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Ornstein on DeLay

by TChris

CBS gave conservative analyst Norman Ornstein a chance to talk about Tom DeLay. Here's his take:

"Republicans in the house are worried that this could be a huge flameout for Tom DeLay," says Norm Ornstein, a scholar at the conservative American Enterprise Institute and a recent critic of Tom DeLay. ... "Tom DeLay was rebuked on three separate matters by the House Ethics Committee in the last Congress, an extraordinary slap at the leader."

"But they left open pending a fourth issue, which was the Ronnie Earle case in Texas. So what did the House Republicans do? They fire the chairman of the Ethics Committee. They removed two members." And two of the replacements had contributed to DeLay’s legal defense fund. Adds Ornstein: "They want a group of people on the House Ethics Committee who are going to go to extraordinary lengths to keep Tom DeLay from going down or being embarrassed yet again, which embarrasses them all, they believe, with what’s been going on down in Texas."

CBS explores "what's been going on down in Texas" in the linked article.

DeLay's predicament may lead to his downfall. Ornstein recalls the resignation of Democrat Jim Wright in 1989.

"When you look back at what brought down the most powerful member of Congress, Jim Wright, which was publishing a book, and having a bunch of copies go on bulk sales to people who then gave him royalties through some kind of subterranean process, wasn't even a violation of a law or a specific ethics rule," says Ornstein. "It was just the general sense that this is not how a member of Congress behaves. It was murkier than what we have now."

"Do you think this is in the back of the Republicans' minds now that it happened to Jim Wright, 'Oh oh, we better take steps to make sure that doesn't happen here,'" asks Stahl. "It's not in the backs of their minds about Jim Wright, it's in the front of their minds," says Ornstein. "They see the parallel here and they want to be sure this doesn't happen."

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  • Re: Ornstein on DeLay (none / 0) (#1)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sun Mar 06, 2005 at 07:47:39 PM EST
    Public Citizen's website offers a pretty damning library of evidence against DeLay. They've also posted an action alert related to Sunday's 60 Minutes piece. Go to: http://www.dethronedelay.org

    Re: Ornstein on DeLay (none / 0) (#2)
    by Linkmeister on Sun Mar 06, 2005 at 10:16:22 PM EST
    Best line in the show was Earle's: "Being called vindictive and partisan by Tom Delay is like being called ugly by a frog." If that's not a "Ratherism" I don't know what is.

    Re: Ornstein on DeLay (none / 0) (#3)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sun Mar 06, 2005 at 10:23:12 PM EST
    Ornstein has an opinion?! I thought conservatives were told what their opinions are, and were expected to recite them as specified. It is so shocking when one of them utters something true, um, I mean, not on the talking points list, that I won't be surprised to see Ornstein's integrity impugned forthwith by his (former?) compatriots.

    Re: Ornstein on DeLay (none / 0) (#4)
    by scarshapedstar on Mon Mar 07, 2005 at 02:41:31 AM EST
    "It was just the general sense that this is not how a member of Congress behaves. It was murkier than what we have now." The problem is that Republicans actually like this sense of rank corruption. Tom Delay is the James Dean for aspiring scumbags.

    Re: Ornstein on DeLay (none / 0) (#5)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon Mar 07, 2005 at 05:29:27 AM EST
    Like the texan rep who said last week that he would fly over syria with a couple of nukes and settle the problems, Delay really personifies what the repubs are really about these days. These guys do not have the orwellian doublespeak down. They are an embarassment, but not because of their ideals, but because of their inability to conceal their ideals.

    Re: Ornstein on DeLay (none / 0) (#6)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon Mar 07, 2005 at 07:17:26 AM EST
    Or maybe unwillingness, DA. There's somethung to be said for straight talk.

    Re: Ornstein on DeLay (none / 0) (#7)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon Mar 07, 2005 at 08:26:25 AM EST
    conscious writes:
    They are an embarassment, but not because of their ideals, but because of their inability to conceal their ideals.
    Dr. Ace responds:
    Or maybe unwillingness, DA. There's somethung to be said for straight talk.
    Doc, the "ideals" that Angel are referring to are the illegal election of Republicans to the Texas State Legislature resulting in the passing of a Re-districting plan so detrimental to Democrats that Democratic legislators fled the State and were subsequently subject to arrest in their attempts to block this blatent power grab. The ideals Delay stands for are re-writing a hundred year old law saying that Corporate Contributions can only be used for Administrative costs. 60 Minutes showed a letter to a Corporate Donor promising their contribution would be spent on, among other things "message development" and "candidate recruitment". When asked about this, DeLay's spokesman (?) said that the term "Administrative" has never been legally defined. Lesley Stahl almost choked on her incredulity. Their inability to conceal their ideals includes an amazing paper trail blatently outlining their illegal activities and corporate donors have already been indicted and are cooperating. So, Doc. There is something to be said for straight talk. Except in this case, it would land DeLay in jail. He's so confident of his right to abuse his power that he didn't even try to hide his sins. In his hubris he doesn't think he has to! If DeLay stays, we know we've lost our country. BEWARE!

    Re: Ornstein on DeLay (none / 0) (#8)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon Mar 07, 2005 at 12:53:04 PM EST
    Yes Norm Ornstein is in residence at the "conservative American Enterprise Institute" as he was described on the program. But as far as I know, I've heard him speak a few times, he is not, repeat not, a conservative. I believe one would call him a moderate Kennedy style liberal. I am 99% certain he is a Democrat. Perhaps someone knows more about him than I, but he is hardly a neocon or con hardliner. What he is doing at AEI is something I have never been able to figure out.

    Re: Ornstein on DeLay (none / 0) (#9)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon Mar 07, 2005 at 02:32:49 PM EST
    Illegal, mfox? Prove it. Why not talk about the Dems redistricting MA. "Gerry" of gerrymander was a MA Dem. And CBS? 60 Minutes? Come ON. They are JIVE! Garbage in, garbage out?

    Re: Ornstein on DeLay (none / 0) (#10)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon Mar 07, 2005 at 03:52:11 PM EST
    "Gerry" of gerrymander was a MA Dem In the 19th Century, which was a while back, doc.

    Re: Ornstein on DeLay (none / 0) (#11)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Mar 08, 2005 at 09:27:59 AM EST
    Illegal, mfox? Prove it. Fortunately, Doc, I don't have to. Ronnie Earl is doing such a great job. DeLay is the rotten underbelly of the Republican platform and I, for one, can't wait to see him outed.

    Re: Ornstein on DeLay (none / 0) (#12)
    by chupetin on Tue Mar 08, 2005 at 11:16:52 AM EST
    Ace, this pretty much proves that the only reason you post here is to be contrary. You can't in, all seriousness be trying to defend this weasel, are you?