Is Tom DeLay going down, and who will go with him?

[guidod]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10657504/



Will this be the end of DeLays political future, and which congressional thugs will go with him? If DeLay goes down or not how much do you think it will damage the republican party.

I personally think that the scandals and the abusive nature of most of the republican leaders, across the country, will be enough to destroy them. But, I don't think the Dems leadership is strong enough, or smart enough, to use all of this in their favor. The repukes will, more likely get away unscathed.

How do you DUers think it will all go down?

[jalynn]

1. I agree

Dems have a real oppotunity to take advantage of this, but I do not feel they have the spine to do so. :think:

[guidod]

8. I think they have

the spine but not the methods. Post #3 makes a good, easily explained reason for why the Dems SEEM so weak.

[Greeby]

2. I don't know about going down, but

Maybe without him around to threaten people's families, the moderate Republican swing votes in the House can't be bullied into a lockstep vote :popcorn:

[BillZBubb]

3. I think the Repugs will get off easy.

They own the courts, they own the media, the sheeple don't seem to care. The Repugs are also very clever at abusing the intent of the law, while using loopholes to evade prosecution.

[guidod]

7. You make a good point...

that is also the reason the Dems seem so weak. The Dems are manipulated like puppets.

[acmavm]

4. Presidential pardon like Kenny Boy Lay. Pretrial. n/t

[0007]

5. Hard to tell right now, nine months until the elections.

The Repukes are self destructing and don't need much help to watch them go down. DeLay is toast for sure. Weather we get John Cornyn and Tom Craddick is another story.

After the election I think the Democratic leaders will grow a spine. I hope!

[MADem]

6. Well, anyone connected with Abramoff is in hot, hot water

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/custom/2005/12/28/CU2005122801183.html

This link is to a cute little graphic which details the extent of the Abramoff web, courtesy of WAPO. It goes everywhere. The good thing for our side is that the K ST Project essentially froze the Democrats out, so by their greed and simple meanspiritedness the GOP have left themselves holding the bag.

And the news of a plea deal has got to have made this one sucky "holiday season" for the GOP pigs, DeLay included, on the Hill: http://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/060109/9abramoff.htm

Running for cover
Lobbyist Jack Abramoff may be about to cut a deal, and that's bad news for a lot of folks in the capital
By Silla Brush

It hasn't been a really happy holiday season for Jack Abramoff. With two of his closest business partners turning against him, and with mounting legal bills forcing him to sell off assets, the onetime Washington uberlobbyist is now reportedly close to cutting his own deal with federal investigators, a development that would send shock waves through Washington. Abramoff's testimony could implicate lawmakers in a vast influence-peddling case, and those once friendly with the man known as "Casino Jack" are now ducking for cover.

For months, a federal task force has been investigating at least a dozen public officials, including lawmakers and their aides, who may have received campaign contributions and other perks to help Abramoff's clients. Now the circle appears to be closing. In late November, Abramoff's right-hand man, Michael Scanlon, a former aide to Rep. Tom DeLay, pleaded guilty to conspiracy and bribery charges. Scanlon admitted that he and Abramoff defrauded several Indian tribes of $82 million and gave gifts to lawmakers to benefit their clients. Three weeks later, Adam Kidan, Abramoff's business partner in the purchase of a Florida-based casino boat firm, pleaded guilty to wire fraud and conspiracy and agreed to testify against Abramoff. Prosecutors say the two men forged documents and lied about their finances during the purchase; the man they bought the company from was later murdered, though no one has alleged that Abramoff or Kidan was involved in the crime. Abramoff, who is scheduled to stand trial next week as the only remaining defendant in the case, is reportedly close to an agreement with prosecutors that might include cooperation with investigators looking into his lobbying tactics. A spokesman for Abramoff declined to comment.

Entanglements. The scandal has already ensnared Rep. Bob Ney, an Ohio Republican. In his plea, Scanlon said Ney was the recipient of $14,000 in campaign contributions and lavish perks, including trips to the Super Bowl and meals at Abramoff's Washington restaurant, in return for favors. Ney placed a statement in the Congressional Record praising Kidan and Abramoff's purchase of the casino boat firm; the congressman has denied any wrongdoing, saying he was duped by the lobbyists. Rep. John Doolittle, a California Republican who received campaign contributions from Abramoff, is also under scrutiny. His wife's event-planning company was hired by Abramoff and has been subpoenaed by investigators. Doolittle has also denied wrongdoing.

Other lawmakers are scrambling to return campaign contributions. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, 210 federal lawmakers have received donations to their campaigns or political action committees from either Abramoff or his clients, since 1999; most big recipients were Republicans. Republican Sen. Conrad Burns of Montana, who's up for re-election this year, has returned $150,000, saying the donations "served to undermine the public's confidence in its government." According to a recent poll, 58 percent of Montana voters are concerned about the lawmaker's ties to Abramoff. Burns's lead over the closest Democratic challenger has slipped from 15 percentage points in May to 6 points last month.....


That clucking sound I'm hearing is those chickens coming home to roost...

[MrBenchley]

9. Bob Ney for sure

He might actually go down BEFORE the bug man....

[guidod]

10. It would give me great pleasure

to see that shit eating smile off of the bug mans face. I think the smile was surgically implanted.

[MrBenchley]

11. You and me both.....

[NativeTexan]

12. From Within Texas.....

...it really looks like he is in BIG trouble. Even IF, by some chance, he squirms his way out of the money laundering charges (and believe me these charges are REAL, SERIOUS, and ACCURATE), he has more than just his NOSE up Abramoff's ass......this Republican leadership is the dirtiest of EITHER PARTY that I have seen in MY 50 years. And watch, before it is over with, how they will start stomping and stabbing EACH OTHER to try to avoid prosection, or at least long prison terms.

I mean, I realize, like the rest of you, that as dirty as this SEEMS.....it is NOTHING compared to ORAL SEX IN THE WHITE HOUSE....RIGHT? GEEZZZZ...........

[guidod]

13. You make some great points...

especially the last one. You're exactly in the group of people that I want hear from, anyone from Texas. I hope You're finally getting some rain. Thanks for the post.