom 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.

...

“It’s a skunky indictment if they have one,” DeLay attorney Bill White told reporters before the indictment was handed down. “Like a dead skunk in the middle of the road. It stinks to high heaven.”

House GOP rules require any member of the elected leadership to step down temporarily if indicted, and it would be up to the rank and file to select an interim replacement.

According to the Associated Press, Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill.,will recommend that Congressman David Dreier, R-Calif., will take over DeLay's duties.

[Elspode]

Let the Texas Two-Step begin!

DeLay Indicted in Campaign Finance Probe By LARRY MARGASAK, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - A Texas grand jury on Wednesday charged Rep. Tom DeLay and two political associates with conspiracy in a campaign finance scheme, forcing the House majority leader to temporarily relinquish his post.

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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.

"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," DeLay said.

GOP congressional officials said Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., will recommend that Rep. David Dreier (news, bio, voting record) of California step into those duties. Some of the duties may go to the GOP whip, Rep. Roy Blunt (news, bio, voting record) of Missouri. The Republican rank and file may meet as early as Wednesday night to act on Hastert's recommendation.

The charge carries a potential two-year sentence, which forces DeLay to step down under House Republican rules.

"The defendants entered 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.

[busterb]

Now for this asshole. U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist

[warch]

Ronnie Earle got the slippery devil! Yahoo! (and a pack of his devil pals, too).

[Happy Monkey]

Originally Posted by busterb

Now for this asshole. U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist

Wow wow wow.

Frist's "blind trust" had an exemption - the trustees were absolved "from any obligation ... to diversify the investments" from his HCA stock, which was a large portion of the trust. So he knew precisely how much HCA he had when he directed the trustees to sell before the crash.

That's a lot more damning than I thought it would be. I sort of expected the Frist thing to end up being "sure is an amazing coincidence, but you can't prove a thing".

[Happy Monkey]

Apparently they're trying to spin Earle as a partisan Democrat. It would be funny if it wasn't so sad.

[busterb]

Anyone old enought to remember Billy Sol Estes, check spelling? Think he cut a big path across the south and maybe LBJ.

[tw]

Originally Posted by busterb

Anyone old enought to remember Billy Sol Estes, check spelling? Think he cut a big path across the south and maybe LBJ.

You mean Dr Billy Sal Harkes from the Good Church of the Gooey Death - Discount House of Worship. Broadcasting live from Del Rio TX.

One of his sponsors:
One sacred chicken to go
One with that heavenly glow
One that's nutrious
One that's delicious
So sacred it won't dirty your dishes.

[BigV]

I haven't yet read the article, but I do remember hearing him say two things: 1 -- I based all my actions on information that was available to the public and 2 --- I didn't know what was in the trust, it was a blind trust, it would be illegal for me to know. They're both paraphrases, but not wild fabrications.

*leaves to do more research*

Edit:

Wow.

[warch]

I love it when tw makes with the funny : )

Apparently they're trying to spin Earle as a partisan Democrat.

They can try. But his record tells a different story.

[lookout123]

fry 'em both.

[xoxoxoBruce]

At least Billy Sol Estes went to jail....these clowns won't.

[Tonchi]

Order up two more Freedom Medals.

[BigV]

And a mugshot. With a side of fingerprints.

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- A Texas court issued a warrant Wednesday for former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay to appear for booking, where he is likely to face the fingerprinting and photo mug shot he had hoped to avoid.

*searches for celebrity mugshot db...* Have fun spinning this one, DeLay.

[Fleur]

Originally Posted by BigV

And a mugshot. With a side of fingerprints.


*searches for celebrity mugshot db...* Have fun spinning this one, DeLay.

I am quite delighted by this.