NYT:In DeLay's Home District, Rumblings of Discontent Surface

[UpInArms]

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/17/politics/17delay.html

(free registration or try www.bugmenot.com)

SUGAR LAND, Tex., April 16 - Patricia Baig, a substitute teacher with a comfortable inheritance, paid $2,776 this week to call for Representative Tom DeLay's resignation.

Ms. Baig, 57 - who identifies herself as a fellow Republican of Mr. DeLay, the House majority leader, and is one of his constituents - took out a full-page advertisement on Wednesday in the 62,000 copies of the weekly free Fort Bend Southwest Sun. It urged demonstrators "who want ethical reform" to rally against Mr. DeLay's scheduled keynote speech Saturday night to the National Rifle Association in downtown Houston, "to protest the actions of Representative DeLay and ask for his resignation," while adding her gun-owner's caveat: "This is NOT a protest of the N.R.A.!"

The Texas fallout from Mr. DeLay's citations for ethical lapses and the investigations of political fund-raisers and lobbyists close to him has been hard to gauge, but there are signs of restiveness here in his hometown, named for the historic plantation and defunct Imperial Sugar refinery that now beckons redevelopers to this thriving Houston suburb of 64,000 people.

Another Republican, who runs the other weekly county paper, has also been openly hostile to Mr. DeLay, and a Zogby poll two weeks ago for The Houston Chronicle found nearly 40 percent of 501 voters saying that their opinion of Mr. DeLay has declined since last year, with 11 percent saying their opinion of him had improved. His Democratic opponent from 2004 has already declared for a rematch next year, along with some other likely candidates, including a possible primary opponent.

...more...

[tallahasseedem]

1. Its about time!

I dont think he will resign, but hopefully this will resonate and cause alot of other repugs to be voted out next year.

[ailsagirl]

6. Maybe he won't resign of his own volition

but perhaps it might force the rethugs who don't want his stench to rub off on them to force him to??

[kliljedahl]

2. By By Bugman

I actually hope he doesn't resign & sticks around through next year at least. We need him & others like him to point out how loony the Pukes have become.


Keith’s Barbeque Central

[ailsagirl]

7. Or another scenario-- if he resigns, the house of cards

might collapse???

I actually wonder if (Republican) Congress would lose some of its clout should that piece of crap no longer be there?? Wouldn't that be nice. After all, he's the undisputed ringleader of corruption, no?

[wakeme2008]

3. IMHO,,, DeLay is not as smart as Newt.

Newt knew when it was best for the party to get out of dodge.....

[liberaltrucker]

4. DeLay is out for Delay

To hell with the best interest of the party or the country.

[acmejack]

5. A common problem among politicians

Instead of shepherding the interests of their constituents. I still think Congresspeople should be paid the median salary for their district. We'd see a bit of realism set in then!

[kliljedahl]

8. Minimum wage

Think they might raise it to a livable amount then?


Keith’s Barbeque Central

[Alizaryn]

9. Delay's motto

IF YOU BREAK THE RULES, CHANGE THE RULES.

..."But another bill filed early in the session by Ms. Denny that would have stripped the district attorney, Ronnie Earle, of jurisdiction over campaign law violations in favor of the Texas Ethics Commission, has been sidelined under a hail of criticism. "That bill was not drafted properly," Ms. Denny conceded."

Incredible.

[dxstone]

10. Delay's not done yet...

Tom Delay Shits Self In Middle of Senate Floor
http://www.presidentevilonline.com/sn_delayshit.html

Halliburton Caught Overcharging Again
http://www.presidentevilonline.com/sn_blackwh2.html

Greenspawn Forecasts Golden Showers
http://www.presidentevilonline.com/sn_goldensh.html

"I LOVE horror movies, man... I just don't want to LIVE in one."
DXS

[MO_Dem]

11. Gunowners against Delay!

Imagine that!

[lavenderdiva]

12. pics from Houston demonstration against Delay today...

ps. anybody see the opening skit on Saturday Day Night Live? Whoa... They had a spoof of Tom Delay speaking to America about all his 'indescretions', and how he deals with 'wayward' members of Congress. ie., blowing them up, torching their cars, throwing them out of buildings, etc. you get the picture. What was strange (or not), was that the audience was hardly laughing, if at all. Many strange silences by the audiences. I too, was pretty off-put by this strange display of 'humor', given the violence toward judges, etc. I was kinda surprised they put this skit on. I have absolutely NO sympathy for Delay and company (note I live in Houston), and wish them a speedy farewell. But my eyebrows did go up on this skit. Did anyone else see it? What did you think?

[napi21]

13. Oh yeah, I saw it! I'm no fan of SNL, but it was on after the news,

and when I saw who they were spoofing, I decided to watch. Too9 funny! Sure looked like they were saying, if you disagree with me, you die!

[MO_Dem]

14. Hubby saw it

and he liked it, in fact, agreed that it might be close to the truth.

[CitySky]

15. Patricia Baig was at the protest tonight

Along with about 200 of us, protesting outside of the hotel where DeLay gave the keynote address to the NRA convention tonight. The protest was loud and spirited. One of my friends who lives in DeLay's district has a sign that said, "SECOND AMENDMENT - YES, TOM DELAY - NO," again to show that this protest was not against the NRA but against their choice of speaker. A few of the NRA members showed some agreement with us on the issue! (A few others flipped us the bird, but what else do you expect?)

Signs included "SAVE AMERICA WITHOUT DeLAY", "INDICT DELAY NOW" , "UNETHICAL IS UNETHICAL", and "PUT THE HAMMER IN THE SLAMMER", with a picture of TD behind bars. We made a good ruckus and got some press.

[tsuki]

19. Ms Baig is one smart lady for adding "This is not about the NRA" in

her ad. If she hadn't, TeeVee New$ would have report the disturbance was outside the NRA meeting and left it at that. (Of course, now they probably won't report it at all.)

[crispini]

16. OMG! Morrison made the New York Times!

Cooooool. Richard Morrison's my hero! :loveya:

[ray of light]

17. very nice site

http://practicalactivist.blogspot.com/

I liked your article, "Why to be a precinct chair." Great points in it. I hope your site is successful.

[crispini]

20. Thanks!

:) Check back later today for my report of Lakoff in Dallas on Friday.

[pazarus]

18. its up to his home district

we wont make him resign, and his fellow republicans wont make him resign, but the people of his district have the chance. their voice is much more powerful than some quiet resignation, and it resonates much more through congress.

republicans need to know that corruption and violations will not just be an ethics issue, it will be an issue for the voters.

[leesa]

21. Heaven forbid she protest the holy NRA!!

The NRA is a cynical racket to benefit arms dealers and Americans fall for their BS in droves. What idiots! KaaaaChing fools!