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DeLay Abandons House Leadership Roll

By Last Night in Little Rock, Section Crime in the News
Posted on Sat Jan 07, 2006 at 11:43:48 AM EST
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by Last Night in Little Rock

Embattled Majority Leader [not Whip] on leave Rep. Tom DeLay, while still stoutly maintaining his innocence in his Texas criminal case, early Saturday afternoon abandoned all efforts to retain his House leadership role, according to CNN and NYTimes.com in letters to the Speaker and other Republican House leaders.

This was hardly a magnanimous gesture on DeLay's part: The proverbial handwriting was on the wall.

It was obvious that House Republicans were ready to jettison him to safely distance themselves, according to this CNN story Friday.

The Times thinks that the Abramoff scandal is a great part of it:

DeLay's about-face came amid growing pressure from fellow Republicans who were concerned about their own political futures in the wake of this past week's guilty pleas by lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

It certainly appears that the rats are leaving the sinking ship.

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    DeLay Abandons House Leadership Roll | 8 comments (8 topical)
    Re: DeLay Abandons House Leadership Roll (none / 0) (#1)
    by desertswine on Sat Jan 07, 2006 at 12:03:04 PM EST
    It certainly appears that the rats are leaving the sinking ship.
    It's more like a sinking rat than a sinking ship.

    Re: DeLay Abandons House Leadership Roll (none / 0) (#2)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Jan 07, 2006 at 12:18:51 PM EST
    Not to pick nits, but DeLay is the embattled House Majority Leader on leave. It makes you wonder what DeLay thinks (or knows) is coming in the Abramoff scandal. Nothing has changed in his Texas case that would make him back off his previous position of sticking it out until he's acquitted. There must be more to this than pressure from House Republicans.

    Re: DeLay Abandons House Leadership Roll (none / 0) (#3)
    by Edger on Sat Jan 07, 2006 at 12:21:16 PM EST
    Desertswine, Problem with rats is that when you turn the lights on them they run and hide, under the floorboards, in the walls, in any hidden cracks they can find. Where they breed, and breed, and breed. And eventually come back out...

    Re: DeLay Abandons House Leadership Roll (none / 0) (#4)
    by ding7777 on Sat Jan 07, 2006 at 12:44:06 PM EST
    So what happens to DeLay's appeal for a speedy trial? It seems moot now since it was based on his leadership position.

    Re: DeLay Abandons House Leadership Roll (none / 0) (#5)
    by Che's Lounge on Sat Jan 07, 2006 at 02:00:51 PM EST
    "Et tu, Dennis?" House Republicans on Wednesday afternoon selected Majority Whip Roy Blunt of Missouri as their acting leader. Reps. Eric Cantor of Virginia and David Dreier of California also will take on additional duties, House Speaker Dennis Hastert said. Wednesday. That's three days ago. They got your back, Bugman.

    Re: DeLay Abandons House Leadership Roll (none / 0) (#6)
    by Last Night in Little Rock on Sat Jan 07, 2006 at 02:40:35 PM EST
    pete h, you are correct. I changed it.

    Re: DeLay Abandons House Leadership Roll (none / 0) (#7)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Jan 07, 2006 at 07:13:20 PM EST
    Actually, I think his correct title is "Former House Mendacity Leader." :o)

    Re: DeLay Abandons House Leadership Roll (none / 0) (#8)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Jan 07, 2006 at 09:26:21 PM EST
    He must be really hungry now that he's abandoned his "roll." What is he doing for food?

    DeLay Abandons House Leadership Roll | 8 comments (8 topical)