Republican Disaffection

Atrios notes that David Brooks has come down hard on the Republicans over the Abromoff affair. Brooks' editorial is on the NYT pay site, so I've got no link. Atrios reprints part of the editorial and provides a link to the NYT, but two things struck me:

1) Great line "That's a great G.O.P. talking point: some Democrats are so sleazy, they get involved with the likes of us." This really does sum up the Republican position.

2) Main problem facing principled Republicans is illustrated by this line: "Instead, all legislation should be posted online for 72 hours before the vote, so the staff and bloggers can nitpick and expose."

However, that nitpicking and exposing is exactly what this Republican party is so completely opposed to. That is why they support this Imperial President. It is a matter of deep conviction and principal to these people that one should not have that kind of review. It is a deep conviction which is completely wrong, one which all of history and experience has repeatedly shown is profoundly wrong, but it is nonetheless the deeply held belief of this Republican Party.

Abramoff Scandal Spreads

Well Maryland is getting into the act with the Abramoff scandal. Our Governor, Republican Governor, Bob Ehrlich, is returning money he received from the Abramoffs. The following message was sent by the Maryland Democratic Party

MARYLAND DEMOCRATIC PARTY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 4, 2006


EHRLICH MUST RETURN ABRAMOFF MONEY

“Now that Jack Abramoff has pleaded guilty to conspiracy, tax evasion and fraud, the only ethical course of action for Governor Ehrlich is to return Abramoff’s money,” said Maryland Democratic Party Chair Terry Lierman.

Ehrlich has received $16,000 directly from Jack Abramoff and his wife, Pamela. The Abramoffs each donated the legal maximum, $4,000, to Ehrlich for his 2002 campaign and for his 2006 re-election campaign.

“Governor Ehrlich has had close ties to Jack Abramoff since Ehrlich’s days as Tom DeLay’s deputy whip in the U.S. House,” said Lierman. “Although Ehrlich can’t return all the quality time he’s spent with Jack Abramoff, he can return his tainted money.”

Lierman said that Ehrlich should also instruct the Maryland Republican Party to return several thousand dollars the Party has received from the Abramoffs.

So far this year, many members of Congress have returned Abramoff’s money, including U.S. Senators Max Baucus (MT), Conrad Burns (MT), and Byron Dorgan (ND), and U.S. Rep. Jeb Bradley (NH).

See also Julia at Hullabaloo for a link to a WaPo article on Ehrlic's difficulties.

Control of Congress

Via ThinkProgress we learn that
the Wall Street Journal is reporting that “Mr. Abramoff says he has information that could implicate 60 lawmakers,”

Now this could be quite significant. The Republicans currently control the House of Representatives by 30 seats (232 - 202) and, at this point, all the lawmakers implicated in this scandal are Republicans. Certainly all who have taken money from Mr. Abramoff are Republicans. If half of the number quoted above are indicted and resign before next fall, we could face an historic event. The Republican party could loose control of the House prior to the next election, solely due to indictments. At this point it is still and unlikely scenario, but it does say something of the state of corruption that the Republican party has fallen to that it is even a remote possibility.