Melissa Hart and the "Delay Rule"

For those of you how haven't been following this story (and there may be one or two of you out there!), House Republican Tom "The Hammer" Delay may be indicted soon over some fraudulent fundraising schemes (what's that you say? A REPUBLICAN involved in FRAUD? Say it ain't so!).

Trouble is the House had a rule that said that if any committee head were to be indicted, he/she would have to relinquish that job until the indictment is ironed out.

Bad news for Delay, right? One of the most powerful House members might have to step aside for a while because of an indictment. He raises a lot of money for other House Members, you know. So this must be bad news for the Republicans in the House, right?

Not so fast, my friend. Not so fast. Wonder what the "moral values" party did when faced with this dilemma?

They changed the rule.

Check out this site. It lists all of the House Republicans and how they voted on the so-called "Delay Rule." It also lists how much money that person received from Tom Delay's political action committee, ARMPAC.

Of the three Pennsylvania Republicans who have publically stated how they voted, two voted in favor of changing the rule and one voted against.

But here's the interesting part: Todd Russell Platts, Representative from the 19th District, voted against changing the rule. By the way, he's recieved NO money from ARMPAC. And our own lovely Melissa Hart? She voted to change the rule. By the way, she's received $15,000 from Delay's ARMPAC.

Ah, what a difference a pile of money makes, huh?