As everyone has heard by now, former Republican powerhouse lobbyist Jack Abramoff pleaded guilty to criminal charges this week and agreed to cooperate with federal prosecutors. As many as 20 indictments of elected officials and government staff are expected as prosecutors build their cases with the new evidence he is providing. The temperature is rising in Washington, DC, this week and many prominent Republicans are feeling the heat. Tom DeLay and his lawyers must be working overtime to keep up with all of the subpoenas.
My question is this - what is it going to take to get the Republicans to call for DeLay's resignation? The Washington insiders are once again protecting each other. He needs to go. His escalating legal troubles are more than a distraction - they are a stain on our Congress. Where is the House ethics oversight? I am still not hearing that the Ethics committee is fulfilling their responsibility to oversee, investigate and censure members who have committed `improprieties.'
I am strongly reminded why I chose to run for this Congressional seat in 2004 and again this time around. We need representatives who are not beholden to outside interests. I am willing to make the tough stands and decisions because of my belief in doing the right thing, but also because I won't owe this seat to anyone but my constituents.
I'll quote my friend, fellow Democratic congressional candidate Francine Busby, who has seen the havoc wreaked in her district by the corruption scandal of disgraced former congressman Randy "Duke" Cunningham. "I believe that Washington needs to undergo dramatic and immediate reform," she said yesterday.
I've endorsed Busby's revolutionary CLEAN House Act previously, but I feel the need to say it again. We cannot move forward until our Congress and our government are free of the `pay to play,' insider system. The CLEAN House Act proposes dramatic reforms in both campaign and governmental finance practices and oversight and would put a stop to this culture of corruption.
Our government is not above the law; though you wouldn't know that to listen to the Bush Administration defend their ongoing defiance of privacy and civil liberties protections. America has reached the point where this hubris can no longer be tolerated. Open and flagrant violations of our laws should be punished. The Republicans believe they are not accountable. Let's bring this one-party rule delusion to an end and work hard to change leadership in 2006.
And a congratulations goes out to my Republican opponent, Peter Roskam, who earns the dubious distinction of being named the DCCC's GOP Crony of the Week. Will this be what it takes to shame Roskam into giving the DeLay money back?