The Hammer gets nailed

It was only a matter of time, from the LAT:

WASHINGTON -- A Texas grand jury today indicted House Majority Leader Tom DeLay and two political associates, charging them with a conspiracy to violate Texas campaign finance laws. DeLay said he was temporarily stepping down from his post as the No. 2 Republican in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Yes for Tom "the Hammer" DeLay, the Republican leader's long history of corruption and abuse of power is finally catching up to him. After years of ethics reprimands that affected him not at all the Bugman has finally put his hand in the cookie jar too many times for his fellow Texan's taste.

But given the ethical standards of today's Republican party you can hardly blame him for trying. One can only hope that conservative voters will finally begin to see the cynical veneer of such "family values" politicians peel away and expose the ugly, Machiavellian underside of the Republican leadership.

And, of local interest, DeLay's resignation elevates David Dreier (San Dimas, CA) to a share of the Majority Leadership position's duties. Let us hope the congressman from Bill and Ted's purported stomping grounds fares better than his ethically challenged predeccesor, though one wonders, since Mr. Dreier is reputedly relatively honest, how he'll ever succeed in a Republican leadership position.