Delay -ed

There's a joke that resurfaces around the state Capitol in Oklahoma periodically that deals with former Gov. Frank Keating's sheningans, among them taking a "gift" from a well-heeled friend who also had a stake in a hefty contract that involved the meds being given to prisoners at the state's prisons. The joke usually ends with the line, "If Frank Keating had been a Democrat, he'd be in prison."

Well, Oklahoma is not alone in rubber-plated Repubs. Let's talk about Tom Delay. This morally bankrupt lawmaker not only avoids any official investigation, he keeps his power in the GOP despite numerous well founded charges and accusations. Still, no official investigation from Congress. Heck, Americans spent millions on an eight-year investigation into the Clinton's and the only thing they finally found to get Bill with was that he got a blow-job in the oval office. But we can't spend a dime on an investigation into Delay?

Come on Texas, kick this jerk out of office. There are several good candidates, and even if you don't like one of them in particular at least lobby your congressman for an independent prosecutor. This site (Nick Lampson's site) makes it easy to send a letter -- http://www.lampson.com

Here's the tip of of the iceberg: (for the entire article by Lou Dubose log on to http://www.salon.com ) Note the Oklahoma connection a few graphs down.

March 1, 2005 "It might surprise and even disappoint a few people to learn that this case is not about Tom DeLay." So began Terry Scarborough's opening argument for the defense in a civil suit against the treasurer of the political action committee Tom DeLay set up in Texas in 2001. The House majority leader won't be in court in Austin, where a former Texas legislator who roomed with him 25 years ago, in the party house called "Macho Manor," is defending himself in a suit filed by five Democrats who lost statehouse races in 2002. But no one looking for a DeLay connection to the proceedings could have been surprised or disappointed. In fact, after the first day in court, it's surprising that no DeLay DNA sample was introduced into evidence and testimony that included an account of DeLay himself accepting an illegal $25,000 contribution.
The five plaintiffs claim that DeLay's Texans for a Republican Majority Political Action Committee raised and spent illegal corporate, or "soft," money in the 2002 election in Texas. Specifically, they allege that of the $1.5 million TRMPAC spent in a campaign against 23 Democratic candidates for the Texas House, $723,737 was unreported soft money -- which, with a few exceptions, cannot be spent in political campaigns in Texas.
The Sugar Land, Texas, congressman who was known as "Hot Tub Tom" when he lived at Macho Manor, may not be in court in Austin, but the case -- in fact the entire season of litigation -- is all about him. "Tom DeLay was up to his eyeballs in it," plaintiffs' attorney Cris Feldman told National Public Radio reporter Wade Goodwyn a few days before the trial began. "It was Tom DeLay's people, all the way down to his daughter, helping to run TRMPAC."
In court Feldman was more specific, revealing for the first time that some of the corporate money, $25,000 to be precise, was handed directly to DeLay. In his opening statement, Feldman referred to a Reliant Resources lobbyist giving the House majority leader $25,000. In the plaintiffs' exhibits is a letter (I found it in those exhibits six months ago) from Oklahoma-based Williams Companies conveying an additional $25,000 contribution -- addressed to "Congressman Tom DeLay." Williams is one of eight corporations indicted by the Austin D.A. Reliant was not indicted but is accused by Earle of giving an illegal contribution to TRMPAC fundraiser Colyandro.