Time to go

Time to go
Republicans are speaking out at last against House Majority Leader Tom DeLay
Times Union
First published: Wednesday, April 13, 2005

The wall of silence that has shielded the outrageous actions of House Majority Leader Tom DeLay is crumbling. How sweet the sound.

Motivated by genuine indignation, political pressure or perhaps both, prominent Republicans are saying loudly and publicly that they've had enough. Rep. Christopher Shays of Connecticut is typical of them. His long criticism of Mr. DeLay cut straight to the point in a weekend interview with The Associated Press. The Republicans were standing by Mr. DeLay, Mr. Shays explained, at their own political peril.....

....It's hard to imagine anyone defending Mr. DeLay. Hard, that is, but not impossible. President Bush has done just that, which has us wondering two things -- how long that defense will last and when Karl Rove will be over to the White House for a chat with the boss.

We'd hope, too, that Rep. John Sweeney of Clifton Park would be among the leaders of the movement for Mr. DeLay to step down. Last fall it was his view that Mr. DeLay was the victim of an ethics committee that had veered out of control. Only Mr. DeLay has become a much bigger problem, both ethically and politically, since then.

Mr. Shays' warning aside, it's quite a stretch to imagine Mr. Sweeney in a tough re-election fight. The 20th congressional district seat would seem to be his as long as he covets it. All the more reason, then, for Mr. Sweeney to take the high road, leaving Mr. DeLay off in the distance.