4.01.2005
Tom DeLay: All Around Fool
Check out Tom Delay's statement concerning Ms. Schiavo's travails:
Mrs. Schiavo’s death is a moral poverty and a legal tragedy. This loss happened because our legal system did not protect the people who need protection most, and that will change. The time will come for the men responsible for this to answer for their behavior, but not today. Today we grieve, we pray, and we hope to God this fate never befalls another. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Schindlers and with Terri Schiavo’s friends in this time of deep sorrow
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The highlighted phrase sure sounds like a threat. Senator Kennedy called him on it.
Sen. Ted Kennedy, a Massachusetts Democrat, called DeLay's remarks "reprehensible" and questioned whether he was advocating violence against judges who ruled against Schiavo's parents. "At a time when emotions are running high, Mr. DeLay needs to make clear that he is not advocating violence against anyone. People in this case have already had their lives threatened."
Senator Frank Lautenberg, (Democrat NJ) wrote DeLay a letter that strongly condemned his tone. I quote from the letter below.
I was stunned to read the threatening comments you made yesterday against Federal judges and our nation’s courts of law in general. In reference to certain Federal judges, you stated: “The time will come for the men responsible for this to answer for their behavior.”
As you are surely aware, the family of Federal Judge Joan H. Lefkow of Illinois was recently murdered in their home. And at the state level, Judge Rowland W. Barnes and others in his courtroom were gunned down in Georgia.
Our nation’s judges must be concerned for their safety and security when they are asked to make difficult decisions every day. That’s why comments like those you made are not only irresponsible, but downright dangerous. To make matters worse, is it appropriate to make threats directed at specific Federal and state judges?
You should be aware that your comments yesterday may violate a Federal criminal statute, 18 U.S.C. §115 (a)(1)(B). That law states:
“Whoever threatens to assault…. or murder, a United States judge… with intent to retaliate against such… judge…. on account of the performance of official duties, shall be punished [by up to six years in prison]”
Threats against specific Federal judges are not only a serious crime, but also beneath a Member of Congress. In my view, the true measure of democracy is how it dispenses justice. Your attempt to intimidate judges in America not only threatens our courts, but our fundamental democracy as well
Whether Mr Delay was refering "the wrath [of his fundamentalist] god" or was offering up a thinly veiled threat to gratify his co-religionists I don't know. What is obvious is the man is playing on this case for the benefit of he and his party.
4/01/2005
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