Indictment of House Majority Leader Tom DeLay Adds to Growing Cloud of Corruption Charges Hanging Over GOP

Interview with Alex Knott, of the Center for Public Integrity, conducted by Scott Harris

After years of ethics investigations and several admonishments regarding his financial and legislative dealings, Republican House Majority leader Tom DeLay has been indicted twice and forced to temporarily step down as one of the GOP's key power brokers in the U.S. House of Representatives. The indictments on conspiracy and money laundering charges, filed against DeLay and two aides, alleges that $190,000 in corporate contributions were transferred from a Texas political action committee to the Republican National Committee in 2002. The funds were later returned to GOP candidates for the Texas legislature -- a violation of that state's law prohibiting corporate money from being used in statewide campaigns.

In response, DeLay has launched a strong counterattack characteristic of the legislator known for his aggressive "take no prisoners" approach to politics. DeLay and his allies have accused Travis County, Texas district attorney Ronnie Earle, a Democrat, of prosecutorial abuse motivated by partisan politics. But over the last year, an ethical cloud has been gathering over the Republican Party. Two of the party's congressional leaders are now under scrutiny, Delay and Senate majority leader Bill Frist, who is being investigated for securities violations. Delay's longtime friend and Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff is the target of another federal corruption probe and White House political strategist Karl Rove and vice presidential aide Lewis Libby have been questioned about their role in the Valerie Plame - CIA leak case.

Between The Lines' Scott Harris spoke with Alex Knott, with the Center for Public Integrity, who assesses the recent indictment of Tom DeLay and the public's growing weariness of government corruption.

Contact the Center for Public Integrity by calling (202) 466-1300 or visit their website at www.publicintegrity.org

Related links:



"DeLay Is Indicted Again; Charges Are Graver," Los Angeles Times , Oct. 4, 2005

www.commoncause.org

www.democracy21.org

"Bush's Presidency Is Exposed, Crumbling," Bloomberg.com, Sept. 29, 2005

"The Wrong-Way Congress," The New York Times Editorial, Sept. 30, 2005

LISTEN to this week's half-hour program of Between The Lines by clicking on one of the links below:

http://www.btlonline.org

*

"Between The Lines" is a half-hour syndicated radio news magazine that each week features a summary of under-reported news stories and interviews with activists and journalists who offer progressive perspectives on international, national and regional political, economic and social issues. Because "Between The Lines" is independent of all publications, media networks or political parties, we are able to bring a diversity of voices to the airwaves generally ignored or marginalized by the major media. For more information on this week's topics and to check out our text archive listing topics and guests presented in previous programs visit: http://www.btlonline.org

*

"Between the Lines," WPKN 89.5 FM's weekly radio news magazine can be heard Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m. ET; Wednesdays at 8 a.m. ET and Saturdays at 2 p.m. ET (Wednesday's show airs at 7:30 a.m. ET during fundraising months of April and October).

*

For an email subscription of "Between The Lines Weekly Summary" which features a RealAudio link to the week's program for Between The Lines, send an email to btlsummary-subscribe@lists.riseup.net

*

For an email subscription of "Between The Lines Q&A" which features a RealAudio link and weekly transcript to one of the interviews featured on Between The Lines, send an email to btlqa-subscribe@lists.riseup.net

*

betweenthelines@snet.net

*

http://www.squeakywheel.net/

*

Distributed by Squeaky Wheel Productions

©2005 Between The Lines. All Rights Reserved.