The Night of the

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The Night of the Long Gavels continues!

A couple weeks back we brought you the news of the recent purge of non-DeLay-lieutenants from the House Ethics Committee and their replacement with a slate of pliant toadies.

Now, according to this story in CQ Today, new Chairman Doc Hastings’ first order of business was to fire two top members of the committee’s professional staff — Staff Director and Chief Counsel John Vargo as well as spokesman and counsel Paul Lewis.

Pioneering new ground in understatement, Hastings (R) of Washington told the remaining committee staff he is “headed in another direction.” And apparently there may be more firings to follow.

In the spirit of the moment, might we suggest that there may be some out-of-work former DeLay aides back in Texas who are available for the new jobs?

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