How Dems Deal With Crooks

Tom DeLay v Rod Blagojevich

Though not a perfect match, Rod's hair is way better, the way the parties dealt with their scandal plagued members is enlightening.

In 2004, with a Republican majority:

"Four years ago, shortly after national elections, Republicans were forced to deal with the criminal indictment of a high-profile member -- Tom DeLay. One of the House GOP caucus' first major moves after the elections was to agree, behind closed doors, to change the rule forbidding those under indictment from holding leadership posts in the party. (Embarrassed, they later changed their minds.) Republican officials also defended the accused and lashed out, in a coordinated effort, against the prosecutor."

The pattern is there, deny, deny, deny: never admit it.

In 2008 with a Democratic majority:

"All fifty members of the Democratic Senate caucus have signed Majority Leader Harry Reid's letter calling on Gov. Rod Blagojevich to step down from his post and refrain from appointing anyone to the vacated Illinois Senate seat, a source confirms.

The fact that [Harry Reid and] 49 other Democratic colleagues, including Vice President-elect Joseph Biden and Secretary of State nominee Hillary Clinton, have signed this letter suggest that they are serious about pushing back against any 11th-hour Blagojevich move."

From Monday to Tuesday, the scandal was announced and dealt with. Democrats are at least trying to deal with "corruption". Aside from Charles Rangel, but this is Washington DC, after all.

Source: Steve Benen