Tom DeLay engineered the brash reapportionment of Texas Congressional seats that bolstered the Republican majority in Congress. He got House Republicans marching in lock step, engineered Bill Clinton's impeachment and was crucial to George Bush's first term. But the Tom DeLay era really ended last year, when his Texas indictment forced him to step down as Majority Leader in Congress. With continuing revelations in the Abramoff scandal, DeLay's predicament was a gift to Democrats, not just in Texas but all over the country. Today, under indictment and dogged by scandal, DeLay says he'll quit the Congress rather than lose to a Democratic opponent. We get the latest from Texas and Washington.
Segment 2: The Ongoing Leadership Vacuum at FEMA
After Katrina, it became common knowledge that the leadership of the Federal Emergency Management Agency was not experienced in disaster response or preparedness. President Bush's first FEMA director was a political operative and his successor, Michael Brown, ran the Arabian Horse Association in Colorado. Since Brown's resignation, and with only two months until the next hurricane season, America's best disaster experts have turned down the Administration's offer to fill the job. Has FEMA been neutralized by preoccupation with the war against terror?
Congressman Tom DeLay announces resignation from House
Copelin's article on DeLay quitting House, re-election battle
Cillizza's article on DeLay resignation from House
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
R. David Paulson, Acting Director of FEMA
Department of Homeland Security on Katrina response and recovery
Lipton's article on challenge of recruiting new FEMA director
Select Bipartisan Committee's report on preparation, response to Katrina
Chertoff's prepared statement to Senate Committee on Homeland Security, Governmental Affairs