Gradually, the last vestiges of Tom DeLay's presence in Congress are fading away.
The political action committee for former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) was quietly closed last week after a decade-long run as one of the most influential - and infamous - PACs run by members of Congress.
With a final $1,400 payment to the Federal Election Commission last month settling an audit dispute, Americans for a Republican Majority then filed its termination papers with the commission April 24.
Soon his Congressional committee will follow suit.
The last remnant of DeLay's political career in federal government, the Tom DeLay Congressional Committee, is just about completely empty as well, reporting just $7,015 left in its coffers as of March 31. DeLay spent almost $1 million last year from this committee defending himself. A separate legal defense fund, which folded when he left Congress, doled out an additional $1.1 million to DeLay lawyers in 2004, 2005 and 2006.
No need to start lamenting, though. He's got a blog, a book and continues to opine on politics, with a predictable take (Bush's only mistakes have been giving in. Rumsfeld shouldn't have been fired, for instance.) Those of us slightly less admiring of the Hammer (time once again to plug my hit song, "ConBoy") have his upcoming trial to look forward to -- assuming there's actually a case at the bottom of it.
I strongly hope that the rest of the body politic have taken note of the lessons of DeLay, and we shall not see his like again for a very long time.
DeLay, politics, midtopia
4 comments:
It's a real shame that in today's political climate an elected leader is forced to spend over $1 million to defend himself against witch hunting activities of political opponents. It's a wonder that anyone runs for public office.
JP5
Why do I suspect you didn't shed much of a tear at the Clintons' legal troubles?
Now, I think the Clintons brought some of their trouble on themselves. But then, I think the same thing about DeLay.
If he didn't want to get slimed, maybe he shouldn't have been so slimy. DeLay is a walking example of karma in action.
Thus closes a chapter of one of the most corrupt (and arrogant) lawmakers we've seen.
Funny thing about his PAC, Americans for a Republican Majority. DeLay and his cronies probably bear a lot of the responsibility for the seeming fact that a Republican majority is highly unlikely in the near future.
- Caracarn
Leaders are ALWAYS targeted by the other political party. Especially if they are successful like Tom Delay was. I cannot remember a House Majority Leader or Senate Majority Leader that has NOT been the target of some kind of investigation or claim of impropriety.
Whatever happened to the Democrat D.A. Ronnie Earle's case against Delay? Hmmm.....must be dormant. Could it be because there was never any a "there,there?" Oh well, he's already achieved his original goal----that's all that counts with Dems.
JP5
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