Texas Democrats “help” Delay keep his name on the ballot
Dems want tainted former lawmaker's name to
remain on ballot. Ha, ha!
Texas Democrats on Friday urged a federal appeals court to uphold a judges’ ruling that former U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay, a Republican, must remain on the fall election ballot in the race for his suburban Houston congressional seat.
Despite DeLay’s efforts to resign and Republicans’ attempts to get a new candidate, U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks ruled earlier this month the embattled former House majority leader must stay on the November ballot.
Texas Republicans dutifully elected Delay to be the candidate in their primary. Now, it looks like they’re stuck with him.
DeLay, who is awaiting trial on Texas charges of money laundering and conspiracy in a campaign finance case, resigned from Congress on June 9 after he already had won his party’s nomination.
State election law allows a political party to replace a candidate if the candidate dies, becomes medically incapacitated or becomes ineligible for office. If the candidate simply withdraws from the race after winning his or her primary, the name cannot be removed.
I don’t know which is creepier? Republicans voting for Delay during the primary — when it was pretty clear he was one of the Korruption Kings of Kongress? Or the fact that Texans might re-elect him in the district he gerrymandered — after the last election — anyway?
Posted: Sat - July 22, 2006 at 06:36 AM