House Majority Leader Tom DeLay has been indicted by a Texas grand jury.
A Texas grand jury on Wednesday charged Rep. Tom DeLay and two political associates with conspiracy in a campaign finance scheme, an indictment that likely will force him to step down as House majority leader.
DeLay attorney Steve Brittain said DeLay was accused of a criminal conspiracy along with two associates, John Colyandro, former executive director of a Texas political action committee formed by DeLay, and Jim Ellis, who heads DeLay’s national political committee.
GOP congressional officials said the plan was for DeLay to temporarily relinquish his leadership post and Speaker Dennis Hastert will recommend that Rep. David Dreier of California step into those duties.
Some of the duties may go to the GOP whip, Rep. Roy Blunt of Missouri. The Republican rank and file may meet as early as Wednesday night to act on Hastert’s recommendation.
Wow. This is huge news. It is also bad news for the GOP. The media and the Democrats will be all over this story now and, at least for awhile, it will push news of Rita and Katrina and their aftermath off the front pages. It will also overshadow what was supposed to have been a political triumph for the President; the confirmation of John Roberts as Chief Justice which is expected to take place tomorrow.
If the Bush Administration is smart, it will start distancing itself from DeLay as soon as possible. If not, I fully expect the Democrats to pick up this fumbled ball and run with it all the way to the 2006 elections.
