It seemed like an unusually responsible course of action for Tom DeLay. Facing a possible indictment for one of his many fundraising scandals, DeLay started talking, according to several articles citing several sources, about contingency plans if and when that happens.
In fact, the reports were surprising in their specificity. Roll Call noted that DeLay had spoken with members of the Republican House leadership about how the GOP would proceed should he have to give up his leadership post. The Houston Chronicle spoke to people who were in the room when DeLay told a group of supporters in Houston that he may need to raise money for a legal defense fund.
One of the witnesses from Houston told the Chronicle that he specifically remembered DeLay saying, “I fully anticipate being indicted.”
Now, however, DeLay has decided to deny reality, pretend like nothing happened, and reject all talk of his possible indictment. It’d quite odd, to say the least.
The Hill reported today that DeLay was aware of the reports last week, but now insists there’s nothing to them.
[DeLay] said the idea that he would relinquish his position as majority leader is “ridiculous,” and he brushed off a question about discussions he had with his supporters earlier this month about starting a new legal defense fund to pay future legal bills.
“The reports are wrong, and the reports in Washington are particularly wrong,” DeLay told reporters.
This really doesn’t make any sense. Last week, DeLay was acting like he knew the charges were forthcoming and he was making plans on how to deal with it. He recognized that GOP leadership rules would require him to relinquish his position as Majority Leader, even if it was just temporarily, if he were indicted.
Now he says the very idea is “ridiculous.” Does he know something the rest of us don’t?