Cubin not planning to give up DeLay-linked donations
CHEYENNE - Rep. Barbara Cubin, R-Wyo., still has no plans to return or donate $22,250 she received from political action committees linked to Rep. Tom DeLay, R-Texas, according to her chief of staff, Tom Wiblemo. Cubin has said that DeLay’s conviction - not his indictment last year - would be necessary for her to relinquish the funds.
Ah, to be a Republican and to be unburdened by the lead weight of a conscience of a sense of propriety. It must be nice to know that you don’t have to worry about even the appearance of corruption or impropriety, because- repeat after me, kids: BEING A REPUBLICAN MEANS NEVER HAVING TO SAY YOU’RE SORRY. Yeah, right; whatever….
House may Republicans may be scrambling out of the light like cockroaches when the mere mention of DeLay arises, but you can bet that it’s going to take more than that to separate these fools from money raised for them and/or donated by the now thoroughly disgraced Tom DeLay. Frankly, Congressional Republicans would take money from the Marquis DeSade if it came right down to it. After all, he hasn’t been convicted of anything, right?
Yes, I realize that a person is still innocent until proven guilty in this country. Nonetheless, shouldn’t we be holding our elected officials to a higher standard of ethical conduct? And if (God forbid) DeLay was a Democrat, don’t you think that Republicans would be tripping over themselves in paroxysms or righteous indignation? Of course they would, silly. If there is anything that Republicans excel at, besides accepting tainted money, it’s smelling blood in the water.
Cubin has given to charity $250 she received from lobbyist Jack Abramoff, who pleaded guilty in January to mail fraud, conspiracy and tax evasion charges. The wide-ranging corruption probe involving Abramoff could involve up to 20 members of Congress, including DeLay.
Apparently, avoiding the appearance of impropriety is yet another example of the Republican double standard at work here. Republicans will cling tightly to their money, because “DeLay hasn’t been convicted”. It would seem that “smell test” isn’t part of the Republican vocabulary.
Wyoming Democratic Party Chairman Mike Gierau said in a news release Tuesday that DeLay’s decision not to seek re-election should serve as a wake-up call for Cubin.
You could be forgiven for thinking that, I suppose, but here in the real (Republican) world, there are two standards - one for Republicans, and another stricter one for the opponents of Republicans. The sooner you come to grips with that reality, the sooner you’ll begin to understand how things work in American politics. It’s not fair, and it’s not right, but there it is.
He said in addition to accepting money related to DeLay, Cubin has voted with DeLay 93 percent of the time.
So? Voting Republican (or Republicans voting) certainly beats the hell out of thinking, eh?
So what’s the moral of this little diatribe? Well, it’s quite simply, really. Republican ethics is an oxymoron along the lines of “George’s W. Bush’s bravery under fire” or “Swift Boat Veterans for Truth” or even “Fox News: Fair and Balanced.”
Yes, it would seem that nothing is going to loosen Rep. Cubin’s grip on her DUMB@$$ AWARD…and deservedly so.
