.. is big, big news.
1. What do you think the odds are that Federal prosecutors made a deal with Tom DeLay’s former press secretary that didn’t involve his providing evidence against DeLay? Pretty long, I’d say.
2. With Scanlon, who was Abramoff’s partner in the Indian-gaming racket, working for them, prosecutors are likely to be able to nail not only Abramoff but several-to-many Republican Congressfolk. No fewer than 171 Members received contributions from Abramoff. Can you say “albatross”?
3. As the Bloomberg story notes, the problem in making Congressional bribery cases in the “speech and debate” clause, which means that if a Congressman gets paid off to make a floor speech, introduce a bill, or cast a vote, the speech, bill, or vote can’t be used as evidence.
4. “Corruption in Washington” ought to be a winning issue for the Democrats in 2006 and 2008.
5. In that context, a Presidential candidate without experience in trading cattle futures would be a big plus.