A Slight DeLay...

Well, here's another big shock in the ongoing Abramoff scandal that has wrangled in a large number of Republicans in Congress.

It turns out that former House Majority Leader Tom "I Didn't Do Nothin', Copper!" DeLay's insistence that he's no more than an acquaintance is, in fact, complete and utter crap. Of course, this comes as no real surprise to anyone who has been paying attention at all.

First, DeLay denied even really knowing Abramoff, who recently pleaded guilty to fraud charges. Abramoff was, naturally, a little disappointed that DeLay said that, especially after the way DeLay talked about their friendship while visiting the Northern Marianas Islands on a "fact-finding" trip in 1997:

"When one of my closest and dearest friends, Jack Abramoff, your most able representative in Washington, D.C., invited me to the islands, I wanted to see firsthand the free-market success and the progress and reform you have made."

Now, however, new information has arisen that shows Abramoff paid for first-class tickets to Scotland for DeLay and his wife. If that's not a friend, I need to get me more acquaintances like that!

According to an ABC News article:

When Rep. Tom DeLay, R-Texas, and his wife flew from Houston to a golf resort in Scotland in June 2000, the first-class airfare cost $14,001, a big-ticket item for a public servant. But someone else paid.

The American Express bills of lobbyist Jack Abramoff, who pleaded guilty to fraud charges in January, show he footed the bill for the tickets, in an apparent violation of House ethics rules.

"The source of the travel expenses may not be … a registered lobbyist," according to the House rules. Abramoff was a registered lobbyist at the time.

Oops! Looks like DeLay, who is currently under indictment for unrelated money laundering charges in Texas, could be facing further problems as he attempts to run for re-election in his district in Texas, where he is currently having a rough go of it already.

All the best,
Derek
(DCF)