This Would Be Correct, Sir

Tom knows what they're doing. He'd do it too if he had half a chance. But he doesn't. Not liking it too much now that the shoe's on the other foot. NYTimes (06.15.05):

"With the House ethics panel locked in a tense stalemate, the majority leader, Representative Tom DeLay, accused Democrats on Tuesday of deliberately stalling an investigation of him in order to drag it into the midterm elections next year. A leading Democrat swiftly responded by demanding that Representative Doc Hastings, a Washington Republican, recuse himself as the ethics chairman, saying he had shown ineffectual leadership and had potential conflicts of interest." DeLay Says Ethics Inquiry Rift Is Ploy to Sway '06 Elections

Back at the ranch, another scandal is brewing: "Meanwhile, the number of potential cases for the committee to address has grown. The latest involves Representative Randy Cunningham (R - CA50), who in 2003 sold his home to a military contractor with business before his committee. The contractor took a $700,000 loss on the sale, according to The Copley News Service, which first reported the transaction." Ahhh yes; Mr. Cunningham and Mr. Wade. Fortuitously for Mr. Wade, Mr. Cunningham is "a member of the influential defense appropriations subcommittee". San Diego Union-Tribune (06.12.05):

"Mitchell Wade bought the San Diego Republican's house for $1,675,000 in November 2003 and put it back on the market almost immediately for roughly the same price. But the Del Mar house languished unsold and vacant for 261 days before selling for $975,000. Meanwhile, Cunningham used the proceeds of the $1,675,000 sale to buy a $2.55 million house in Rancho Santa Fe. And Wade, who had been suffering through a flat period in winning Pentagon contracts, was on a tear – reeling in tens of millions of dollars in defense and intelligence-related contracts." Lawmaker's home sale questioned

San Diego Union-Tribune (06.15.05):

"A Realtor who Rep. Randy 'Duke' Cunningham said had set a fair and independent price for the controversial November 2003 sale of his Del Mar home to a defense contractor was a longtime contributor to the Rancho Santa Fe Republican. Realtor Elizabeth Todd and two family members have made 18 separate contributions totaling $11,500 to Cunningham's congressional campaign committee since 1997, according to records at the Federal Election Commission." Cunningham's Realtor a longtime contributor