Posted on 11/16/2004 7:21:32 PM PST by IBisOK
House Republicans proposed changing their rules last night to allow members indicted by state grand juries to remain in a leadership post, a move that would benefit Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex.) in case he is charged by a Texas grand jury that has indicted three of his political associates, according to GOP leaders. The proposed rule change, which several leaders predicted would win approval at a closed meeting today, comes as House Republicans return to Washington feeling indebted to DeLay for the slightly enhanced majority they won in this month's elections. DeLay led an aggressive redistricting effort in Texas last year that resulted in five Democratic House members retiring or losing reelection. It also triggered a grand jury inquiry into fundraising efforts related to the state legislature's redistricting actions. House GOP leaders and aides said many rank-and-file Republicans are eager to change the rule to help DeLay, and will do so if given a chance at today's closed meeting. A handful of them have proposed language for changing the rule, and they will be free to offer amendments, officials said. Some aides said it was conceivable that DeLay and Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) ultimately could decide the move would be politically damaging and ask their caucus not to do it. But Rep. Jack Kingston (Ga.), another member of the GOP leadership, said he did not think Hastert and DeLay would intervene.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
This is inside baseball two years from the next election.It will not hurt the GOP one iota.
The more the big Leftist newspapers and networks scream bloody murder the more they are ignored by moderate and conservative voters.
While I generally agree, the specifics of this situation look a tad bogus, from what (admittedly) little I've seen. Isn't this the result of a Dem prosecutor from the People's Republik of Austin who's had a ton of partisan political prosecutions thrown out of court / thrown out on appeal?
Ronnie Earlie would LOVE to indict Tom DeLay. He's the Democratic Travis County DA. The only county in Texas Kerry carried November 2nd. All roads lead and end there.
I am not concerned or commenting on what DeLay did or the indictments.
I find it disturbing that the GOP will change a rule that ALLOWS someone indicted to remain on a post, especially when they created the rule to get Rostenkowski to resign.
If the Dems did this, we'd be screaming to high heaven.
An indictment is an indictment.
Good enough for Rostenkowski; good enough for Delay.
I know it's hardball politics, but have some integrity, for pete's sake!
An indictment is not a conviction. You need a trial and a verdict for that. I think the current House rule is stupid, and flies in the face of everything the Constitution was adopted to protect.
HUH?
IBisOK --- Since Nov 22, 2003
And this is your first post? Not much to say til now, huh?
Must be one of our tall, dark, silent FReepers. :-)
WHY? HOW?
Well, innocent until proven guilty, right?
It's a SLEEPER TROLL!
It's a witch hunt. If senators are going to be suspended because Democrat partisans go after them with false charges, then the rules need to be changed.
There's an old saying in law: "A grand jury would indict a ham sandwich if a DA asked them to."
A marginal case. I'm inclined to think it's a troll, just because he can't FORMAT. Zot, even *I* know how to paragraph!
See?
Travis is the Black Hole Of Texas. Everything disappears into its vortex never to escape again.
If Earle wants DeLay's scalp, he could get it.
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