Judge to Tom DeLay: ‘Run like a rabbit’

[kskiska]

Parties battle over Texas GOP’s right to replace former Rep. on ballot

Former House Majority Leader Tom Delay, R-TX, testified at a hearing today in the federal courthouse in Austin regarding a lawsuit filed by Democrats who argue that DeLay is still legally the GOP congressional candidate for his district his despite his resignation from the House.

Delay said at the hearing, presided by U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks, that he has moved to Virginia and plans to vote and live there, and that he is leasing office space in Washington.

According to reporters in the courtroom, Delay said, he has obtained hunting and fishing licenses in Virginia. And that he didn't hire movers because his Virginia condo was already furnished. He said the only belonging he moved to Virginia was a car.

Under the state election code there is a crucial difference between a candidate being ruled ineligible or simply withdrawing. In the first situation, the party can replace the candidate on the ballot. In the second situation, it cannot.

more…
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/13561188/

[MADem]

1. Democrats respond

Texas Democratic Party Chairman Boyd Richie, in a statement this afternoon said, "The fact that Tom DeLay was served (a subpoena) at his home in Fort Bend County supports what the Texas Democratic Party has known all along, that Tom DeLay has been and continues to be an inhabitant of the State of Texas."

"Obviously, this makes clear that the Republican Party cannot conclusively establish from any record, either today, tomorrow, or in October, that Tom DeLay will not be an inhabitant of Texas on Election Day," Richie added.

The Texas Democratic Party argues, eligibility for Congress is established by the U. S. Constitution. Under its guidelines, a person is only required to be an inhabitant of the state on Election Day to be eligible for Congress. State residency requirements cannot be used to determine eligibility. The Democrats contend, when Tom DeLay filed for office, he swore that he would be an inhabitant of Texas on Election Day.

"Tom DeLay's actions this weekend confirm that his cut and run scheme is just a charade. If the DeLay-Republican charade is allowed to stand, DeLay could conceivably return to Texas after he is "replaced" on the ballot, re-register, and actually vote in the election he hopes to abandon," observed Richie.
........

Brilliant!

[merwin]

4. LOL, using Cut and Run against them :)

[murielm99]

2. I love the way Texas Democratic

party chairman Richie called Delay's tactics "cut and run."

We need to see more Democrats using the repukes' words against them.

[momster]

3. Oh, please, Photoshop

Tom Delay and the White Rabbit superimposed...oh, please do!

[MGKrebs]

5. So where did he vote?

Did he vote for himself in Texas, or did he vote in Virginia, where he wasn't even on the ballot?

[zbdent]

6. He could have saved this trouble

if he would have withdrawn from the primary before the vote, right? . . .

[williesgirl]

7. A hunting and fishing license doesn't make you a resident of VA -

he's such an asshole. We DON'T WANT HIM HERE. We have enough criminals. Plus, somewhere I read where he said he had a VA drivers license. Yet, folks keep saying he still has a TX license. If so,that's against VA law. You must relinquish a license from any other state before they'll issue you a VA one.

[nevergiveup]

8. My sympathies to Virginia