Thursday, October 19, 2006

Republicans: I ain't never did no wrong

One dictionary defines hubris as:
Overbearing pride or presumption; arrogance

Next to that definition should be this picture:


From the NYTimes:
WASHINGTON, Oct. 18 — Representative Bob Ney is headed to prison early next year after pleading guilty to charges of accepting tens of thousands of dollars in illegal gifts from lobbyists. Until then, Mr. Ney, a six-term Republican from Ohio, has a comfortable place to bide his time.

His Congressional office — the one that he has effectively acknowledged selling to the highest bidder — is open for business.

“The office of Congressman Bob Ney,” his telephone receptionist said in a cheery voice Tuesday morning, as if nothing had happened to her boss, the first member of Congress to confess to crimes involving the corrupt lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

What is it with these Republican crooks, who have no shame? Even when caught, they show no sign of contrition.

At least Mark Foley had the decency to resign and run away. Of course, he didn't screw the country or his constituents. And he may not have screwed any active pages. But for those who commit actual crimes, the trend among these Republicans is denial, deflection, delusion.
In his guilty plea last week, Mr. Ney admitted to taking many gifts from Mr. Abramoff, including a 2002 golfing trip to Scotland by private jet, and then lying about them in his financial disclosure forms.

To the dismay of House colleagues eager to remove him as a symbol of the corruption scandals that are tarring several Republican candidates in next month’s Congressional elections, Mr. Ney, defying House leaders, has refused to step down for now, insisting that he owes his staff and his constituents a few more weeks of his time.

Until the House reconvenes after the elections, there is no way under Congressional rules to force him out. Republican House leaders have vowed to make Mr. Ney’s expulsion their first order of business when they return to Washington next month.

Sure. Right after Denny Hastert convenes the House Ethics committee again.

Bastard.

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