Tom Delay Resigns from Congress

DeLay's sudden withdrawal is the topic du jour here in Houston . Local talk shows are astounded by it and the timing . DeLay just won a place on the ballot for his seat in Congress , and many wonder if this portends some other bad news soon to follow in relation to the trial .

I think he has decided to forego the uphill battle against the press and his detractors , in order to be effective in future efforts to get someone in that seat that he approves and is as much like him as possible .
I am not sure who he has in mind , though .

The Democrats are crowing , their perception is that quitting is an admission of guilt . DeLay says that is far from the truth .

In my opinion if someone was making allegations against me that were false I wouldnt be resigning.....

^ I agree...

So you two both think quiting is an admission as well? Delay never said the accusations were false, he said there was no law against them at the time. I'd like to know why Roonie Earl needed an unpresidented six grand jurys to get him if he is even getable. Much less convicted? Unlike some Demo's stuffing there pockets on camera infront of some oil sheiks. Any one remember adscam? I'm sure the Old Tool Collector does.

Yes , Abscam
"On February 3, 1980, the Philadelphia Inquirer and other newspapers revealed details about a secret two-year FBI sting operation code-named "Abscam." By 1984, four members of the U.S. House of Representatives and one U.S. Senator had been convicted of bribery and conspiracy charges. It was the biggest scandal to hit Washington since Watergate though it is largely forgotten today. Why is that? Because neither party has an incentive to bring it up."

"Rep. Richard Kelly of Florida is notorious for a January 8, 1980 videotape showing him stuffing $25,000 worth of bribes in his pockets and then turning to one of the agents and saying "Does it show?" Kelly was lucky enough to encounter a judge sympathetic to the entrapment excuse and, sadly, his conviction was overturned.

Angelo Errichetti was not as lucky. In 1981, New Jersey State Senator Errichetti was sentenced to six years in prison and fined $40,000 for his involvement in Abscam.

Representative Frank Thompson (D-N.J.), used $24,000 of campaign funds for his legal fees related to his Abscam trial. This was actually legal at the time but showed in the minds of many just how unethical some of these "entrapped" defendants were.

On May 1, 1981, Senator Williams was convicted and on March 11, 1982, Senator Williams of New Jersey resigned rather than have his colleagues vote him out.

One of the Abscam figures was quoted on one of the videotapes as claiming that then Hempstead Town Supervisor Al D'Amato was "definitely taking contributions -- he's on the take." D'Amato - who would be no stranger to scandal over the coming decades - later became a three-term Senator for the state of New York. Ironically, he held investigations into the Whitewater affair in the mid-90s."
"Abscam Aftermath
Although a repeat of Abscam would doubtless net dozens if not hundreds of convictions today, don't expect the Justice Department or the FBI to conduct such a sting operation ever again. The political appointees to Justice are well aware their party faithful were not amused by Abscam. For a brief moment in our nations history starting with Watergate and ending with Abscam, the American people learned what scoundrels their elected officials were. One can only hope that future generations will recognize this."

"The Abscam model of using a fake front company and concealed recording equipment served as the basis for a number of other investigations during the 1980s. However, the government agencies have not since tried a duplicate operation."
Maybe the current investigation will open our eyes to the greed that consumes politicians . Certainly Members of Congress from both sides of the aisle will be implicated , not just DeLay .

Maybe they should be like Michael Jackson and just pay somebody off ?

Abramoff already came out an said none of his plee bargain has anything to do with DeLay. Meaning to me he won't be further implicated other then what the Libbys can make stick without any proof.

Exactly !