Don’t go! Don’t go!
With news now breaking that Rep. Tom DeLay had a 1997 trip to Russia paid for by lobbyists who were, in some fashion or another, working on behalf of the Russian government, there must be a few Democrats out there who worry that he might actually be taken out by these burgeoning scandals. After all, he’s great for the Dems. Heck, we’re even planning on having a section of the new site we’re launching devoted to tracking the DeLay/Abramaff scandal. So it might even require some site redesign on our end.
But, really, I wouldn’t worry.
Even if the White House tries to get rid of DeLay (which would not surprise me) I doubt he’ll go that easily. And even if he goes, actually make that when he goes, the truth is (and anybody who covers the Hill knows this) that his corruption has seeped all through the House GOP caucus.
There’s a reason they call it the DeLay machine. It’s not just DeLay. It’s a system of organized corruption that many, many Republican members of the House have benefited from. Not all corruption is illegal or even against congressional ethics rules, mind you. But enough of it is, as we’re now seeing with DeLay. And he’s splashed his mud all over the House.
Late Update: Two other points about DeLay, or rather one question with possibly two answers. Who’s turning on the bug man? Call me cynical: but Drudge is playing this story awfully prominently. That makes me wonder whether a thumb at the White House that used to be turned up just turned down. More concretely, a lot of DeLay’s lieutenants are now under indictment or on their way there. Eventually, you’ve got to figure one of them starts to squeal. You’ve seen Deliverance, right?
