Should DeLay resign

Statement from the Office of the Majority Leader

(WASHINGTON) - Kevin Madden, spokesman for House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (TX) today released the following statement regarding today's announcement by the Travis County (TX) District Attorney's Office:

"These charges have no basis in the facts or the law. This is just another example of Ronnie Earle misusing his office for partisan vendettas. Despite the clearly political agenda of this prosecutor, Congressman DeLay has cooperated with officials throughout the entire process. Even in the last two weeks, Ronnie Earle himself had acknowledged publicly that Mr. DeLay was not a target of his investigation. However, as with many of Ronnie Earle's previous partisan investigations, Ronnie Earle refused to let the facts or the law get in the way of his partisan desire to indict a political foe.

This purely political investigation has been marked by illegal grand jury leaks, a fundraising speech by Ronnie Earle for Texas Democrats that inappropriately focused on the investigation, misuse of his office for partisan purposes, and extortion of money for Earle's pet projects from corporations in exchange for dismissing indictments he brought against them. Ronnie Earle's previous misuse of his office has resulted in failed prosecutions and we trust his partisan grandstanding will strike out again, as it should.

Ronnie Earle's 1994 indictment against Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison was quickly dismissed and his charges in the 1980s against former Attorney General Jim Mattox-another political foe of Earle-fell apart at trial.

We regret the people of Texas will once again have their taxpayer dollars wasted on Ronnie Earle's pursuit of headlines and political paybacks. Ronnie Earle began this investigation in 2002, after the Democrat Party lost the Texas state legislature to Republicans. For three years and through numerous grand juries, Ronnie Earle has tried to manufacture charges against Republicans involved in winning those elections using arcane statutes never before utilized in a case in the state. This indictment is nothing more than prosecutorial retribution by a partisan Democrat."

Yeah, whatever, DeLay. Ronnie Earle has gone after plenty of Democrats in Texas during his time. These cries of partisanship will avail you not.

Mayahahgagaggagaghahhahahah!!!

Muahahhhah1hh21h34hhhhahha~~!!!!

That's one branch of Republican leadership.

Patrick Fitzgerald is nailing down the Executive.

The SEC is going after the Senate.

You guys are going to get killed in '06 if things keep going this way.

Cycloptichron

Amen! Now if we can just get them to indict Bush, Cheney and the rest of the GOP trash in this country we would all be better off. So much for morals and ethics

It seems, according the the political editor of WSJ, that DeLay's days in congress are numbered.

REP DELAY INDICTED BY TEXAS GRAND JURY. That's the headline on MSNBC news.

And it all reminds me of this Monty Python skit.

Yeah, yeah, Tico, I understand there are certain things you are contractually obligated as a Republican to say, lol....

You know as well as I that even if nothing comes of them, these charges mean nothing good and everything bad for the GOP. Just wait until the rest of the investigations this fall play out, heh

Cycloptichorn

Several sites/media are reporting that according to House Republican party rules, DeLay will be forced to temporarily step down from his leadership post.

So this isn't true either, Tico?

Gee, they still haven't crawled into their rat holes yet? LOL

Truth be damned this president and the GOP are behind DeLay 100 percent.

There's been recent reports that DeLay is planning to run for president in 2008. LOL

DeLay said he will "step aside" as house majority leader.

I've heard that's what the rules say, but regardless of the House Rules, I think he should step down now that he's been indicted, even if the indictment is "skunky," to quote DeLay's lawyer.

Why would you think I thought otherwise?

The BIG Q: will DeLay remain in congress?

Criminal conspiracy is a state felony punishable by six months to two years in a state jail and a fine of up to $10,000. The potential two-year sentence forced DeLay to step down under House Republican rules.

At the White House, press secretary Scott McClellan said the president still considers DeLay "a good ally, a leader who we have worked closely with to get things done for the American people."

Of course he will.

You willing to bet a beer on that?

Yeah, I usually listen to criminal defense lawyers when I want to find out whether there is a strong case against their client or not.

Cycloptichorn

Of couse he will remain in congress, afterall isn't this Clintons fault?