House ethics panel to review DeLay complaint
DeLay undermines small 'd' democracy
There is something profoundly dysfunctional about a political system in which someone as corrupt and venal as Tom DeLay can be hailed as a "success". Corrupt politicians should be vilified for being the blight on the political landscape that they are. My hat goes off the Rep. Chris Bell for trying to shine a light on the unethical, immoral, and illegal practices of DeLay. In the end, it is likely that nothing much will change, but the process has to begin somewhere.
...Tom DeLay is the most corrupt politician in America.
That will not come as news to those of you who have been paying attention in recent years. But it takes on added relevance this week in the wake of formal charges I have filed against him alleging criminal conspiracy, including bribery, extortion, fraud, money laundering and abuse of power.
Predictably, to try and deflect attention from those charges, DeLay and his associates have opened fire with personal attacks and threats of political retribution against me and many of my colleagues.
But the charges filed against him this week are deadly serious -- DeLay's ongoing assault on the most basic tenets of our small `d' democratic system is no laughing matter. Truly, this isn't about partisan politics. This isn't about retribution. This is about ethics in government. This is about protecting the integrity of our democracy. And I am confident that any reasonable person, Republican or Democrat, who examines the full complaint, will come to the same conclusion.
What is most disturbing about this scenario is not DeLay's corruption, which is the stuff of legend, but that Republicans in the House were more than willing to quash Bell's complaint out of pure partisanship. Never mind the fact that Bell's charges may indeed have merit. Never mind that DeLay has used his position to benefit both himself and some well-heeled contributors to his campaign war chest. No, for Republicans it was all about protecting one of their own at all costs. Corruption? Just a cost of doing business, no doubt.
Thankfully, the House Ethics Committee has seen their way to doing the right thing. Political pressure finally forced Republicans to realize that this was not something they could sweep under the carpet. It remains to be seen whether justice will be done, but this is progress.
Perhaps if enough light is focused on DeLay and his corruption, voters in this district will finally begin to realize what a morally and ethically bankrupt excuse for a man is representing them. Of course, I'm not about to hold my breath on that one....
