Tom DeLay Must Go

Tom DeLay has been the Republican Majority Leader in the U.S. House of Representatives for several years and is undeserving of this position. This Texan has repeatedly used cynical, unethical methods of winning political battles by bending rules and intimidating junior representatives shows Congress at its worst. Only the latest of these was the manipulation of the Terry Shiavo tragedy for political gain.

Tom DeLay has brought dishonor and divisiveness to an already highly partisan Congress. We cannot allow a man with such an ethical cloud over his head to continue to wield such power in the House. He is a liability to the Congress, the Republican Party and the United States of America. Today the newest allegations surfaced when it was discovered that he has paid his wife and another family members over half a million dollars since 2001 for political advice according to an article in the New York Times. Please support all efforts to remove Tom DeLay from his position as House Majority Leader. MoveOn.org is currently asking people to sign petitions on-line calling on Congress to remove him from his leadership position. They provide the following damning list of reasons to remove him from power:

Among his offenses, Tom DeLay:
*Promised a role in drafting legislation to a corporate donor
*Tried to coerce a Congressman for a vote on Medicare
*Allegedly used corporate money given to his PAC to finance Texas campaigns in violation of state law
*Used Homeland Security resources in a dispute with Democrats in Texas
*Diverted funds from a children's charity for lavish celebrations at the Republican convention
*Threatened retaliation against interest groups that don't support Republicans
*Stacked the House Ethics committee with representatives who have contributed to his legal defense fund
*Accepted trips from corporations and later helped kill legislation they opposed
*Accepted trips from the lobbyist for a foreign government in violation of House rules
*Crippled the effectiveness of the House Ethics Committee by purging members who had rebuked him
*Pushed for a rules change for the House Ethics process that paralyzed the panel
*Sought a rule change that would have no longer "required leaders to step aside temporarily if indicted"
*Paid family members more than $500,000 out of campaign contributions