Deleting DeLay Delayed?
By Jim Lynch on Jul 9, 2006 in House, Politics
Federal Judge Sam Sparks ruling on Thursday that Tom DeLay’s name must remain on the November ballot has made things very interesting.
At issue in the federal court case is the U.S. Constitution wording stating that a member of Congress must be an “inhabitant” of the state where his or her district is at the time of election. Also central in the dispute is the Texas Election Code and its provisions for scratching candidates from the ballot.
Why are Democrats fighting to keep DeLay from being replaced?
Democrats acknowledge they want to keep DeLay’s legal troubles in voters’ minds as Democrat Nick Lampson, a former congressman, seeks the 22nd congressional district seat in suburban Houston.
The ruling has been appealed to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans. Pending that outcome there is one other possibility.
A source close to the ex-Congressman tells TIME that DeLay is planning an aggressive campaign to retake the House seat he quit in June if an appeals court lets stand a ruling by a federal judge last week that his name must stay on November’s ballot–even though he has moved to Virginia. “If it isn’t overturned, Katy bar the door!” says a G.O.P. official. “Guess he’ll have to fire up the engines on the campaign and let ‘er rip.”
Captain Ed examines the two-faced posture of the dems.
The Democrats sued to keep DeLay’s name on the Texas ballot after his resignation, reversing the stance they took with Frank Lautenberg after Robert Torricelli had to resign for ethics violations. Back then, in 2002, the Democrats sued to get Torricelli’s name off the ballot, claiming that refusing to allow Lautenberg to replace the Torch on the ballot stripped New Jersey voters of a real choice in the election. Their argument of the reverse in Texas puts them in the cynical position of claiming that democracy has less value in Texas than the Garden State — or just revealing themselves as hypocrites.
[...]
If the Democrats lose this seat, they have no one to blame but themselves. They had an opportunity to have a rookie go up against a former Congressman in a race that may have allowed them a high-profile gain. Now they have reinvigorated DeLay into action, and even worse, drafted him themselves back into the race.
Whatever happens, make no mistake. . . this will be interesting.
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