Starting to look like the House GOPers are going to dump DeLay. They delayed the start of Congress so he could get through his Texas trial, but apparently Abramoff is the tipping point -- which is ironic because so many in the GOP caucus benefited from Jack's largesse by way of DeLay:
Rank-and-file House Republicans took the first formal step toward permanently replacing Rep. Tom DeLay (Tex.) in the House's leadership by unveiling a petition to hold a special leadership election in the coming weeks.It'll be interesting to watch all the GOP House members get all sanctimonious. But, if the GOP thinks bagging DeLay is going to be enough, they're wrong. DeLay = GOP = Corruption.
The petition -- drafted by moderate Reps. Charles Bass (N.H.) and Christopher Shays (Conn.) and conservative Rep. Jeff Flake (Ariz.) with the support of as many as two dozen members -- is the latest blow to DeLay, who was forced to relinquish his post as majority leader in September after he was indicted in Texas on campaign finance charges. DeLay had hoped that case would be resolved in his favor by the end of January, clearing the way for his return. Instead, it has dragged on through a series of pretrial maneuvers.
