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Give me a ing break.Ronnie Earle is the district attorney for Travis County, Tex.
~~Did anyone else see the great report on PBS Now about this this week?
ny times
Austin, Tex. — It is a rare day when members of the United States Congress try to read the minds of the members of a grand jury in Travis County, Tex. Apparently Tom DeLay's colleagues expect him to be indicted.
Last week Congressional Republicans voted to change their rule that required an indicted leader to relinquish his post. They were responding to an investigation by the Travis County grand jury into political contributions by corporations that has already resulted in the indictments of three associates of Mr. DeLay, the House majority leader.
Yet no member of Congress has been indicted in the investigation, and none is a target unless he or she has committed a crime. The grand jury will continue its work, abiding by the rule of law. That law requires a grand jury of citizens, not the prosecutor, to determine whether probable cause exists to hold an accused person to answer for the accusation against him or her.
Politicians in Congress are responsible for the leaders they choose. Their choices reflect their moral values.
Every law enforcement officer depends on the moral values and integrity of society for backup; they are like body armor. The cynical destruction of moral values at the top makes it hard for law enforcement to do its job.
In terms of moral values, this is where the rubber meets the road. The rules you apply to yourself are the true test of your moral values.
The thinly veiled personal attacks on me by Mr. DeLay's supporters in this case are no different from those in the cases of any of the 15 elected officials this office has prosecuted in my 27-year tenure. Most of these officials - 12 Democrats and three Republicans - have accused me of having political motives. What else are they going to say?
For most of my tenure the Democrats held the power in state government. Now Republicans do. Most crimes by elected officials involve the abuse of power; you have to have power before you can abuse it.
There is no limit to what you can do if you have the power to change the rules. Congress may make its own rules, but the public makes the rule of law, and depends for its peace on the enforcement of the law. Hypocrisy at the highest levels of government is toxic to the moral fiber that holds our communities together.
The open contempt for moral values by our elected officials has a corrosive effect. It is a sad day for law enforcement when Congress offers such poor leadership on moral values and ethical behavior. We are a moral people, and the first lesson of democracy is not to hold the public in contempt.
Ronnie Earle is the district attorney for Travis County, Tex.
~~Did anyone else see the great report on PBS Now about this this week?
Give me a ing break.Ronnie Earle is the district attorney for Travis County, Tex.
~~Did anyone else see the great report on PBS Now about this this week?
Apparently not.
How does that ignore thing work again?
Brahahahahaha!!
Joe, did you bother to read the reasons why the Republicans did what they did?
To save DeLay's behind but I know you will all spin it but if the democrats were to do this all would break loose amongst conservatives about how "corrupt" the democrats would be.
And you know it.
Joe, tell me that a "democratic" district attorney would never go for an indictment of a "republican" congressman for political reasons.
Okay, if you'll tell me that a "republican" district attorney would never go for an indictment of a "democratic" congressman for political reasons.
Works both ways don't you think?
Like going after a certain person for getting a BJ?
Hummmm.
I can live with that.
Joe, as those on your side of the aisle were so fond of chanting, an indictment (which, BTW, hasn't even happened yet) is not a conviction.
If he ends up convicted, toss the bum out. Until then, I don't think the left has anything to gripe about in this case.
How about fraud and lying under oath?
Which is true. An indictment is NOT a conviction but can be just as bad for one's poli cal career.
Although it hasn't even happened yet the republicans must think it may, no?
Lying under oath?..I agree, perhaps that is why Bush wanted Cheney by his side during his questioning? But I'm not sure if it was under oath.
Of course I know you will say that Bush has never lied but he is clever enough to say just enough but not too much to where he'll get nabbed for it.
He may be Dubya be he's no idiot.
I'm sorry, the impeachment proceedings were for perjury, suborning perjury, and obstructing justice. I don't recall seeing "getting a BJ" anywhere in them.
Oh, and name a Republican Prosecutor that has done what Ronnie Earle attempted.
Well Yonivore unfortunatley I don't know every republican prosecutor so you got me there. But I know that in your opinion they are all perfect.
And besides, is he suppose to ignore evidence that may lead to an indictment?
No, I just get tired of the "so what, Republicans do it too" rationale without any supporting evidence.
It was a witch hunt. A fishing expedition. whatever you want to call it.
I hear you. I just get tired of the "demoncrat" and lumping of all liberals as unpatriotic, un moralistic bas s without any supporting evidence.No, I just get tired of the "so what, Republicans do it too" rationale without any supporting evidence.
Wouldn't the grand jury hand down the indictment? Are all of them evil partisans?Regardless, the Republicans are backing off rules they made to tout their ethics. It was just a matter of time.That law requires a grand jury of citizens, not the prosecutor, to determine whether probable cause exists to hold an accused person to answer for the accusation against him or her.
Bull . They changed their rules to prevent unscrupulous political hacks like you seem to support taking shots at Republican committee chairs.
It's a grand jury. Are they all hacks? Do you not believe in the jury system?
Indictments are easier to get than convictions. Not nearly the standard of evidence.
And no, I don't think grand juries are hacks. But there's no defense, relaxed standards of evidence...it's not the same thing as a trial.
And? When it came down to it they changed the rules that were put in place to avoid even the hint of impropriety. Why even make the rule in the first place?
Why change the rule in the first place? Because there are Democrats out there who don't have a problem abusing rules like that, that's why.
No, why MAKE the rule in the first place?Why change the rule in the first place?
Most of these guys are lawyers and many were prosecutors. You're saying they were to stupid to see something like this might happen.
Ronnie Earle provided the evidence...apparently, you don't know him.
No, I don't think they were stupid...I think times have changed. For the worse, on both sides.
As bad as the move looks, I have to agree with it. The danger of Democrats using the rule to try and "take down" Republican committee chairs may not have been even imaginable a few years ago...but it is now.
Did someone say FLIP-FLOP?
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