DeLay: The Bitter End of the News Cycle
The Times runs a mostly ho-hum analysis of DeLay’s time in the leadership. The era of partisanship may be over, Robin Toner reports. I wouldn’t be so sure. (NYT)
DeLay will get to collect his $67,000-a-year pension as soon as he leaves Congress, the Houston Chronicle tells us. He can even collect it from prison. Not that he had anything to do with any criminal activity. (Houston Chronicle)
The Post‘s Chris Cilizza sizes up Nick Lampson’s costs in Texas’ 22nd District now that DeLay has bowed out. The verdict: he could win, but his chances are definitely lower than they were Monday. (The Fix)
In an interview with the Washington Times yesterday, DeLay lambasted the Republicans for a lack of unity and answered “maybe” to the question of whether he might go on to be a lobbyist. (WT)
U.S. News‘ Inside Washington Column pushes forward the “Democrats Have Lost Corruption as an Issue Because DeLay is Gone” Meme. (US News)
DeLay’s charities say that just because their man has surrendered his iron grip on power, they aren’t worried they might lose the generous funding of the tobacco companies, Indian tribes, oil companies and others who needed favors from The Hammer when he was in office. (Houston Chronicle)
Michael Crowley compares DeLay to the alien in Alien and says that his remarkable capacity for hypocrisy really will be missed. (The Plank)
Here’s a handy chronology of DeLay’s career: US News.
House Ethics Committee in War of Letters
“A bitter partisan split within the House ethics committee spilled into the open Wednesday night as Chairman Doc Hastings (R-Wash.) and ranking member Alan Mollohan (D-W.Va.) each released a letter publicly lambasting his counterpart.” (Roll Call)
McKinney Gets Grand Jury Scrutiny, and Some Friendly Advice
A federal grand jury will decide whether to indict Rep. Cynthia McKinney (D-GA) for punching a cop. A staffer for Rep. Sam Farr (D-CA) who allegedly witnessed the scuffle has been subpoena’ed. Meanwhile, Rep. John Lewis (D-GA), a civil rights pioneer and senior House member, has publicly counseled McKinney to cool her jets. He says the rest of the Congressional Black Caucus agrees.
But “I don’t think it had any impact,” he told the Hill, “because she is still going on all the TV shows.” (USA Today, Roll Call, The Hill)
Ralph Reed’s Georgia Gamble: Know When to Walk Away, Know When to Run
Salon.com meditates on the very real possibility that Ralph Reed, GOP golden child, may be watching his luck run out in his race for Georgia lieutenant governor. Funny how your fortunes turn once you get caught up in vast immoral scandals that undermine democracy and crush Americans’ hopes for a better future. (Salon.com)
Dem Lawmaker Toys with GOP over Ethics
Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY) is conspiring with other House Dems to post to their Web sites copies of her report detailing Republican corruption. The report was recently declared samizdat by House GOP, who insisted it was an inherently political document and violated House rules. House Speaker Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) had removed it from her own Web site in response to the GOP objections. (The Hill)
Reform
The Republicans in the House just narrowly pushed through a measure that will limit giving to 527 groups like MoveOn. Now, an individual can only give $25,000 per year to the organizations – before it was unlimited. Democrats largely voted against (here’s the tally), saying that it was a bald attempt by Republicans to cut off an effective tool for them. The bill now heads to the Senate, where its prospects are uncertain. (AP, WaPo, Roll Call)
Lobbyists Show Ingenuity in Michigan
In order to cheat the gift limit to lawmakers, lobbyists are teaming up and sharing costs in order to wine and dine them. (DFP)
Covered Yesterday
See our coverage on DHS deputy press secretary Brian Doyle and the DHS’s hapless attempts to run down their own sex criminals here.
Prosecutors Aim for DeLay…(link)
“Grandma” Now ID’ed as Army PR Flack…(link)
Harris Gives $3 million to campaign – not promised $ 10 million…(link)
In Slip, DeLay Says 3rd Former Aide Guilty…(link)
