Blunt Force Trauma

The WashPost this a.m. confirms what was going around the Internet yesterday ... that Tom DeLay intends to continue exerting control over the Republican caucus in the U.S. House even after stepping down officially as Majority Leader ... rather the way a jailed don can continue to run his mob.

According to the Post, DeLay is keeping his Majority Leader's office in the Capitol, rather than relinquishing it to the new Leader, Roy Blunt of Missouri.

The other interesting fact confirmed by the Post is that DeLay had wanted to install David Dreier of California in his job: "What [DeLay] and [House Speaker Denny] Hastert wanted was a timeserver, someone to hold the job but with no ambitions to stay in it. And they had someone in mind. This week, an aide to the speaker approached Rep. David Dreier about his role in a post-DeLay caucus. Dreier, a congenial Californian who has loyally served the GOP leadership as Rules Committee chairman, expressed interest in helping Hastert."

Word leaked quickly yesterday that DeLay had hand-picked Dreier. Approximately three seconds later, Mr. Dreier's transparent but still deeply closeted homosexuality became a raging topic. According to the Post story, Republican conservatives in the House staged a revolt against DeLay's choice of Dreier, alleging he was too "soft" (hee-hee), so Blunt, the Majority Whip with his own ethics problems, gets the job.

Does it take a crystal ball to see why DeLay wanted the "congenial" Dreier? He was going to make him his bitch and continue to run the House as he has. Blunt will perhaps be less pliable, though Lord knows the House Republican showers are a dangerous place to drop the soap.