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BULLETIN - Tom DeLay to resign

by: matt

Mon Apr 03, 2006 at 23:46:08 PM EDT


(Bumped back to the top to highlight the quote found by WizardKitten (see below) - promoted by matt)

We interrupt our regularly-scheduled ranting and raving to bring you this news flash from the Washington Post:
Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Tex.), a primary architect of the House Republican majority who became one of the most powerful and feared leaders in Washington, told House allies tonight that he will resign from the House rather than face a reelection fight that appears increasingly unwinnable.

The decision came just three days after his former deputy chief of staff, Tony C. Rudy, pleaded guilty to conspiracy and corruption charges, telling federal prosecutors of a criminal enterprise being run out of DeLay's leadership offices. Rudy's plea agreement did not implicate DeLay in any illegal activities, but by placing the influence-buying efforts of disgraced Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff directly in DeLay's operation, the former aide may have made an already difficult reelection bid all but out of reach.
Well, I guess he could always go back to exterminating bugs...or to Amway.

Obviously, circumstances demand a suspension of the Michigan-content rule.

UPDATE by Matt:

WizardKitten found this quote from an archived version of the "Restoring the American Dream" (RAD) website. RAD, in case you didn't know, was a PAC run by Dick DeVos to fund extremist Republican candidates for federal office:
"RAD has played an essential role in maintaining Republican control of the House of Representatives in both 1998 and 2000. Dick's commitment to electing men and women of integrity and character is unmatched. I look forward to working closely with RAD in identifying and recruiting conservative candidates for the year 2002."

Congressman Tom DeLay (R-Texas) Majority Whip, U.S. House of Representatives
(emphasis added)
Integrity and character. Riiiight. More about DeLay and DeVos here.
matt :: BULLETIN - Tom DeLay to resign
Tags: , (All Tags)
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Cutting and running to save his own behind (4.00 / 2)
I guess that cowards do what cowards do.  Bye bye Tom ...

Byeeee! (4.00 / 3)
A little music... (about 0.5 MB MP3 format)

If the link above doesn't work:
http://www.cyberbee.com/yesteryear/sounds.html

He's gone where the goblins go 
Below - below - below 
Yo-ho, let's open up and sing and ring the bells out 
Ding Dong' the merry-oh, sing it high, sing it low 
Let them know the Wicked Witch is dead

It's late, I'm a bit giddy. Cheers!


Have McCotter and Rogers given back DeLay's PAC $$$? (4.00 / 3)
As DeLay leaves Congress under a cloud, it's a good time to bring up the fact that Thaddeus McCotter and Mike Rogers accepted money from DeLay's PAC and haven't given it back. As Markos Moulitsas Zúniga pointed out on DailyKos.com:

Republicans will pretend that all of DeLay's sins will wash away and no longer affect congressional Republicans. And the media bots will dutifully repeat that spin.

Except that every Republican in Congress enabled DeLay. They all fed from his trough. They even tried to change House rules to allow him to continue serving as House leader while under indictment. And DeLay's cowardly resignation is further proof of just how corrupt and corrosive he really was.



A government that robs Peter to pay Paul can always count on the support of Paul.

Michigan content (4.00 / 3)
From Dick's "Restoring the American Dream" testimonials-

"RAD has played an essential role in maintaining Republican control of the House of Representatives in both 1998 and 2000. Dick's commitment to electing men and women of integrity and character is unmatched. I look forward to working closely with RAD in identifying and recruiting conservative candidates for the year 2002."

Congressman Tom DeLay (R-Texas)
Majority Whip, U.S. House of Representatives

Yes, Tom was looking for more... ahem... "recruits" for his little "culture of corruption" enterprise, and Dick was helping.

Isn't that special.

 


Hey, great minds think alike! (4.00 / 2)
Yesterday, I stopped at the library on my way home from work and picked up a copy of "Rediscovering American Values." I decided to read it so the rest of you don't have to. And I've got a few juicy quotes from Chairman Dick that I'll post here in a diary entry later this week.

A government that robs Peter to pay Paul can always count on the support of Paul.

[ Parent ]
Thank You (4.00 / 1)
There is another book I'm curious about- the book that "influenced" Dick to quit Amway/Alticor. (the second time)

It's called "Half Time" by Bob Buford, and was cited by the GR Press when Dick announced his retirement.

The decision to leave after 10 years as president surprised even the company's directors -- most of whom are relatives or lifelong acquaintances.

"I caught the board flat-footed," DeVos said during a 30-minute interview this morning at Alticor corporate headquarters in Ada Township.

-snip-

He said this morning he wants to pursue other interests, but said he does not know what he will do next. He said he has no interest in seeking public office.

"This really is drawing to a close this chapter of my professional life. It is now time for me to look for other possibilities. ... It's time for this organization to bring on new leadership," DeVos said.

DeVos said he was influenced by a book, "Half Time," by Bob Buford, which discusses how people handle the second half of their lives.

"The question is, What are you going to do that represents true significance," DeVos said.

GR Press, April 17, 2002.

Wonder what was in that book that was so powerful that Dick would up and leave his company with no apparent direction for his life. (apparent being the key word there)

Anyone want to volunteer to read that one?


[ Parent ]
Also from that Press story (4.00 / 1)
Was this curious little statement-

DeVos was named in December 1992 to head the company after his father announced his retirement following a December heart attack and heart bypass surgery.

The new job caused the younger DeVos -- who made a bid for the U.S. Senate -- to put his political aspirations on hold. He stepped down from the state Board of Education and ruled out another Senate bid in 1994.

I don't remember Dick running for Senate. Has the MDP said anything about this?


[ Parent ]
It was the 1990 race (4.00 / 2)
I believe.  He dropped out relatively early (well before the primary race really started - might have even been '89 when he withdrew).  Somewhere in one of the stacks in my office is a bunch of articles I downloaded a few months ago from Factiva - which I will hopefully get to in a few weeks. I'd be happy to share if you want.

My recollection about the campaign itself is fuzzy. I saw him address some local group (Chamber of Commerce maybe) when he first entered. It was a lame performance, but the audience was largely republican so he skated.

"The truth is rarely pure and never simple." The Importance of Being Earnest, Act I, Oscar Wilde, 1895


[ Parent ]
Yes, please do (0.00 / 0)
He claims that he "wasn't in politics"- it would be interesting to see what he was talking about back then, why he was running. I was thinking of heading down to the library to dig up info, but, I'm getting tired of running around trying to refute his claims.

This is the game we are falling into, and it's time to break the pattern. They make these claims, we fall back on defense, come up with the facts, but by that time it's too late. They are on to the next claim by then, and the point is lost. It's a trap.

Tired of it. Want to play offense for a change, but I'm not quite sure how to do that.


[ Parent ]
Make a video! (n/t) (4.00 / 1)


"Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never." - Winston S. Churchill

[ Parent ]
I think I'll do just that! (4.00 / 1)
It's just about finished. Having trouble with the ending- need to line some stuff up with the music.

It's hard work.


[ Parent ]
Dagnabit! (4.00 / 2)
WK, why do you keep burying this stuff in the comments? Please put it on the front page where it belongs! Otherwise I'll have to move it there myself! :)

"Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never." - Winston S. Churchill

[ Parent ]
Keeping you on your toes :-) (0.00 / 0)
There wasn't really enough to go on to post a whole diary on it, but I am curious about this Senate bid. I don't remember it, but then again I don't remember what I was doing in 1992, either. ;-) He must have quit early.

The folks at the MDP and/or the Granholm campaign might want to get up here and dig through the Press archives at the library- online goes back through 2000, I'm sure there are more nuggets to be found further back.


[ Parent ]
Library of Michigan (0.00 / 0)
Actually, the Library of Michigan here in Lansing is THE resource for Michigan newspapers. They keep microfilm of the Press, along with basically every other Michigan newspaper every found going back well into the 19th century. It is a truly wonderful, wonderful place. The library also maintains a huge collection of books about Michigan and by Michigan authors.

"Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never." - Winston S. Churchill

[ Parent ]
Buh-bye bugman... (4.00 / 1)
But, there's so much more work to be done.

The leader is gone (4.00 / 1)
Now, can we get rid of the DeLay allies?

From the DCCC:

Dave Camp voted with Tom DeLay 90% of the time.

John Schwarz has taken $10,000 from Tom DeLay's ARMPAC. No surprise that Schwarz voted with Tom DeLay 91% of the time.

Michael Rogers has taken $19,500 from Tom DeLay's ARMPAC. No surprise that Rogers voted with Tom DeLay 94% of the time.

Joseph Knollenberg has taken $10,192 from Tom DeLay's ARMPAC. No surprise that Knollenberg voted with Tom DeLay 93% of the time.

Candice Miller has taken $20,000 from Tom DeLay's ARMPAC. No surprise that Miller voted with Tom DeLay 95% of the time.

Thaddeus McCotter has taken $20,000 from Tom DeLay's ARMPAC. No surprise that McCotter voted with Tom DeLay 92% of the time.

(http://www.dccc.org/races/states/mi/)



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