Burnt Orange: "Why did the Tom DeLay investigation stop"....

[madfloridian]

and I add my question from last week: Why did Tom Delay tell Meredith Viera on the Today Show that all charges had been dropped? Lots of whys.

From a great Texas blog:

Why did the Tom DeLay investigation stop? Or, there is more than one way to skin a US attorney

In the fall of 2005 dominos were falling fast in the Jack Abramoff investigation. And they were falling in one very clear direction, closer and closer to Tom DeLay.

First DeLay's former communications director fell

On November 21st, 2005, Michael Scanlon, Jack Abramoff's partner in the Indian fraud and bribery schemes, pled guilty to Conspiracy to Defraud the United States.

Then DeLay's deputy chief of staff fell.

Then it looked like his Chief of staff would be next.
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/grandolddocket.php#buckham

Ed Buckham, one-time chief of staff to Tom DeLay and later Chairman of the lobbying firm Alexander Strategy Group, appeared in Tony Rudy's guilty plea as "Lobbyist B."

According to the plea, Buckham helped in routing $50,000 in payments to Rudy's wife's consulting firm - the money was to bribe Rudy for his help defeating a bill on behalf of Jack Abramoff's client. The plea also states that Rudy worked to bring other congressional aides on a trip to the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) in part to benefit Buckham. The CNMI was a client of Abramoff's, but he seems to have shared the CNMI with Buckham.

But after Buckham shut down his business in 06, something else happened.

A registered lobbyist opened a retirement account in the late 1990s for the wife of then-House Whip Tom DeLay (R-Tex.) and contributed thousands of dollars to it while also paying her a salary to work for him from her home in Texas, according to sources, documents and DeLay's attorney, Richard Cullen. The account represents a small portion of the income that DeLay's family received from entities at least partly controlled by lobbyist Edwin A. Buckham. But the disclosure of its origin adds to what was previously known about the benefits DeLay's family received from its association with Buckham, and it brings the total over the past seven years to about half a million dollars.

There is much more at that Burnt Orange page. But this part just leaves it all wide open.

...something very fishy did indeed take place. The lead investigator was given a Federal Judgeship, a new division chief with connections to the GOP machine was appointed (AND REPORTEDLY, TO THE DELAY DEFENSE TEAM ITSELF) and presto...no more momentum in the investigation.

And Tom DeLay went on the Today Show to pump his book sales. He told Meridith Viera that all the charges had been dropped against him. She did not question that statement. Here is a link to what I wrote and a video from the interview. I think Tom DeLay just got away with a whole lot of stuff.

DeLay says all charges dropped, no one questioned it.

[GreenPartyVoter]

1. Hard to believe he dares to show his face in public

[cassiepriam]

22. Remember Ollie North, the darling of the talk circuit?

Americans love these criminals.

[SpiralHawk]

2. Why do republicons hate truth and justice?

eom

[Rex]

3. If this is true, then DeLay is above the law and can prove it on the M$M.

Why is it taking so long for the criminal Tom DeLay to get his day in court? We all know he was arrested cuz we saw the mugshot. I hope it is tampering by high level officials and that they get caught along with DeLay. Thugs like DeLay belong behind bars.

[montanacowboy]

4. WTF????????

I THOUGHT THIS FILTH HAD BEEN INDICTED IN TEXAS AND THAT WAS WHY HE LEFT HIS LEADER POSITION

WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE? IS NO ONE QUESTIONING THIS? HE IS JUST OFF SCOTT FREE AND NO ONE KNOWS WHY?

[madfloridian]

5. Thanks to radfringe for the Burnt Orange link.

I usually read that blog faithfully, but missed this.

I have been seething since he said that. There are articles in my post that say he is facing trial. How does he get away with it?

[Old and In the Way]

6. Organized Crime always takes care of their own.

When (and if) we take the White House in 2008, we best do a complete clearing out of the DoJ and do some real investigations into how the Republican Party had corrupted our Justice system.

[cassiepriam]

23. The repugs don't break the law. They are the law.

[Horse with no Name]

7. They are also going to drop charges against Abramoff

They supposedly made a deal.
This is why the US Attorney thing is so huge.
I'd pretty much say that the US Attorneys that weren't purged were front men for the Republican crimes.
I would love to see some "aiding and abetting" charges filed once the dirty ones are actually fired because make no mistake, that is all that is left--the filth.

[madfloridian]

18. Abramoff: The Caged Bird Sings

http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/002635.php

"Even though he's in prison, Jack Abramoff will continue to cooperate with prosecutors for the forseeable future. A status conference originally scheduled for tomorrow, during which the judge would have set a date for Abramoff to be sentenced on bribery charges, has been postponed until June 5th. Abramoff is already serviing time for separate fraud charges related to his purchase of a line of casino boats.

The prosecutors and Abramoff's lawyer agreed to push the date back last week, because "Mr. Abramoff’s cooperation will continue for the foreseeable future," according to a joint motion from the two parties. Prosecutors made the same request for Michael Scanlon, Abramoff's business partner.

Abramoff and Scanlon have already helped prosecutors win guilty pleas or convictions for ex-Rep. Bob Ney (R-OH), Ney's former chiefs of staff Neil Volz and Will Heaton, ex-Majority Leader Tom DeLay's staffer Tony Rudy, and former administration official David Safavian, and prosecutors are reportedly close to indicting the former deputy secretary of the Interior Steven Griles.

DeLay, DeLay's former chief of staff Ed Buckham, Rep. John Doolittle (R-CA) and former Sen. Conrad Burns (R-MT) are reportedly on the shortlist of other potential targets."

[hootinholler]

8. Thanks for that!

More fodder for this thread.

-Hoot

[madfloridian]

9. Good thread there. Too many outrages to keep up with.

I feel overwhelmed at all of them.

[hootinholler]

10. Yep!

Little energizer bunnies they are.

I'm surprised it only has 10 recs though.

-Hoot

[madfloridian]

12. I recommended it. People are too busy fighting to notice.

Not a nice day at DU.

[cassiepriam]

24. It all seems futile. Even if we get them indicted and charged, they slither away.

[madfloridian]

43. It does seem futile sometimes.

You are right.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

11. And what happened to the SEC investigation of Bill Frist?

Sorry for being off topic regarding Delay, but it seems like these investigations evaporate without explanation. Was there a similar purge of investigators at the SEC?

[madfloridian]

13. It seems all the investigations just are not mentioned anymore.

You are right. Scary. See, we all forgot about about Frist.

[watrwefitinfor]

14. But I thought some of the charges against Delay were by the State of Texas?

No? Who was that prosecuting attorney who brought charges against him, and who Delay said was only charging him because he ( the prosecutor) was a Democrat?

[madfloridian]

15. This page should fill you in:

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/grandolddocket.php

The TPM Grand Old Docket. great page.

[MoonRiver]

30. So it looks like DeLay may still be prosecuted on money laundering charges.

Or did I miss something?

[madfloridian]

32. There are charges apparently, but the media is silent when he says there are not.

I posted 3 I found in this post. And Meredith Viera did not correct him when he said he had never been called up on ethics charges and the charges against him had been dropped. I like her, but it was pathetic to let that go.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/1216

"DeLay, dogged by charges of money laundering in Texas, resigned from Congress last June and is awaiting trial."

"DeLay, DeLay's former chief of staff Ed Buckham, Rep. John Doolittle (R-CA) and former Sen. Conrad Burns (R-MT) are reportedly on the shortlist of other potential targets."

"DeLay, who is awaiting trial on charges that he conspired to launder corporate money into campaign donations, will not attend."

[PhilipShore]

16. DeLay=CIA= Immunity

[shance]

17. More media complicity. Who is allowing/promoting Tom Delay to air on NBC/ABC?

Why does Meredith Viera not question him on the charges being dropped? That is an obvious, VERY obvious question.

It would seem to media itself is trying to paint/promote Mr. Delays innocence.

Who are the ones using the media to promote Mr. Delay's innocense?

[cassiepriam]

21. He gets a media make over, and runs for office again. Simple.

And back on the gravy train.

[shance]

25. It's more like the "hate -train" with these guys. But who's allowing it?

Who's granting them the access?

That's what needs to be brought to light.

[cassiepriam]

26. The media has been bought off. Bribed or threatened, So they all roll over.

[PBS Poll-435]

35. How Soon is Too Soon?

Is 2008 too early for Tom to be Newt's runnin' mate?

[cassiepriam]

44. He is looking at 08 for sure, but with Jeb or Tom as his running mate.

[malaise]

31. That has been my question for the past week n/t

[cassiepriam]

19. Unbelievable. They are truly above the law. They can do anything they want.

[cassiepriam]

20. Can there be any doubt that Libby will get off the hook too?

That is why Bush is so arrogant, he knows there will be
no consequences for any of them.

[madfloridian]

27. Down with Tyranny covers this issue.

http://downwithtyranny.blogspot.com/search/label/Tom%20DeLay

UPDATE: DID BUSH USE THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE TO KILL THE DELAY INVESTIGATION?

[Catherine Vincent]

28. ...

:mad:

[glitch]

29. Holy K & R! nt

[madfloridian]

33. He was just appointed to the American Conservative Union board.

And 4 members resigned in protest. Not because DeLay was in legal trouble, but because he had been in the administration that made the government larger instead of smaller.

Some folks don't care about doing things that are illegal... just keep that government small enough to drown in a bathtub.

Conservatives quit board over DeLay appointment

WASHINGTON — As Tom DeLay pursues a return to the public stage, he's meeting resistance from an unexpected source: conservatives who say that he betrayed the movement as a congressional leader.

Four board members of the American Conservative Union, one of the oldest and best established voices of the conservative movement, resigned recently when DeLay was brought onto the board.

DeLay's roles in ramping up government spending and establishing a system of raising money through close dealings with lobbyists were cited by resigning members as their motive for moving on.

"He was part of a congressional leadership that oversaw a massive expansion of the government, which conservatives opposed," said Robert Luddy, a North Carolina businessman among the board members who resigned. "It is one thing to call yourself a conservative, but you have to act on it."

None of them care about integrity and honor, just small government.

What a country we have now.

[glitch]

34. Astonishingly corrupt. But I am encouraged by how much is finally coming out.

And that some of our toughies like Waxman, Leahy and Conyers are finally in positions to take it all on.

[Dover]

36. Ask yourself this....Where have ALL the scandals that have arisen led?

Answer: NOWHERE!

It's all a cleverly orchestrated distraction for addicts. Kinda like putting caffeine in every drink. Go ahead, exhaust yourselves. Maybe some will eventually get it...

Is anyone keeping count of all the scandals that have come and gone?

[madfloridian]

39. One reminds me of another and another..... they have disappeared.

Searching reveals very little. The media drops them, and they disappear.

[Lasher]

37. There is a pattern of corruption at DoJ

Remember when The Hamper gerrymandered Texas? They had to run it by Justice to see if it was in violation of protections for minority voters. Career attorneys in the DoJ said that it was. Political appointees overruled them and gave The Hamper the green light.

And of course you've got the famous USA purge scandal.

Also, did you happen to see Sharon Eubanks on FNS yesterday? She's the former government attorney who says political appointees at Justice forced her to go easy on the tobacco industry.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,261052,00.html

Wallace threw all the administration's associated talking points at her but she powerfully and convincingly refuted every one.

[OnyxCollie]

38. Is this why Bush said Tom Delay would be found "not guilty"? nt

[madfloridian]

40. Chris Matthews loves Tom DeLay....video and transcript.

MATTHEWS: How do you prevent people like Charlie Rangel, the Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee if the Democrats win, from getting his way? Henry Waxman would love to go after the energy business down there in the oil patch down where you live. People like, oh who else, Conyers might get even more aggressive and go after impeachment. I can think of a lot of guys. Let’s think Dave Obey on Appropriations might like to get a little feisty. How do you stop a majority and make it into what you call a lame duck majority?

DELAY: You’re exactly right, Chris, as to what they’re going to do. And my only answer to that is make my day –

MATTHEWS: I was just teasing you Congressman. I don’t believe they’re going to do it, but I know you do.

DELAY: Make my day.

http://thinkprogress.org/2006/11/07/delay-make-day/

Matthews is all lovey dovey and syrupy sweet with him, and he is absolutely rude to many of our Democrats.

[donkeyotay]

41. So the coup is complete? All branches of government are broken.

Just like in the Soviet Union, when we hear there's an investigation, we will know it means cover-up. We know that some are above the law, and elections are just for show.

OMG. I am livid. Abramoff promoted the Delay cockroaches and rabid right to their place of prominence. Abramoff was connected to Ney, and Blackwell had his own list of far right treasonous ratbastards, too. On a parallel thread, there's talk about the private email system and its connections to Ohio. Well, the company smartech is a defense-cia contractor. Do you suppose that between Cunningham-Wade-Wilkes that we can get a picture of a GOP coup, The final solution, the no more sharing of power. OMG. This is unbelievable.
:nuke:

[madfloridian]

42. It seems that way sometimes.

Kind of discouraging.