Hammer Time

This just in: Tom DeLay has been indicted in Texas for conspiring to violate state campaign finance laws in 2002. In a nutshell, his PAC funneled corporate money through the RNC to Texas State House candidates, who are prohibited from receiving corporate funds.

Since DeLay was unable to get a GOP caucus rule repealed that would have allowed him to keep his leadership post after indictment, he has been forced to step down for now. And certainly the right-wing noise machine will now be going into overdrive attacking Travis Co. DA Ronnie Earle's character and motives.

Maybe the wingers will be successful in making DeLay a martyr, and maybe Earle's name will be mud when this is all over. There is certainly ample precedent for that kind of effectively-run PR campaign. But DeLay has a lot of other fires smoldering around him, so maybe he isn't the kind of figure that can inspire a groundswell of support right now.

But whatever — today I'm just going to enjoy the moment and hope that this really does mark the beginning of the end.