Posted on 09/29/2005 8:44:37 PM PDT by Libloather
DeLay maintains his optimism
Leader in limbo copes with new role after 'temporary' resignation
09:16 PM CDT on Thursday, September 29, 2005
By TODD J. GILLMAN / The Dallas Morning News
WASHINGTON – Stripped of power, facing a huge pay cut, mounting legal bills, enemies calling for his scalp and backbenchers itching for his permanent departure, Tom DeLay vowed Thursday to stick it out.
But in what role? Under indictment and forced from high office, would the Sugar Land Republican still have the ear of the House speaker and others whose loyalty he cultivated, coerced and enforced so effectively on his way to the top? Could he ever hope to reclaim the job of majority leader, or will colleagues' patience wear thin as Democrats exploit the embarrassment of his "temporary" resignation?
"We're working on the agenda, got things to do," Mr. DeLay insisted, upbeat as he trudged off from a barbecue lunch with fellow Texas Republicans. "I'm still a member of the House. I have invested a lot in this agenda and want to make sure that whatever assets I can bring to the conference, I can work on it."
Still, in his first full day in a decade as a rank-and-file House member, Mr. DeLay remained a man in limbo, a lawmaker without a committee seat, a leader without authority, a punching bag without the institutional backing he has long relied upon to fight back.
There were myriad details to work out, as simple as where he would sit and whom his aides worked for. No one even knew what to call him.
"Former majority leader" implied too much finality, because if he can get a judge to dismiss the conspiracy charge filed against him in Austin, he can return to the job. But "majority leader" didn't fit anymore.
(Excerpt) Read more at dallasnews.com ...
The indictment does not connect Tom DeLay to any -- any! -- crime, not a single fact is alleged in this indictment -- and experienced lawyers will tell you, lawyers who have seen gazillions of indictments, will tell you that indictments carry a list of charges. That's how you know what you're being charged with! You know, when you're accused and you're being charged, you have a right to know what it is. There's nothing in this indictment that specifies what DeLay did. So you have to ask: Do we still live in the United States of America? Someone charged with a crime, they have a legal right to know exactly what it is they're being accused of, otherwise they can't defend themselves. If we can't accept that principle and defend that principle then just how far have we sunk as a movement and as a party and as a country? Throw the guy out because we don't think he's going to be effective anymore? Why should we let DeLay or anybody else that's accused in this manner on our side hang? What's the point here? Just because the Democrats have succeeded in criminalizing their differences with not only DeLay but the president and the Republican Party, and we might do better politically by buying into their conduct? We can have more political success if we accept the notion that we have some bad apples in our bunch and to get rid of them except that there's no proof that they're bad apples, just when a bunch of liberals say they are? "Oh, okay, okay, fine. We'll clean the decks and we'll get some people in there you like." What the hell is this! You can't surrender to this kind of criminal intimidation.
So will we see a DeLay legal defense fund? It would be great.
I too, was lucky enough to hear this part of Rush's show and could not agree more! I thought so last night when Freeping..
Earle and the Demonrats want the Perp Walk..
Fortunately for us they are not intelligent enough to think beyond that "visual".
Hammer Time!
What / Where / When / How can we help???
Many of us have his back. All he needs to do is let us know - directly or indirectly - what he needs. bttt
You can always count on El Rushbo to do the right thing.
Absolutely. This is one cause I would happily contribute to generously, because it's war, and we have to win it.
If republicans take this **** lying down they may as well hang it up and quit.
I hope DeLay and Rush rip into moveon.earle tomorrow. Repubs should back DeLay. If the Libs smear DeLay and get away with it, than they can do it to any Conservative.
(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)
Even when he beats this suit, he will still be ruined as this will be brought up all the time by the fricking Rats and their willing accomplises in the MSM.
Delay was one of great American statesmen except to Reagan and doing this to him is like defacing REagan.
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