DeLay seizes on chiding of accuser
When Tom DeLay looks at himself in the mirror, what do you think he sees?
Though I am the last person who would want to know what goes on in Tom DeLay’s head, this is a valid and interesting (if not frightening) question. Does he see:
1) a vindictive martinet bent on becoming the most powerful man in Washington at the expense of his constituents and all human decency?
2) a horribly misunderstood public servant, struggling against the legions of those who would bring him down through scurrilous attacks and personal vendettas?, or
3) someone who just wants to dance?
Yeah, I’m going with the second choice myself. It must be nice being omnipotent, malevolent, and afraid of nothing and no one.
Bolstered by a House Ethics Committee finding that parts of a complaint filed against him were exaggerated, House Majority Leader Tom DeLay lashed out Friday against what he called Democrats’ obsessive desire to destroy him politically.
The bipartisan ethics panel ruled that Rep. Chris Bell, D-Houston, who lost his seat in this year’s Democratic primary, violated a House rule when he included in his complaint against DeLay misstatements of the law and “excessive or inflammatory language,” apparently for political gain.
The panel noted that though Bell’s complaint was flawed, the committee agreed it contained allegations that warranted consideration.
In the weeks before the election, the panel admonished DeLay, R-Sugar Land, on two counts related to Bell’s complaint, for fund-raising activities that gave the appearance of impropriety and trying to use his influence with the Federal Aviation Administration to track Texas Democrats during redistricting.
About the same time, the committee also admonished DeLay in another case, for pressuring a fellow Republican to vote for Medicare legislation.
Rather than address his clearly ethical and perhaps even legal shortcomings, DeLay has chosen to kill the messenger. Chris Bell, is, after all, merely a lam-duck Congressman who couldn’t even win re-election in the district that DeLay redrew expressly to ensure Bell’s defeat.
Asserting that he has been unfairly targeted by Democrats who are frustrated by Republicans’ political victories, DeLay said Bell “acted out of anger of losing his seat in Congress, blamed everyone but himself for his loss and turned his obsessive rage on me.”
He also downplayed the committee’s three admonishments against him, maintaining that Bell’s violation of a House rule was more serious.
“Admonishment is not a sanction” under House rules, DeLay said. “It is a mild warning … there has been no violation of the House rules” in his case.
Of course, the question has never been whether or not DeLay has violated House rules. The question is whether or not DeLay has engaged in unethical, perhaps even illegal activities. His Machiavellian nature has always blinded him to the need for avoiding even the appearance of a conflict of interest. Indeed, DeLay is a walking, talking conflict of interest.
Surrounded by his “friends”, the ethically-challenged DeLay can count on being protected by Republican colleagues ready, willing, and able to give him a free pass regardless of what may come.
Congratulations, America; you elected EXACTLY the quality of leadership that you deserve. I hope you’re proud of yourself….
