Thomas D. DeLay: Investigation, Indictment and Beyond: Articles & Commentary

Thomas D. "Tom" DeLay (R-Texas), who has served as Majority Leader in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2002, and "two political associates" were indicted September 28, 2005, by a Texas grand jury, all three charged with "conspiracy in a campaign finance scheme." DeLay was forced to step down and "temporarily relinquish his post." 

A newly sworn Texas grand jury indicted DeLay on two new charges on Monday, October 3, 2005: conspiring to launder money and money laundering. "The latter charge carries a penalty of up to life in prison." 

The following are Articles & Commentary related to the Investigation, Indictment and Beyond.

Video

 * Brit Hume with Tom DeLay, Fox News, September 28, 2005: Segment: "Brit Hume: Second City TV" posted on Crooks and Liars website. WMP and QT players (approximately 10:42 minutes).
 * "Tom DeLay Exercises His Right To Incriminate Himself," Think Progress, September 29, 2005. Fox News QT streaming video.
 * Transcript: Rep. Tom DeLay on Fox News Sunday, October 2, 2005. Photos and video link on page. Transcript and Fox News QT streaming video also posted on Think Progress website. Note that at the end of the clip Chris Wallace said "You can do all those things. The question is, can you do it if it’s paid for by lobbyists?"

Audio

 * "The Fall of Tom Delay," OnPoint Radio, September 29, 2005. Guests: R.G. Ratcliffe, political reporter for The Houston Chronicle; Joshua Micah Marshall, editor of the blog talkingpointsmemo, contributing editor for The Washington Monthly; Lou Dubose, co-author of "The Hammer: Tom Delay, God, Money, and the Rise of the Republican Congress"; William McKenzie, columnist Dallas Morning News; and Maura Reynolds, covers Congress for The Los Angeles Times.

Chronology & Timelines

 * "Chronology: House Majority Leader Tom DeLay," Associated Press (CNN), September 28, 2005: "Some key events in the career of House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas."

Websites

 * DeLay Timeline: Key Events posted on New York Times website.
 * "Without DeLay: Clean Up Congress Now. 10 reasons why Tom DeLay should resign from Congress," Public Campaign Action Fund website.

Quotes & Statements

 * "Statements Regarding Tom Delay Indictment," Associated Press (Yahoo! News), September 28, 2005.
 * "Quotes on Tom DeLay and ethics," Knight Ridder Newspapers (Yahoo! News), September 28, 2005.
 * Howard Dean, DNC Chairman Dean on DeLay Indictment, DNC.org, September 28, 2005.
 * Press Release: FRC Statement on House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, Family Research Council, September 28, 2005.
 * Statement of Democracy 21 President Fred Wertheimer on Criminal Indictment of Representative Tom DeLay, US Newswire (Yahoo! News), September 28, 2005.
 * Pelosi Statement on Criminal Indictment of Majority Leader Tom DeLay, US Newswire (Yahoo! News), September 28, 2005.

2004

 * Sylvia Moreno, "3 DeLay Workers Indicted in Texas. Aides Charged in Fundraising Probe," Washington Post, September 22, 2004.
 * "FOX Special Report tag team covered for DeLay," Media Matters for America, October 8, 2004.
 * "Media complicit in spreading false GOP smear of district attorney investigating DeLay," Media Matters for America, November 18, 2004.

2005

 * "DeLay Charged with Conspiracy," The Street, September 28, 2005.
 * Suzanne Gamboa, "DeLay Must Appear in Austin on Charge," Washington Post, September 28, 2005.
 * John Nichols, "A Texas Lawman Indicts Tom DeLay," The Nation, September 28, 2005: "The trail of sleaze left behind as DeLay has traversed the American political landscape over the past two decades grew so long and so foul that it begged questions about whether any legal action would be sufficient to clean up the mess made by the toxic Texan."
 * "Fox's Napolitano accused DA prosecuting DeLay of political motivations, ignored his prosecution record," Media Matters for America, September 28, 2005.
 * Laura Rozen, "What's the Deal With the Tom DeLay Indictment? Getting a grip on the Hammer and that criminal conspiracy charge," Village Voice, September 28, 2005.
 * David Corn, "DeLay Indictment: Beyond Damage Control?" The Nation, September 28, 2005.
 * jesselee, "Now We Know," The Stakeholder, September 28, 2005.
 * Donna Cassata, "DeLay operated close to the ethical edge," Associated Press, September 28, 2005.
 * "Bush ally faces criminal charge," BBC, September 28, 2005.
 * Patrick O'Connor, "DeLay indicted," The Hill, September 28, 2005.
 * James Ridgeway, "DeLay Indictment Big Trouble for Bush. White House’s favorite Hammer silenced in Congress," Village Voice, September 28, 2005.
 * Ron Fournier, "DeLay indictment adds to GOP troubles, voters' cynicism," Associated Press (Boston Globe), September 28, 2005.
 * Hillary Hylton, "Indicted DeLay leaves House leadership post," Reuters, September 28, 2005.
 * Ari Berman, "The Hammer Gets Hit," The Nation, September 28, 2005.
 * Richard Wolffe and Holly Bailey, "Not So Bosom Buddies. Despite Tom DeLay’s loyalty to the White House, the indicted House majority leader has never had the president’s unwavering support," Newsweek, September 28, 2005.
 * "DeLay's Denial," CBS News, September 28, 2005.
 * Editorial: "Tom DeLay Behind the Curtain," New York Times, September 29, 2005.
 * Anne E. Kornblut, "How a Tested Campaign Tool Led to Conspiracy Charges," New York Times, September 29, 2005.
 * Editorial: "The Hammer Takes a Hit," Los Angeles Times, September 29, 2005: DeLay "has been so intellectually dishonest for so long that news that he may have been criminally dishonest hardly comes as a surprise. The question now is how much worse the political culture will become before it can get better."
 * "DeLay blasts indictment, prosecutor. Texan steps aside as majority leader, blames partisan retribution," CNN, September 29, 2005.
 * Laylan Copeland, "DeLay blames vengeful politics for indictment. U.S. House majority leader resigns leadership post and demands a trial by year's end," Austin American-Statesman, September 29, 2005.
 * "Tom DeLay Drops the Hammer on Austin Newspaper, Which Hits Back," Editor & Publisher, September 29, 2005.
 * "DeLay Scandal Fuels Uncertainty," CBS News/Associated Press, September 29, 2005.
 * Janet Hook and Maura Reynolds, "GOP Loses a Powerful Enforcer," Los Angeles Times, September 29, 2005: "The departure from the leadership ranks of DeLay, a commanding figure in the House's machinery for enforcing party discipline, could hamper Republicans' ability to advance political and legislative agendas."
 * Philip Shenon and Carl Hulse, "Delay Is Indicted in Texas Case and Forfeits G.O.P. House Post," New York Times, September 29, 2005.
 * Robin Toner, "For G.O.P., DeLay Indictment Adds to a Sea of Troubles," New York Times, September 29, 2005.
 * Richard S. Dunham, Lee Walczak, and Eamon Javers, "DeLay's Woes: The GOP's Tipping Point? The House Majority Leader's indictment is the latest in a rash of problems for Republicans. Voters may start seeing them as aloof and arrogant," Business Week, September 29, 2005.
 * R. Jeffrey Smith, "DeLay Indicted in Texas Finance Probe. He Steps Aside as House GOP Leader to Fight Conspiracy Charge in State Elections," Washington Post, September 29, 2005.
 * "DeLay Calls Prosecutor a 'Partisan Fanatic'," NewsMax, September 29, 2005.
 * "The Hammer Gets Nailed! Delay Claims 'Partison Attacks' - But Don't Forget The Money Laundering!" BuzzFlash News Alert, September 29, 2005.
 * "Hammer Time. Ronnie Earle finally gets his man," Opinion Journal, September 29, 2005.
 * Josephine Hearn, "Dems decry 'culture of corruption'," The Hill, September 29, 2005.
 * jesselee, "Now We Know," The Stakeholder, September 29, 2005: "Now we know where most Republicans stand, including the White House and the NRCC. They care about nothing but money and power. It's not complicated."
 * David Espo, "House Plots Strategy After Loss of DeLay," Associated Press (Guardian Unlimited (UK)), September 29, 2005.
 * "DeLay Charge Is Political Ammo for Dems," Fox News, September 29, 2005.
 * Norman Lear, "What Would Jesus Do? . . . with Tom DeLay?" The Huffington Post, September 29, 2005.
 * Editorial Board, "The felony indictment of Tom DeLay - Travis County grand jury has spoken; now it is up to the courts", Austin American-Statesman, September 29, 2005.
 * Glen Justice, "With Indictment, a Fund-Raising Machine Will Slow," New York Times, September 30, 2005.
 * Editorial Board, "In the political arena, 'The Hammer' won't strike again", Austin American-Statesman, September 30, 2005.
 * Suzanne Gamboa, "DeLay Lawyer Has Beaten DA Before," Associated Press (Yahoo! News), September 30, 2005.
 * E.J. Dionne, "The shameless genius of Tom DeLay," Seattle Times, September 30, 2005.
 * James Kuhnhenn, "DeLay's absence complicates House leadership's task," Knight Ridder Newspapers (Yahoo! News), September 30, 2005.
 * Molly Ivins, "DeLay's pattern: taking it all a step too far", Austin American-Statesman, October 1, 2005.
 * Carl Hulse, "With DeLay Exiled and G.O.P. Split, Speaker Faces Stiff Test," New York Times, October 1, 2005.
 * Karen Tumulty and Mike Allen, "Power Outage. House leader Tom DeLay's indictment upends the Republicans' to-do list and their outlook for next year's elections. Can they recover in time?" Time, October 2, 2005.
 * Jeffrey H. Birnbaum and Jim VandeHei, "DeLay's Influence Transcends His Title," Washington Post, October 3, 2005: "Proteges of the wounded Texan still hold virtually every position of influence in the House, including the office of speaker. DeLay's former staff members are securely in the lobbying offices for many of the largest corporations and business advocacy groups."
 * Patrick Martin, "Behind the DeLay indictment: vicious infighting within the US ruling elite," wsws.org, October 3, 2005.
 * Jerry D. Turner, "The Harriet Miers Story: DeLay, TRMPAC, Texas Lottery Scandal and Cleansing Bush's Guard Records," BuzzFlash, October 3, 2005. re Harriet E. Miers