oh, please - "after months of prayer and contemplation"

[muse]

from Time -

http://www.time.com/time/nation/printout/0,8816,1179853,00.html

"I'm going to announce tomorrow that I'm not running for reelection and that I'm going to leave Congress," DeLay, who turns 59 on Saturday, said during a 90-minute interview on Monday. "I'm very much at peace with it." He notified President Bush in the afternoon. DeLay and his wife, Christine, said they had been prepared to fight, but that he decided last Wednesday, after months of prayer and contemplation, to spare his suburban Houston district the mudfest to come. "This had become a referendum on me," he said. "So it's better for me to step aside and let it be a referendum on ideas, Republican values and what's important for this district."


Mudfest! What a baby. We always knew the bugman wasn't up for a real fight. He always coasted to victory in TX-22 and here he is in a real fight and he is running off to Virginia. Good.

[Zen Democrat]

1. He's running from Ronnie Earle!

[sonias]

2. He can run but he can't hide

He has to pay for his crimes - it's the rule of law. And we know how much the republicans respect the rule of law. Certainly DeLay is not above the law.

Cut and run Tommy.

Sonia

[sonias]

3. This changes nothing

AAS story link 4/3
DeLay to quit re-election battle
Embattled Republican to move from Texas to D.C. area
After speaking to a conference of the Christian group Vision America, DeLay said he decided he could be more effective working for the conservative agenda outside of public office.

"I can continue to be a leader of the conservative cause," he said. "I can do more to grow the Republican majority, rather than spend the next eight months locked down in running a campaign."

The congressman, who informed party leaders of his decision late Monday, said his departure from office would depend on the congressional schedule, but he said he expected it would come in late May or mid-June.

There was no word Monday night from DeLay's lawyers about whether he expects to continue to fight the criminal charges or pursue a negotiated settlement.

Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle reacted to the news reports of DeLay's plans by saying, "This changes nothing."

Run away bugman, run away. I love Ronnie Earle's statement "This changes nothing."

Sonia

[PDittie]

4. WWJD? Cut and run

Actually, Jesus' servant would manipulate arcane Texas election law while at the same time discarding those "good Republicans" who dared stand before the voters of the 22nd District and challenge him in the primary less than 30 days ago, thus anointing -- in typically heavy-handed fashion -- his successor.

And then transition seamlessly into a lucrative career lobbying Congress on behalf of various corporate and Christian causes, losing none of his influence while quintupling his income.

Praise God.:mad:

[muse]

5. Can we vote for best post in quite a while? I vote for this one!

No kidding, you are right.

He is screwing those Republican primary challengers, isn't he?

And, he is moving to Arlington, or wherever close to DC, to be a lobbyist and get fantastically wealthy.

Dang.

I'm so glad his slimy self will be geographically distant from my person.

[Texaroo]

6. Sleazeball.

Good Riddance - I hope the pugs don't once again fall for his crap about a successor. He's pulling a "take one for the Party" job to ingratiate himself. Probably too much to ask for that his "loyalists" would see through him for once...

I wonder whether the timing is related to the SCOTUS decision on redistricting.... Wouldn't it be a hoot if they threw out the new districts?

[sonias]

7. DeLay can lobby for Christian causes from jail

Despite all his public claims of "doing what's best for the constituents of District 22", DeLay is cutting and running because the law is closing in on him. I honestly expect him to be a flight risk.

NY Times 4/4
Federal Probe Has Edged Closer to Texan
The picture appeared to darken further last week with the guilty plea of Tony C. Rudy, DeLay's former deputy chief of staff. Edwin A. Buckham, the lawmaker's former chief of staff and his closest political and spiritual adviser, was described in court documents filed in the case as someone who collaborated with Rudy, Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff and former DeLay aide Michael Scanlon. They arranged payments, trips and favors that the department's investigators charged were part of an illegal conspiracy, according to the documents.

DeLay himself was formally designated as "Representative #2" in the documents, a title that cannot be considered a good omen. The lawmaker designated in the same documents as Representative #1 -- Rep. Robert W. Ney (R-Ohio) -- has been cited by the Justice Department as having received "things of value" for performing official acts.

Perp walk, perp walk, we want a perp walk. But we especially want that 10-20 years in jail sentence.
:evilgrin:

Sonia