House Majority Leader Tom DeLay was indicted this morning on a felony campaign finance charge by a Texas Prosecutor who has served as a de facto fundraiser for a Democrat PAC and enagaged in other borderline corrupt prosecutorial activities.

The Associated Press reports that the #&@*>% had it coming:

Tom DeLay often operated close to the ethical edge in his ascension to the powerful job of House majority leader. Today, under indictment, he stands at the precipice.

The Texas Republican, relying on political prowess, arm-twisting and devotion to his GOP majority, tightened the Republican grip on the House in his seven years as Republican whip — the party’s No. 3 leadership post — and has delivered for President Bush in his three years as majority leader.

[ . . . ]
DeLay consistently has dismissed the carping about ethics as just politics, but the 11-term congressman faces more than just partisanship as a Texas grand jury

indicted him and two political associates on Wednesday on charges of conspiracy in a campaign finance scheme.

The AP seems to say: “Ha, DeLay! We’ve got you now! This is more serious than a Nancy Pelosi accusation!”

But the AP can be nice to the man, if he speaks their language. Such as when he resisted talk of budget cuts to offset the spending for Katrina relief:

In recent weeks, DeLay has served as the bulwark against fellow conservatives who want to cut spending to offset the billions needed to rebuild the

Gulf Coast states hard hit by two hurricanes.

See, the Hammer can be a “brave bulwark.”

This is what they feed us in the hope that we’ll swallow it.