Update, Jan. 10, 3:07 p.m.: Former House majority leader Tom DeLay was sentenced today to three years in prison for illegally plotting to funnel corporate contributions to Texas Legislative candidates in 2002, the Washington Post reports.
Throughout his political and legal ordeal, DeLay was vehemently defended by his GOP colleague Representative Dana Rohrabacher, who did the same for the Surf City congressman's disgraced pal “Casino Jack“ Abramoff.
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Original Post, Nov. 24, 2010, 4:03 p.m.: As Tom DeLay moseys into a possible life prison sentence after being convicted today of federal money-laundering charges, let us turn to his pal and Huntington Beach's Surfin' Congresstool, Dana Rohrabacher.
We'll begin with something spit out of the Mouth That Rohrabachered, followed by a slimy connection between the Surf City Republican and the DeLay scandal's bagman Jack Abramoff and, finally, the latest from the Tom Tom Club.
Take it away, DR . . .
Oct. 7, 2009
Representative Rohrabacher issued the following statement:
“What was done to Tom DeLay and other
Republicans in the past was unconscionable. Accusations against them in
the form of questionable indictments were used as an excuse to destroy
everything they had worked for politically by making them step down
from their positions before being convicted of anything. DeLay's
treatment was completely unfair and cost him his political career, yet
he was never convicted.” (Rohrabacher.House.gov)
Aug. 17, 2010
The U.S. Department of Justice ended a six-year investigation into former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas), clearing “the Hammer” of any federal corruption charges for his ties to now-disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff.
. . . Among current candidates and members of Congress, Abramoff's top beneficiaries include:
- House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Virginia), who took $9,000 directly from the Abramoffs
- Representative Roy Blunt (R-Missouri), who accepted $8,500
- Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), who accepted $7,000
- Representative Dan Burton (R-Indiana), who also received $7,000
- Representative Dana Rohrabacher (R-Huntington Beach), who collected $5,500 (Open Secrets)
Nov. 24, 2010
AUSTIN, Texas — Former U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay–once one of the most powerful and feared Republicans in Congress–was convicted Wednesday on charges he illegally funneled corporate money to Texas candidates in 2002.
Jurors deliberated for 19 hours before returning guilty verdicts
against DeLay on charges of money laundering and conspiracy to commit
money laundering. He faces up to life in prison on the money-laundering
charge. (Washington Post)
OC Weekly Editor-in-Chief Matt Coker has been engaging, enraging and entertaining readers of newspapers, magazines and websites for decades. He spent the first 13 years of his career in journalism at daily newspapers before “graduating” to OC Weekly in 1995 as the alternative newsweekly’s first calendar editor.