More Charges Against DeLay

DeLay Faces New Charges in Texas

Texas grand jury indicted Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Tex.) today for alleged involvement in money-laundering related to the 2002 Texas election, raising new and more serious allegations than the conspiracy charge lodged against the former House majority leader last week.

The surprising new indictments followed by a matter of hours a motion by DeLay's Texas legal defense team to quash last week's charge on grounds that the Texas prosecutor in charge of the case lacked authority to bring it. The lawyers alleged that the crime of conspiracy was not covered by the state election law at the time of the alleged violation.

I doubt that Ronnie Earle's charges are going to lead anywhere but like a small dog that repeatedly nips your ankle they will lead to DeLay's eventual fall from power. Tom DeLay's real problem isn't Ronnie Earle or the Democrats it's his own vindictive hubris. DeLay's power is the result of fear not because he was liked or respected. While giving favors for campaign contributions is standard operating procedure in politics, both Democrats and Republicans do it, Delay was basically running a protection racket. If corporations did pay up they were threatened with bad things. When that little dog draws enough the bullies blood those who have been victims of DeLay's threatening tactics become emboldened. Delay shouldn't be worried about the frontal attack by Ronnie Earle and the Democrats, he should be watching his back for corporations and Republicans who would like to see him neutered. It's said that the cover up will get you, well sometimes it's the strong-arm hubris.