DeLay Appears To Be Off The Hook
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James Joyner | Monday, November 22, 2004 |
DeLay Appears To Be Off The Hook (CBS News)
House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, appears to have dodged a bullet. The powerful GOP chieftain is unlikely to be indicted by a state grand jury probing alleged campaign finance violations in Texas, according to an official involved in the investigation. “No, no, I really donât think DeLay will be indicted,” the official told CBSNews.com. “And to be quite honest, [DeLayâs] lawyers know that.”
So, the Republicans embarrased themselves for nothing in their cynical move to repeal the rule that they themselves had insisted upon precluding House leaders under indictment from serving.
About the Author: James Joyner is the publisher of Outside the Beltway and the managing editor of the Atlantic Council. He's a former Army officer, Desert Storm vet, and college professor with a PhD in political science from The University of Alabama. He lives just outside the Beltway in Alexandria, Virginia.
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I think the "cynical move" was responsible for the indictment going away. The indictment itself was a political move, and the Republicans merely responded with a political maneuver.
The indictment, BTW, dealt with "money laundering" -- the prosecutor was upset that large corporations donated money to the RNC, which in turn handed out the money to individual candidates. There was no crime, just an attempt by a partisan prosecutor to affect the Congress.
I do feel that the House of Reps should reinstate the rule, but with some specifics that protect sitting Congressman from politically motivated actions.
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