TOM DELAY, THE HAMMER

Timulty, Karen(2005) Delay and Company TIME, 3/21, 28-31
Dubose, Lou & Jan Reid (2004) THE HAMMER, (New York: Public Affairs)

Tom Delay the majority whip appears to be in trouble for a number of
reasons. However, most center on his fund raising. According to TIME
magazine, the majority whip misused power perks, golfing trips, and
luxury boxes in Washington.

In the Dubose& Reid book, they portray Delay as a party animal from
Texas who became a born again Christian. As he sees Christianity, it is in
concert with laissez faire capitalism. Although he has a great deal of money
that he has raised, he generally lives frugally as one of the most powerful men
in Washington. Even President Bush can not get legislation through without
Delay's support.

The majority whips hordes money to dole out to Congressman that need it
and they in turn give their loyalty to him. He is well known for giving
money to close elections where a Republican candidate needs the just a little
more money to go over the top.

Delay has changed Washington. The House of Representatives only meet a
few days of each week and Delay uses test votes to see how much power his
legislation can garner. Vice President Cheney makes a grand entrance
about once a week.

Unlike Newt Gingrich who was highly visible and became vulnerable,
Delay is always in the shadows and most Americans don't know him or his power.
Dennis Hastert the majority leader is essentially a messenger for Delay.

If these latest scandals take on a life of their own, the majority whip
may fall from power. However, he has orchestrated early meetings this year
where Republicans forgave him for his political transgression, by dropping
penalties and then reinstating them after his case was closed.

He originally started as a pest control businessmen and then moved into
politics. His leadership is much disciplined and the authors at the end
of the book described what he did to humiliate Rep. Jim Leach of Iowa.
Leach voted as a moderate Republican and thus fell from favor of Delay.
According to the authors, there are only a handful of moderate Republicans left.
They receive the wrath of Tom Delay. You don't want to be his enemy.