Posted on 01/03/2005 6:06:10 PM PST by wagglebee
WASHINGTON (AP) - House Republicans suddenly reversed course Monday, deciding to retain a tough standard for lawmaker discipline and reinstating a rule that would force Majority Leader Tom DeLay to step aside if indicted by a Texas grand jury.
The surprise dual decisions were made by Speaker Dennis Hastert and by DeLay - who asked GOP colleagues to undo the extreme act of loyalty they handed him in November. Then, Republicans changed a party rule, so DeLay could have retained his leadership post if indicted by the grand jury in Austin that charged three of the Texas Republican's associates.
When Republicans began their closed-door meeting Monday night, leaders were considering a rules change that would have made it tougher to rebuke a House member for misconduct. The proposal would have required a more specific finding of ethical violations than is now required.
Republicans gave no indication before the meeting that the indictment rule would be changed. Even more surprising was DeLay's decision to make the proposal himself.
Jonathan Grella, a DeLay spokesman, said DeLay still believed it was legitimate to allow a leader to retain his post while under indictment. But he said by reinstating the rule that he step aside, DeLay was "denying the Democrats their lone issue. Anything that could undermine our agenda needs to be nipped in the bud."
Grella said Republicans did not know in advance that DeLay would make the proposal. "He was doing some thinking and this was the conclusion he came to."
Hastert made the proposal to retain the current standards of conduct.
Rep. Mark Kirk, R-Ill., said, "It's a mark of a leader to take a bullet for the team and not for the team to take a bullet for the leader. I'm very glad we decided to stick with the rules."
Hastert spokesman John Feehery said that a change in standards of conduct "would have been the right thing to do but it was becoming a distraction."
He's right about that.
This could mean that indictments are going to come down
for some democrats soon.
I agree, but I think they are also trying to minimize the fallout from DeLay, who is almost certain to be indicted.
The Texas Legislature has threatened to take Ronnie Earle's indictment capacity of a Congressional Texan away from him and hand it to the Texas Attorney General.
A shot has been fired across his bow. If he indicts DeLay, it will be the LAST indictment of any member of Congress from Texas by Ronnie baby.
An indictment is not a conviction. What happened to the concept a man is not guilty until proven guilty?
I hope you're right, the whole matter is a crock of sh*t, but I think he will probably be indicted but the charges will be dropped fairly soon.
I agree, but I think they are also trying to minimize the fallout from DeLay, who is almost certain to be indicted.
I think that only applies to the 'Rats, look at BJ Klintoon, Jim Traficant and Robert Torricelli.
No, it's just a "gut feeling." A grand jury is generally a rubber stamp for the prosecution. I don't think he will ever actually go on trial, much less be convicted, but I see indictment as a very real possibility.
Thanks. I thought maybe you had seen something in the last few days indicating an indictment. It may happen but then there has been some indications in the media around Austin that no indictments of DeLay will occur.... I'd link but I can't remember where I saw the comments....
I've never seen of a case where a prominent person was investigated by the grand jury and NOT indicted; but as I said before, I think the whole thing is a crock.
Check Ronnie Earle's background-'Rat DA of 'Rat Travis County.
Remember his indictment of Kay Bailey Hutchison? Looking at his history, I would say an indictment of DeLay is a given. For the Pubbies to lose Delay's leadership at this crucial juncture could prove disastrous to the GOP agenda. Who is there hardnosed enough to follow in DeLay's footsteps?
I don't think that DeLay will have to resign his seat, just (temporarily) step aside as majority leader. As majority leader, he mainly runs the GOP caucus, his power will probably remain even if he is not formally in charge.
Taken away only because Delay is so powerful. Earle is NOT partisan. He investigates when the facts justify an investigation. The majority of his work has been against Dems.
Why do you think that is? The Republicans from Texas were non-existent in Congress until the 1990s, and were in the minority in the Texas Legislature until 1994.
Earle's only foray against a powerful Republican was against Kay Bailey Hutchison, and he was humiliated before the trial ever started and had to drop the case.
Earle is as partisan as they come.
Yeah, his prosecution of Kay Bailey Hutchison really inspired confidence in his lack of bias and legal skills.
Excellent point. I hadn't thought of that. My first reaction was that Tom must have gotten some inside skinny that that rogue local scumbag Democrat prosecutor (Ronnie somebody ?) has nothing on him and won't get an indictment.
The democrats have their own rules and they are similar to that which the republicans would have put in place. The democrats are crying about the republican rule changes when if fact the changes would make them more similar to the democrats' rules.
A decent prosecutor can get a grand jury to indict a ham sandwich.
I have a feeling that maybe Earle has decided that the Republicans run everything in Texas and they run everything in Washington DC and maybe he better chill a little. For his own good.
I thought it was "breaking news". Didn't you? Thanks for the link. Happy New Year!
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