More DeLay DeVelopments

The New York Times reports that Tom DeLay asked his lobbyist buddy, indicted super-lobbyist Jack Abramoff, to raise money for him through a private charity.

"Did you get the message from the guys that Tom wants us to raise some bucks from Capital Athletic Foundation?" Mr. Abramoff asked a colleague in a message on June 6, 2002, referring to the charity. "I have six clients in for $25K. I recommend we hit everyone who cares about Tom's requests. I have another few to hit still."

Sounds so matter-of-fact, doesn't it, like they were rounding up sponsors for a Rotary Club golf outing. But the Rotary Club seldom gets their hands in this many pockets:

Mr. Abramoff's private charity, the Capital Athletic Foundation, has come under scrutiny by Senate investigators since the foundation was used to underwrite overseas travel by members of Congress and senior government officials, as well as a Jewish day school that Mr. Abramoff had established and paramilitary training for kibbutz residents in Israel. Mr. Abramoff's e-mail messages describe the training program as a "sniper school.

If you're looking for some people to owe you a favor, a group of trained snipers isn't a bad place to start. For more on Abramoff and others' exploitation of Israel connections as cover, see here.
Now is not the time for Republicans to get defensive about Tom DeLay. Being this tight with a guy like this should have marked DeLay as radioactive a while ago. And his failure to keep a lid on spending, which is all anyone would ever expect from a Republican House Majority Leader, renders him unworthy of extraordinary support from the rank and file. It's time to leave ol' Tom to twist slowly in De Wind.
Note: in the interest of fairness, if you are inclined to support the former Majority Leader, here's an important message on how you can do just that.