Line 'em up and let's do some "House cleaning." They are going to try and paint the DA in this case as "partisan" but let's all pound the fact that the DA has been VERY bipartisan in indicting both Dem's and Repub's.

I get the feeling that you're enjoying this, Chuck. :-)

One interesting thing in the indictment: It states that DeLay waived the three-year statute of limitations governing the felonies underlying the conspiracy.

Why would he do that?

There aren't any "fingerprints," you are simply over-estimating Ronnie Earle.

Just as Earle's attacks on Hutchison and Bullock and Jim Mattox were pure political scam, so too is this one.

The result will be this: Ronnie Earle will be disbarred.

And I will be among the first to file those charges against him, next week after I meet with attorneys.

Early this year I predicted this would be DeLay's last term in Congress. I could still be wrong, but I can't see DeLay beating this thing before next spring, if he beats it at all. And I can't imagine him not being challenged in the GOP primary if he's foolish enough to run with an indictment hanging over his head.

Lampson will have a good chance if DeLay does file to retain his seat, and the GOP has a knock-down, drag-out primary. He'll have an even better chance if DeLay wins said primary. Conversely, the GOP's best chance to keep this seat will be if DeLay retires, so they can unify around a new candidate.

I read the 3-page indictment and there's no mention of DeLay except in listing him among the conspirators. Now I have no reason to doubt the grand jury that DeLay looks guilty. But I also believe in the criminal justice system which imputes innocence to the accused. Given these contradictory states, just what is the evidence against DeLay beyond guilt by association? I'm sure it is there.

Is this the right time for me to crow on about the wrong-headedness of campaign finance reform? I do see that the indictment is for breaking State law, not Federal.

You haters of Ronnie Earle forget the fact that he has gone against 15 politicians during his term and 12 have been democrats. Now try and tell me that he is partisan.

James, your comment shows you are not very familiar with Earle's real record.

Firstly, his investigations of politicians are not always motivated by politics. For example, he prosecuted Justice Don Yarborough, an insane judge.

But Earle has always been a player among the internal Texas democratic party factions.

For example, it's well known that Earle's attacks on Jim Mattox and Bob Bullock were motivated by hatred as well as internal Texas democratic politics.

Bullock called Earle " a little boy playing with matches" and had his funding cut back.

In Mattox's case, the indictment was over the 1984 US Senate race. Earle's scam indictment of Mattox for bribery --- Mattox was of course found "Not Guilty" at trial --- kept Mattox out of the democratic primary race and ensured that Earle's Travis county buddy Doggett would run as the democrat. Doggett was destroyed by Phil Gramm in the general (Gramm won more votes in that election than any statewide candidate in Texas history) but anyone would have lost that race. The point is Earle's motivations were political, not legal.

Yeah, he had it coming, but before Democrats get too giddy, or claim the moral high ground...I'd just say two words:

Jim Wright.

Jim Wright is on many a mind. Did republicans feel as joyful when they tagged Jim for a lousy book deal as Dems do with DeLay indicted for capaign finance shenanigans designed to shape the future of the congressional makeup of Texas?

I dunno, but it's interesting that Wright lost his position for a questionable personal financial arrangement (which Democrats might say is normally Rebublican territory) and DeLay lost (however temporarily) his position for a questionable effort to influence votes (which Republicans might say is normally the Democrat's vice).

Could be a strecth, but I'm happy enough that Tom got indicted. That's one more time than the current Mayor of Jersey City.

"The result will be this: Ronnie Earle will be disbarred. And I will be among the first to file those charges against him, next week after I meet with attorneys."

That's a good line. Not as good as "The sea was angry that day my friends, like an old man trying to return soup at a deli!", but close, and in the same vein. A pat on the head for Tyler!

Ooh! Ooh! I wanna play too!

The result will be this: Tom DeLay will attempt to use his power and influence to escape the prosecution he so richly deserves, but in the end his powerful friends and allies will desert him, leaving him high and dry, because they are faithless, dishonorable scumbags, just like he is. DeLay is convicted, gets a relatively mild punishment, and retires in disgrace. The people rejoice.

Man, that was fun! Who's next?

Mistermark, we are preparing the complaints against Earle, even as you shoot off your mouth here about whatever it is you think you are talking about.

Micheal Croft:

"Jim Wright is on many a mind. Did republicans feel as joyful when they tagged Jim for a lousy book deal..."

No, in fact, I thought the whole thing was stupid from our (Texas) point of view.

The feds have since as long as I can find records on this ( all the way back to SAM RAYBURN!) taken much more money outta here (ie, Texas) than they "gave back" in fed funds.

It actually got better under Nixon and Reagan for a short time,( we did not lose as much) but we have always been net "givers" or "donors" to the fed budget, even though we have a much lower per capita income, for most of the period our state per pupil expenditure were lower, etc etc etc.

We've always been at a disadvantage in this regard and the extent to which we lose any Congressional clout affects this.

Whether it was Jim Wright, or Martin Frost, or now Delay, it means LESS in return from the congress than what we are catually paying in to the system.

The Senate doesn't help much, whether we had Lloyd Bentsen or Phil Gramm or now Hutchison, who is moving into a really good position in the Senate to represent our interests, the Congress matters.

History shows that the feds, no matter which party runs it, short-change us. And the money is BIG --- when you are talking about what we need to do here, and Hispanic education is at the very top of the list, we are sending billions to DC and we are not getting it back.

Wow... I was pretty lost on this whole scandal aside from the largely empty indictment. Great job, Charles, in catching me up! "Delayathon Day Three" is a great post.

I also read a loose post on another site that roughly 3 Democrats have been indicted by Earle for each Republican he indicted. The writer both noted that this tended to dispell the notion of Earle following a political agenda (as opposed to a person al one -- DeLay is still himself, after all), and wryly asked if this meant that the Democrats were three times more corrupt in Texas than the Republicans. Texas politics is more interesting than that in some of those other, smaller states. :)

(Unfortunately, I've lost the link for the posting. Argh!)