DeLay and other GOP legal issues undermine conservative ideals
With almost every major leader in Congress and high-ranking official in the White House in some sort of legal trouble, the image of the dominant Republican Party is being dragged through the mud. Tom DeLay claims his indictment is a massive liberal conspiracy, but the sheer number of cases indicates a serious problem. Where there's smoke, there's fire, and it's obvious that long-term Republican leaders have become power-drunk and lost the values that got them elected.
Here's a brief scoreboard: House majority leader DeLay and two of his aids were indicted Wednesday on charges pertaining to conspiracy in violation of Texas campaign finance laws outlawing corporate contributions. The Justice Department and the Securities and Exchange Commission are investigating Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist under the suspicion of insider trading charges. The White House, meanwhile, finds itself embroiled in a criminal investigation involving treason that has put Karl Rove, President Bush's top political advisor, and I. Lewis Libby, chief of staff to Vice President Cheney, before a grand jury. A top federal procurement appointee of Bush, David H. Safavian, was arrested last week on obstructing justice and making false statements in connection to a federal probe of high-powered GOP lobbyist Jake Abramoff, who has been indicted in Florida. Abramoff is also the subject of his own federal investigation into lobbying efforts he conducted on behalf of casino interests.
Granted, the other side of the aisle has seen their share of political scandals over the years, but even Bill Clinton's impeachment pales in comparison to the number of high-ranking GOP politicos in trouble. In 1994 many Democrats were involved with ethics issues that led to Newt Gingrich's "Contract with America." That paved the way for Republican dominance in elections ever since. How far have DeLay and other Republicans fallen from that noble ideal?
Republicans control every branch of government and have done all they can to ensure that this continues. DeLay was admonished by the bipartisan House Ethics Committee three times last year and has continually pushed the envelope in fundraising and soliciting of campaign contributions. This time he appears to have gone too far in his zeal for protecting the Republican majority. He claims the charges against him are a "witch hunt," conducted by a crazed partisan District Attorney. Though the DA is an eight-term elected Democrat, he has gone after 15 politicians over the years and 12 of them were fellow Democrats. These aren't the actions of a biased prosecutor, but of one who upholds the letter of the law. DeLay's blame-the-messenger tactic won't help him in the courtroom-he must address the charges. His murky money managing is an example of what ails our political system today. Money fuels campaigns leading to compromised politicians, who look out for their benefactors at the expense of their constituents.
The rash of investigations involving Republicans is good for our democracy. Our nation's history is littered with examples of corruption resulting from one-party rule and this seems to be the case here. Politics is a business of cycles and this is no different. It's about time those in power who have engaged in criminal, or ethical, misconduct are held accountable. Criminality goes beyond ideological holdings and all Republicans should be disgusted with their party's leadership.
