I believe that Delay will dispatch the charges against him in Texas soon enough. What I feel may have prompted this move is the Abramoff situation.
It was one thing to clear himself of the charges in Texas, but soon there will be charges of impropriety in relation to Abrimoff. Then he'll have to spend time clearing himself of those charges.
What this boils down to, is a situation where the leader of the Republicans in the House would have to focus on clearing himself once again, rather than spending full time on his duties.
I don't see Delay stepping down unless there was something in addition to the charges in Texas looming.
The charges in Texas were trumped up. They were purely political from my point of view. I just don't know how you clear yourself in a timely manner from all the muck and still perform your job.
I question whether it was wise of Abrimoff to go belly up without a fight. Evidently his defense team thought this was the right thing to do, but it sure is going to put a lot of folks in the crosshairs, for basicly doing what's been done in D.C. for centuries, and considered legal.
I don't agree with some of the things that go on in D.C., and Abrimoff is probably a good example of why. The problem for me is that it appears he did operate by the rules in place, but still got dinged. I'm by no means convinced what he did was illegal, although I think much of it should be. The question for me is one of timing. Create laws that make what Abrimoff did illegal. Then go after people like him.
Perhaps in the end that is what has taken place, but I'm not completely convinced of it at this time.
Here we have a Justice Department under a Republican Administration going after anyone no matter who their actions may have touched. Imagine a Justice Department with that much zeal under the Clintons. Now that would have been something to watch.
I disagree. All I want is full disclosure and let the public decide at the ballot box. The lobbyists will always find a way to do bribery.
If nothing else there will always be insider deals like Duke Cunningham, Geraldine Ferraros husband (did same thing as Cunningham), and Hillary (cattle futures) pulled off.
Why Hillary and Ferrarro's husband are not joining Duke in jail is beyond me.
On another subject, this is also how people avoid estate taxes. They rig an insider deal so that the heirs make a bunch of money and the parents lose.
That's what we need - more laws. Easier than electing principled people who are serious about slashing government then going home.