Talk Radio News Service: News, Politics, Media

By Ellen Ratner
The former pest exterminator, House Majority Leader Tom DeLay of Texas, is going to have to be as tough as a Mississippi cockroach if he's going to survive as the Republican's top legislative dawg and general go-to guy for the party's cashola and arm twisting. Soon, Tom DeLay and Trent Lott may have more in common than hairdos that can withstand a tactical nuclear weapon. They may both be able to consider themselves former party leadership. I'm not breaking out the champagne just yet, as Mr. DeLay is a formidable politician. I picked up the front page of the paper on Sunday morning to see that the majority leader has a new passion, feeding tubes.

Mr. DeLay has placed himself squarely in the middle of the Terri Schiavo feeding case in Florida. He's in the good company of the President's brother Jeb and a host of right-wing leaders and supporters who are fighting to keep Terri on a feeding tube for the rest of her life.

"The fight is not over," were DeLay's words after the time set for the removal of Ms. Schiavo's feeding tube had passed. I think DeLay's newfound passion for Terri could be the basis for a new movie entitled, "Wag the Dog II."

Even the Republican membership who have been the beneficiaries of DeLay's impressive fund-raising efforts ($4.2 million for Republican candidates since 1994) are starting to grow tired of the scandal. We know from the Sen. Lott controversy that the president doesn't like distractions unless they involve mountain biking or cutting brush in Crawford.

DeLay's behavior would have been considered borderline criminal had it occurred outside his congressional "safe house." DeLay did what he does second best (first is raising truckloads of money) – he pushed through legislation through the "fraidie cat" Republican House that changed the rules of the Ethics Committee so he couldn't be investigated, and then he gutted the leadership of the Ethics Committee, who happened to be one of the finest people (and a Republican to boot) I know, Rep. Joel Hefley from Colorado. Oh, and DeLay axed the staffer who was responsible for investigating him. This would be as though Bernie Ebbers, the former WorldCom CEO, who was convicted on nine counts of fraud on Tuesday, including securities fraud, filing false reports and conspiracy, decided to change the laws governing corporate America and then fired the judge, jury and anyone from the SEC who investigated him.

Surprise surprise, the Majority Leader is now willing to cooperate with the Ethics Committee. What Ethics Committee? It's like offering to mow your neighbor's lawn after you dropped a JDAM on his house.

Ever hear the phrase "Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely"? Tom Delay's every hair is in perfect place. He's raised tens of millions of dollars for Republican candidates all over the country. His Herculean efforts to guarantee a Republican majority have been nothing short of magical, including a redistricting coup that has shaped Texas politics for the remainder of my lifetime. But remember, Bernie Ebbers also used to be the toast of the town. Unfortunately, underneath all that charisma was a crook. Tom DeLay is a crook. He may not be Bernie's cellmate, but as a minimum, the president should send DeLay to the back of the room with Sen. Lott.