With House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex.) now involved directly or tangentially in a handful of ethics cases and investigations, some analysts say that another setback could substantially weaken the lawmaker's ability to champion Republican causes and candidates.
DeLay's bare-knuckle tactics have sparked controversy and Democratic ire for years, but Thursday's 62-page report by the House ethics committee highlighted DeLay's questionable arm-twisting of GOP members when crucial votes are at stake.
...The report's conclusion marked the second time in five years that the ethics committee has chastised DeLay.
... DeLay has survived past storms, [George Washington University public affairs professor Stephen] Hess said, partly because he "has been a shrewd enough leader to have many if not most of his legislative constituents beholden to him."
WaPo articleDeLay's bare-knuckle tactics have sparked controversy and Democratic ire for years, but Thursday's 62-page report by the House ethics committee highlighted DeLay's questionable arm-twisting of GOP members when crucial votes are at stake.
...The report's conclusion marked the second time in five years that the ethics committee has chastised DeLay.
... DeLay has survived past storms, [George Washington University public affairs professor Stephen] Hess said, partly because he "has been a shrewd enough leader to have many if not most of his legislative constituents beholden to him."
Like four members of the ethics committee, who have received funds from DeLay's PACs. The current hand-slap comes for his attempts to strong-arm Michigan Representative Nick Smith (R) over the Medicare vote. (If you don't recall that episode, it's recounted in this WaPo article.)
Texas indictments [of three of DeLay's political associates on fund-raising charges] stem from allegations central to the pending complaint....the ethics panel, known as the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, will be under political and public pressure to at least start a formal investigation before Congress adjourns next month.
That could be enough to trigger a new round of attacks on DeLay that -- even if the investigation eventually proves fruitless -- would give the impression his ethical problems have reached critical mass, some Democrats and liberal groups said.
That could be enough to trigger a new round of attacks on DeLay that -- even if the investigation eventually proves fruitless -- would give the impression his ethical problems have reached critical mass, some Democrats and liberal groups said.
Yes, DeLay is claiming he was unaware of the activities of those crooked PACs, even though his daughter ran one, he is listed as the head, and gives fund-raisers for them. How about, three strikes, you're out? They seem to think it's a good idea for petty criminals.
The pugnacious pigwad
No comments:
Post a Comment