Tom DeLay to give up HML post

The AP is reporting that Rep. Tom DeLay will resign from his post as House Majority Leader:

Embattled Rep. Tom DeLay decided Saturday to give up his post as House majority leader, clearing the way for new leadership elections among House Republicans eager to shed the taint of scandal, two officials said.

These officials said DeLay, R-Texas, was preparing a letter informing fellow House Republicans of his decision. These officials spoke on condition of anonymity, saying they did not want to pre-empt the formal announcement.

DeLay is battling campaign finance charges in Texas and was forced to step aside temporarily as majority leader last fall after he was charged in his home state. He has consistently maintained his innocence and said he intended to resume his leadership post once cleared.

Thought before I logged off that I’d post this quickly for discussion purposes – news alert just came over via email.

Could this perhaps be happening as a result of Jack Abramoff’s guilty plea? Abramoff no doubt will sing, and the question on everyone’s mind has been who will he take with him.

Sunday AM Update: Here’s DeLay’s resignation letter. Also, check out this list of possible candidates to succeed DeLay. My hope is that they don’t pick a House version of Sen. Bill Frist.

16 Responses to "Tom DeLay to give up HML post"

omapian says:

January 7, 2006 at 2:12 pm

I hope this is a start of a major effort on the part of Republicans to clean up runaway congressional spending to satisfy lobbyists.
Since Tom DeLay is already under indictment, it is important for his defense to challenge the prosecutor to establish proof beyond a reasonable doubt. By stepping down, he can avoid the lame “everybody does it defense” (an explanation – it is not a justification).
In the 1980’s ABSCAM investigation had congressmen claiming they only took the money, they did not do any work for it. The result was that congress prevented the FBI from using the same investigative techniques to investigate elected public officials that had been proven successful against organized crime members.
It is time for the public to know how a senator from one state can block a project in another state over the objections of the voters in the affected state. Lobbyists impose the special interests of a few on the will of the many, as lobbyist dollars supplant voter turnout, after the election and it is time to vote on legislation.
If the leadership ignore party label and focuses on the truth, there may be many embarrassed members of congress (on both sides) who have taken money without giving anything in return. Since the Republicans happen to be in the majority at this time, they stand the greater chance to be smeared. But should the leadership make this a central issue, an informed public may identify and support the elected officials that provided for their needs rather than special interest groups.
Iowa Voice says:

January 7, 2006 at 2:34 pm

DeLay Giving Up Majority Leader Spot

FOXNews is reporting that Tom DeLay has resigned his leadership post:

Embattled Rep. Tom DeLay on Saturday abandoned his bid to remain as House majority leader, clearing the way for leadership elections among Republicans eager to shed the taint of scan
benning says:

January 7, 2006 at 2:45 pm

Do the Dummycrats think this’ll be the end of it? Do they not think the Republicans will come back at them? Jim Wright was not the only corrupt bugger in the Dem party. Reid, Kennedy, Pelosi, and the others are ripe for impeaching.
steve says:

January 7, 2006 at 3:49 pm

To quote a tiny little brain “Bring it on”. Peace
Pam says:

January 7, 2006 at 10:02 pm

I am glad he did this. It’s time to start cleaning house!
Big Bang Hunter says:

January 8, 2006 at 2:20 pm

– Trying to take back power, one mud-raking campaign at a time….. pffft

– Wonder how things would look for Reid if the Dembulbs had the same step-aside rule as the Reps. Never happen. Dems can be corrupt ’cause thems the underdogs.

– Uh huh –

– Bang
steve says:

January 8, 2006 at 3:51 pm

Reid voted for the illegal war in Iraq so you can have him. If you don’t want him, he can retire. Peace
J Rob says:

January 9, 2006 at 7:21 am

Because Abramoff’s pockets faced both sides of the aisle it will probably be difficult for any member of the House or Senate with any connection to him to get the presidential nomination of either party. Of course that is assuming that voters are paying attention.
Fortunately the ones who vote in primaries are the ones who usually do pay attention.
Baklava says:

January 9, 2006 at 11:38 am

One thing is clear. As long as Republicans are swayed by lobbyists instead of doing the right thing (the conservative thing) they’ll lose respect and trust of the voters who put them there.

Republicans need to realize that they have a large conservative base (armed with the facts that ABC, CBS, NBC, and CNN didn’t report for over a decade) but only have that base because leftist Democrats are further to the left of center than Republicans.

This country has moved left (towards bigger and bigger government) for over 6 decades and the problem IS BIG GOVERNENT. TOO many lobbyists having to float around money to curry favor with the government because the government is too large and writing in provisions specific to certain industries and companies and not others. The free market place has been replaced by government control and this essentially is the problem.

If government wasn’t as large, companies would not see any reason to lobby for or against legislation. Too much legislation that adversely affects companies or helps companies. Big government. It has created the need for special interest groups like the one for Indian Gaming.

My question is – WHY did Indian Gaming interests think it’d be beneficial to give government over 1 BILLION dollars? What were they thinking they’d gain? Were they going to get 2 billion in return some how? Geez. Can’t people get that Big government is the problem and is the reason that Government should be staying out providing health care? It would lead to rationing and cost controls and rewarding some companies and hurting others..
Baklava says:

January 10, 2006 at 10:13 am

BTW, Why is it in the last 2 decades (I might be getting the statistic wrong because I heard it on the radio) has the number of registered lobbyists increased by a factor of 10.

Why? My opinion is because it is worth it for people to lobby and that is because GOVERNMENT is TOO LARGE.

I’ll say again that Abramoff funneled over a BILLION dollars to people of both parties for one reason. Because Indian gaming interests felt it was worth it and the payoff would be greater than the Billion.
andrew says:

January 10, 2006 at 3:08 pm

“One thing is clear. As long as Republicans are swayed by lobbyists instead of doing the right thing (the conservative thing) they’ll lose respect and trust of the voters who put them there.”

I’m all for shutting down the K street project.
PCD says:

January 10, 2006 at 3:19 pm

andrew,

Your delusion about the K street project being an operation was refuted and debunked before. It was a study, not an operation.
andrew says:

January 10, 2006 at 3:24 pm

“It was a study, not an operation.”

It can’t be both? What will they do with the study once its over? Will they say things like:

“The Democrats are terrified that our K Street Project is going to replicate the way that they behaved when they had the House and Senate,” says Norquist.”
PCD says:

January 10, 2006 at 3:37 pm

No, andrew, it is not both. Please reign in your paranoia. We would be roasting you over Jim Wright and the Teamsters. That was out and out bribery. Wright left DC in disgrace, and he was a Democrat.

Oh, FYI, Grover Norquist is not a GOP officer and elected official.
PCD says:

January 10, 2006 at 3:44 pm

Omapian,

remember the Keating 5? It was McCain and 4 Democrats including John Glenn who got caught. You don’t see any of the donkeys here bring up that scandal, do you?
Baklava says:

January 19, 2006 at 6:15 pm

Harry apologizes to 33 Republicans

Comments are closed.