DeLay, who was expelled from Baylor University due to alcoholism and drinking violations, was elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 1978, where he continued to wallow in his alcoholism. After becoming a born-again Christian in 1985 (his hypocrisy is so salient that it need not even be examined), DeLay began to rise through the ranks of the Republican Party, becoming Majority Whip and decrying the vices of sinister organizations like the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Endowment for the Performing Arts.
It was during his rise to political status (specifically in 1999, when the uproar concerning Clinton's impeachment was taking place), that DeLay's questionable ethics became apparent. Though DeLay vehemently argued in favor of impeaching Clinton, it soon became publicized that DeLay himself had been guilty of perjury in a 1994 civil suit levied against him by former business partner Robert Blakenship, who argued that DeLay had committed fraud and breached fiduciary duty.
In addition to DeLay's ethical failings, he also is somewhat psychotic, incredibly partisan and determined to a fault. For example, when 10 Democrats fled Texas in 2003 to avoid proceeding with a quorum aimed at unfairly redistricting Texas so as to benefit the Republican party, DeLay contacted three federal aviation administration offices, four FBI offices, two U.S. Marshal offices and ridiculously, the Air and Marine Interdiction Coordination Center. This clearly illustrates the comedy to which DeLay's antics have degenerated, as he has conscientiously flagrantly misused federal investigative forces.
However, DeLay's most egregious faults have involved campaign finance and fundraising infractions. Regarding the Democratic filibustering in 2003, a Texas court ruled that DeLay had violated state law, as he happened to not disclose $600,000 worth of funds generated by massive industrial conglomerates. In addition, DeLay used some of the money to staff phone banks and publicly ridicule the Democrats. He even put up "wanted posters," a ridiculous and puerile act. During the 2002 senatorial elections, DeLay allegedly used illegal corporate donations raised from his organization, Texas Republican Majority Political Action Committee, and donated them to the campaigns of Republicans running for the House. This particular allegation is being addressed by Travis County (which comprises the suburban area outside of Houston) District Attorney Ronnie Early, prompting indictments against DeLay on Sept. 28.
In addition to these abuses, the House Ethics Committee has unanimously and repeatedly admonished DeLay for shoddy ethics and illegal procedures. On Sept. 20, the committee claimed that DeLay had agreed to endorse Representative Nick Smith's son in return for Smith's vote on a Medicare bill. On Oct. 6, the same committee faulted DeLay for illegally catering to the energy industry (which makes up a substantial portion of DeLay's economic backing) and providing the industry with special access and privileges, as well as "for using federal resources in a political issue," which refers to DeLay's insistence on the necessity of using the FBI and other investigative authorities to track the Democrats. On Aug. 11, the Federal Elections Commissions conducted an audit of DeLay's Americans for Republican Majority Political Action Committee. The audit found that DeLay and company had failed to report more than $300,000 in debt owed to 25 vendors.
With these patterned historical abuses, 2005 marked a watershed year in DeLay's career, as it marked the beginning of significant action-namely, in the form of grand jury indictments-against DeLay. On Sept. 8, a grand jury indicted DeLay for his involvement with Texans for a Republican Majority, an organization which illegally obtained $100,000 worth of campaign contributions from the Alliance for Quality Nursing Home Care. In addition, the indictment included allegations of illegal political advertising, illegal political committee contributions and unlawful expenditures. Furthermore, DeLay was indicted on Sept. 28 for conspiring to accept corporate campaign contributions laundered through the Republican National Committee, illegal by state law. Due to Republican party rules regarding indictments, DeLay has been forced to step down as House majority leader–and instead now faces trial.
With all this said, it is clear that DeLay's absurd corruption and greed transcend partisanship. All should band together against the vice and corruption that DeLay represents in American politics, as he has proven to be continually and flagrantly corrupt, unethical, hypocritical and unlawful. It is critical for DeLay, pending proper trial procedures, to be found guilty and subsequently punished, to set some sort of precedent concerning the actual implementation of laws and the according punishments of political leaders. DeLay is representative of an ethical cancer that always has and always will spread through American politics. What is critical is the law's unequivocal response.
Williams can be reached at pwilliams09@amherst.edu