I don't get to listent to Rachel Maddow everyday anymore since her move to the "buttcrack of dawn" slot on Air America Radio, but I can still catch stuff on her blog and I just caught this:
Here's the flashcard version of Rachel Maddow's "Tom DeLay's Indictment Made Easy".
(Sincere apologies for not posting this sooner -- my own personal irresponsible flailing this week).
11 SECONDS VERSION:
If you're running for state legislature, you can't take money from companies. That's Texas law, and has been for a century.
Tom DeLay took companies' money, and sent it to the national republican party.
The republican party sent him back the exact same amount, and he doled it out to state candidates.
That's what the indictment says.
For the 45 SECONDS VERSION, add these details:
The Texas legislature has basically always been democratic controlled, since Reconstruction.
DeLay wanted republicans to take over the legislature so they would redraw congressional districts in Texas.
He used the illegal corporate money to get that republican majority in the legislature in 2002.
The republican-controlled legislature then redistricted Texas.
Texas then sent 5 more republican members of congress to DC, increading the republican majority in congress by 5 seats.
All based on illegal money.
But you can see why national republicans are standing by DeLay -- his scheme was for the good of his party (and the detriment of democracy).
For the 90 SECONDS VERSION, add these two details:
DETAIL 1: DeLay and the republicans are calling Ronnie Earl, the Travis County DA who is prosecuting the case, a partisan hack. Earl has prosecuted 12 democrats in his career, and 4 republicans.
DETAIL 2: There are a number of connections to the President here -- despite the fact that DeLay and Bush don't seem to much like each other. Most interesting to me is this one --
When DeLay's guy sent that illegal corporate money to the national republican party, he enclosed a little note with a list of all the state candidates who were supposed to get checks in return. That note was addressed to a man named Terry Nelson -- the man responsible for sending back the illegally laundered money. Terry Nelson's next job was national political director of the Bush-Cheney reelection campaign.
DIRECTIONS:
Cut, re-format, print, and paste on cardstock. Prop in frame of bathroom mirror. Memorize while brushing your teeth. Unleash on co-workers at water cooler or while washing hands in the bathroom. Determine which co-worker is most shocked. Buy said co-worker lunch.
Rachel
Easy enough to explain.
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