NDP Calls Republican Congressmen to Task

Nice to see the Nebraska Democratic Party doing what the Nebraska media has thus far refused to do: demand that the state's Congressmen stand on principle and call for the ouster of House Majority Leader and national embarrassment Tom DeLay.

“Tom DeLay is a right-wing political hack who has time and again, abused power for political and financial gain,” said Steve Achelpohl, Nebraska Democratic Party Chair. “The inaction of Jeff Fortenberry and Lee Terry is equivalent to complicity in DeLay’s abuse of power.”

“Tom DeLay is a making a mockery of the ethical standards of the House of Representatives,” said Achelpohl. “The time is at hand to hold DeLay accountable.”

“We call upon Jeff Fortenberry and Lee Terry to do what’s right; show that integrity stands stronger than partisanship.”

Of course, it's a bit interesting that Achelpohl lets Rep. Tom Osborne off the hook when his silence has been just as morally deafening. Is the assumption that the voters of the heavily-Republican Third District don't care about DeLay's insulting and unethical behavior or that there's simply nothing to be gained targeting an icon of Osborne's stature?

Either way, I'd say it hurts the NDP's claim to the moral high-ground when they're not willing to "risk" holding Osborne to the same standard as his Timid Trio brethren. Good Lord, if Osborne actually ends up running for Governor, is this what we can expect?

By the way, a special note to all our 1st District readers: Jeff Fortenberry not only took $10,000 from DeLay's PAC, he also voted with him a mind-numbing 100% of the time in his first few months in office. 10 K can buy a lot of negative advertisments come campaign time but it can't buy the people of Nebraska's complicity in DeLay's dirty dealings. Fortenberry has some serious explaining to do because these are not Nebraska values.