Making himself the judge and jury, Bush declared that DeLay is not guilty:
President Bush said yesterday he is confident that former House majority leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex.) is innocent of money-laundering charges, as he offered strong support for several top Republicans who have been battered by investigations or by rumors of fading clout inside the White House.Not that Bush is any great arbiter of morals or judgment, but it's just weird that the President injected himself into a legal proceeding. Is he trying to influence the jury? Maybe he's just testing the waters, knowing he may have to do the same thing for his top political aide.
In an interview with Fox News, Bush said he hopes DeLay will be cleared of charges that he illegally steered corporate money into campaigns for the Texas legislature and will reclaim his powerful leadership position in Congress.
