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DeLay May Get a New Job

By TChris, Section Tom DeLay
Posted on Thu Aug 10, 2006 at 07:46:50 AM EST
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by TChris

For awhile, Republicans speculated that the indicted Tom DeLay might campaign for his old seat, given court decisions that require his name, as the primary winner, to remain on the ballot. DeLay dashed the hopes of his supporters -- yes, they inexplicably exist -- by reaffirming his intent not to campaign. DeLay no doubt wants to spend his campaign money on his legal fees. What good is another term in Congress, after all, if he has to serve it from a jail cell?

A couple of potential Republican candidates are considering write-in campaigns, while other Republicans are searching for a way to manipulate DeLay's name off the ballot. One idea: appoint the indicted DeLay to a nice government job.

[James] Bopp said in a telephone interview, Gov. Rick Perry of Texas, a Republican, could appoint or nominate Mr. DeLay to another office, making him ineligible to serve in Congress. In that case, another Republican could be named to take Mr. DeLay's place on the ballot, Mr. Bopp said.

This tactic is appropriate, according to Texas Republican Party chair Tina Benkiser, to keep Democrats from "stealing the election." Republicans have considerable expertise at stealing elections, but it's difficult to understand the charge of theft if voters decide to cast ballots for a Democrat rather than the indicted winner of the Republican primary.

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    • DeLay May Get a New Job | 8 comments (8 topical)
    Re: DeLay May Get a New Job (none / 0) (#1)
    by Strick on Thu Aug 10, 2006 at 09:25:00 AM EST
    This is clearly all about political tactics, not principles, or the Democrats wouldn't be able to argue that DeLay has to stay on the ballot, not after demanding that Lautenberg replace Torricelli on the ballot in New Jersey under nearly identical circumstances in 2002. If people deserve a right a choice when voting, they deserve that right everywhere, even in Texas. Given that, it seems rather silly to complain when the other side finds a new tactic that might work. Frankly, this one seems perfectly legal and rather innocuous. So stop whining if your opponents seem to be thinking about pulling a faster one that you already have. ;)

    Re: DeLay May Get a New Job (none / 0) (#2)
    by aw on Thu Aug 10, 2006 at 09:53:03 AM EST
    or the Democrats wouldn't be able to argue that DeLay has to stay on the ballot,
    The argument is moot. The court has decided. Try something else. NJ law and Texas law are different. Try something else.

    Re: DeLay May Get a New Job (none / 0) (#3)
    by Strick on Thu Aug 10, 2006 at 10:38:43 AM EST
    NJ law and Texas law are different.
    From what I can see, the laws are nearly identical, it's the respective state courts that are different. New Jersey's overturned black letter law forbidding replacing someone on a ballot after a given date and created an inherent right for a party to ensure they have someone electable on the ballot. The Texas court wouldn't. That's telling in itself, as is the Democrat's insistance on having it their way on both sides of the "right to choice" argument. It is over, of course. I thought the point was that this approach was something different and, if anything, both legal and respectful to the law.

    Re: DeLay May Get a New Job (none / 0) (#4)
    by txpublicdefender on Thu Aug 10, 2006 at 11:04:40 AM EST
    So, the governor of Texas would appoint someone under felony indictment by a Texas grand jury to a government position, not because he is the best person for the position, but because it will help said governor's political party field a candidate in a particular congressional district? And people accuse Bush of cronyism in appointments! As much as I often find Gov. Perry to be a total hack, I can't believe he would go that far.

    Re: DeLay May Get a New Job (none / 0) (#5)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Aug 10, 2006 at 04:25:05 PM EST
    DeLay no doubt wants to spend his campaign money on his legal fees.
    Are there any legal restrictions on how campaign contributions can be spent? If I give money to a candidate, can he then drop out of the race and use the money to buy himself a yacht?

    Re: DeLay May Get a New Job (none / 0) (#6)
    by squeaky on Thu Aug 10, 2006 at 04:40:10 PM EST
    Keith Thompson-
    If I give money to a candidate, can he then drop out of the race and use the money to buy himself a yacht?
    If the yacht is purchased as part of your legal defense, I can't imagine that there would be any problem.

    Re: DeLay May Get a New Job (none / 0) (#7)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Aug 10, 2006 at 05:32:25 PM EST
    Why would Bopp's suggested tactic even work? Does working for the state of Texas make someone ineligible to take a seat in congress? When he tried to argue that living in Virgnia disqualified him, the rejoinder was that he could move back to Texas at will. If he takes a job fom Perry, couldn't he quit at will to take his seat in the House?

    Re: DeLay May Get a New Job (none / 0) (#8)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri Aug 11, 2006 at 08:39:40 PM EST
    I wrote:
    If I give money to a candidate, can he then drop out of the race and use the money to buy himself a yacht?
    Squeaky responded:
    If the yacht is purchased as part of your legal defense, I can't imagine that there would be any problem.
    Cute, but it doesn't answer my question. Obviously candidates have spent campaign funds on legal defense. There have also been cases where a candidate has unknowingly received funds from a questionable (or politically inconvenient) source, and has donated the funds to charity. Are there any legal restrictions on what the money can be used for? Should there be?

    DeLay May Get a New Job | 8 comments (8 topical)