And they printed a column by Jonathan Chait, a senior editor at The New Republic Whatever else he may be, DeLay is hardly 'innocent'
Posted on 04/12/2005 12:50:36 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
WASHINGTON - Republicans loyal to House Majority Leader Tom DeLay strongly denounced on Monday a GOP moderate's call for DeLay to step down from his leadership post.
But House Republicans were closely watching whether the lack of confidence expressed by Rep. Christopher Shays, R-Conn., is shared by a significant segment of the party or represented merely the disgruntlement of a member worried about Democratic opposition back home.
Shays complained during the weekend that DeLay's ethical conduct "is hurting the Republican Party, is hurting this Republican majority and it is hurting any Republican who is up for re-election."
'Difficult district'
Some party members were privately more troubled by remarks by Rick Santorum, R-Pa., the third-ranking Senate Republican. He said Sunday that DeLay, R-Sugar Land, should "come forward and lay out what he did and why he did it and let the people then judge for themselves."
Santorum went on to say that from what he knows, everything DeLay has done was legal.
Shays, in Congress since 1987, has had a rocky relationship with DeLay in recent years. He was forced to defend the GOP leader during his re-election campaign last November and won by only four points.
"I didn't appreciate his comments at all," said Rep. Kevin Brady, R-The Woodlands. "If you watch (Shays') pattern, he does this every quarter, whether he needs to or not. He finds some way to try and separate himself from Republican leadership. Most people just sort of shrug their shoulders. He's got a very difficult district that gets harder to defend each go 'round."
Questions raised
Top House GOP aides said that while Shays' concerns were predictable, Santorum's comments signaled an uneasiness among some lawmakers that DeLay's troubles could blow up into a major political scandal.
News reports of the past month have raised questions about the propriety of DeLay's political activities.
"What (DeLay) has to do is make certain that his colleagues understand that any issues that arise that are totally without merit are exactly that, totally without merit. And he has to give them a wall of defense that they can use," said former Republican Rep. Robert Walker, a Washington lobbyist.
White House spokesman Scott McClellan restated the administration's support for DeLay on Monday.
"Majority Leader DeLay is someone the president considers a friend, and he is someone that he was worked closely with to get things done in Washington," he said.
The friction between DeLay and Shays has a history. A split occurred while Shays was leading the campaign for passage of the 2002 campaign finance law. GOP leaders, especially DeLay, strongly opposed the measure and viewed Shays' successful legislative tactics as a betrayal.
The Republican leadership punished Shays by denying him the chairmanship of the House Government Reform Committee.
gebe.martinez@chron.comsamantha.levine@chron.com
I expect these remarks are edited to slant their meaning, as were Rick Santorum's comments, including where he criticized the media onslaught.
Correction: Shays's motives
And they printed a column by Jonathan Chait, a senior editor at The New Republic Whatever else he may be, DeLay is hardly 'innocent'
Seems that the typist missed the part about the Republicans holding wet fingers in the air to see which way the wind is blowing.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1381894/posts
***…..At the same time, Democratic groups are funding ads in DeLay's Texas district, in conservative newspapers, and major new stations in Washington. Last week, the Campaign for America's Future ran ads in districts of other Republicans, tarring them with DeLay's troubles. Those targeted include Rep. Rob Simmons (R) of Connecticut, Rep. Tom Reynolds (R) of New York, who chairs the Republican National Committee, and Rep. Doc Hastings (R) of Washington, the newly appointed House ethics chairman….***
(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)
(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)
***.....John D. Podesta, head of the liberal Center for American Progress and a White House and congressional staff veteran since the 1970s, said "one-party control" by Republicans at both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue "changes the dynamic substantially" in political scandals.
"You just don't have anyone in power in Congress who will issue a subpoena," forcing truthful testimony, he said, chiding legislators to restore a sense "that there's things that they just won't tolerate, whether it's done by Republicans or Democrats."
Given the majority leader's problems, Podesta said, in some not exactly friendly advice, "if I was advising DeLay, I don't know that 'getting it all out' is a particularly useful strategy for him." ***
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A44997-2005Apr11.html
Based on recent history, I'd say Delay is in deep doo-doo. Tom Delay is the only Republican in sight with a pair, and he knows he can't count on any of his "friends" in the party for aid and comfort. They'll all sit back and watch while this good man is destroyed on nothing more than innuendo and
hollow accusations.
It has happened before -- just ask Trent Lott. It's not the truth, but the seriousness of the charges that matters when it comes to Republican "corruption".
"Top House GOP aides said that while Shays' concerns were predictable, Santorum's comments signaled an uneasiness among some lawmakers that DeLay's troubles could blow up into a major political scandal."
I read that Santorum's comments signal that he plans to run for President in a very LIBERAL state, PA, where criticism of Delay will be very popular. This is truly "barf" stuff..Is there no one who will put the maintenance of freedom in this nation above his/her own personal aggrandizement in politics? And, Chris Shay's is well-known for his waffling. Face it folks, there are those in the Republican party who have worn the conservative face to get elected, who will turn on a dime for political fortune..They are self-absorbed narcissists and sometimes years are required for their supporters to learn the truth. Tom Delay, so far as I have heard has done nothing illegal or unusual. However, his liberal counterparts, whose organizations have done these same things, legally, are not being focused upon by the media and the advertising community funded by the foreigner, Mr. Soros, who may have already taken over the Democratic party.
Well said.
"There's no scandal. There's no fire. There's no smoke. All this is much ado about nothing. Chris Shays doesn't mention any wrong-doing on Tom DeLay's part and Rick Santorum says as he far as he knows, the Majority Leader did nothing illegal. Sure, a lobbyist accompanied DeLay on a foreign trip. Lobbyists go with Congresscritters all the time and no one makes a fuss over it. Ethics problems, my ass."
I totally agree with you..These vultures would caricature Mother Teresa if they thought it would end in political gain and more power.
"Well, Tom DeLay isn't a shrinking violet.
I believe he'll ride this out.
He's been a target so long, he's grown good armor."
I surely do hope you are correct..It will all depend on the integrity of the Republican's as a whole. Will they allow this abuse of Tom Delay to go on or will enough of them forget about their fear of a few liberals and go ahead to do what is right? To correlate this to an everyday situation in medicine, I can tell you that I have known of spouse abuse cases where some big, charming abuser would beat up a 5', 105 lb. spouse, sending her to the emergency room, a physical and psychological mess, and then, convince the authorities that she deserved it because she dared to try and defend herself against the very loss of her life. He never could have done such a thing if, even one of her family members would have lost their fear enough to have stood solidly behind her to the authorities..Instead, they kept quiet, protecting their own behinds. Of course, in the end, they were not protected at all, because they had empowered the enemy through their "yellow-bellied" behavior.
I hear ya.
"If you watch (Shays') pattern, he does this every quarter, whether he needs to or not. He finds some way to try and separate himself from Republican leadership..."
What is worse? A Democrat who is constantly criticizing the GOP and nobody listens, or a so-called Republican who constantly criticizes the GOP and everybody listens.
The squawking and yelling on the left about all this is 99%: How Bad Guy Tom DeLay Must Go, and 1%: discussing any actual charges.
Very telling.
Partially it is also to divert from other scandals such as Judge Greer's outlandish denial of due process to Terri Schindler-Schiavo; Sandy Berger (I'd like to know the name of the person responsible for the slap on the wrist); etc.
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