Burnt Orange Report

He is (was) Majority Leader, not Speaker.

Your headline is wrong.

Fixed!

Three things to remember:

1) Rejoice, but quickly refocus and recommit. This one announcement doesn't mean Delay will get knocked out of Congress, or that Baxter will automatically lose, or that Keel's seat will be easily won. Enjoy the scumbag getting his do, then recommit to working extra hard at winning our races.

2) Going after criminals isn't a crime -- being a criminal is. Ronnie Earle has gone after more Democrats than Republicans, and that one remark he made at the fundraiser way back took about thirty seconds in a forty-five minute speech that was, in general, about campaign reforms. A true example of politicians and the media blowing things way out of proportion.

3) To a great extent, we're going to need to let Delay hang himself on his own rope, which means not going crazy after every press release and statement in the paper. Ronnie Earle is doing his job, and we're pleased to see that some people in the state of Texas respect the law.

Rejoice, refocus, recommit.

Is that the scent of bug spray or justice wafting over the land today? I hope Ronnie Earle stomps that little cockroach flat!!!!!

Phillip:

Keep working on that messaging, someday you might be able to play politics as usual.

Obviously this announcement doesn't mean Delay will be kicked out of Congress or that Baxter will loose his seat. You should be telling people to work hard for candidates that will strengthen state government by keeping their promises to get things done. Policy should be the focus, not politics. I’m tired of voting for Democrats just because I’m a Democrat.

One more thing...It doesn't matter that thirty seconds of a forty-five minute speech was devoted to addressing indictments Earle's office had been working on. He was at a Democratic fundraiser and he discussed an on-going investigation related to key officials in the Republican party...what was he thinking??? Did he not consider media across the country picking up that story or Republicans being investigated using the statement to injure the credibility of the entire investigation? I guess he was just playing politics as usual, like everyone else, trying to get those rich donors from the metro-plex excited enough to write fat checks.

Fair points, Jeff, and I think if you read through most of my other posts, I always pay a great deal of attention to policy. I guess that's what I meant when I said we should get out and win our races -- I always connect winning races with understanding the policies and leading the fight to get things done, and done right.

Of course, as we saw this last session in our Legislature, it can be hard to get things done when the House is illegally stacked against you. And considering the Republicans' gain in the U.S. House was almost entirely due to the mid-year redistrciting, only making promises about good policy won't get you there. Sometimes, you've got to play some politics, too. At least until we can gain momentum from situations like this and pass campaign reform laws that actually have some teeth to them, we do.

Anyways, it's good to see Delay get his due.

What? Only one signature on the check? And for $190,000! Like most well run businesses, mine requires two signatures on any check more than $2,500.

How is it that these self-styled Republican free-market business advocates have such lousy business practices? Seems to me like TRMPAC was run much like other Republican corporations - Enron comes to mind.

I might add that John Colyandro writes checks for $190 grand much like I write my water bill!

For pete's sake, with a budget capable of disbursing funds in that denomination, surely Johnny-boy can buy a copy of QuickBooks and print ledger checks electronically!