Tom DeLay sends letter to constituents

Embattled former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Sugar Land) has sent a letter to thousands of his constituents and supporters in Fort Bend County. Here it is:

To the voters of District 22: It has been over a month since Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle acted out his political revenge and indicted me for crimes that don't exist. And over the last month, we have seen such a litany of prosecutorial misconduct that even the national media is questioning his motives. Look at who is studying this circus-like investigation and you'll see that journalists and legal experts are acknowledging these charges are baseless, partisan, and nothing more than revenge for my work to provide the people of Texas with a fair and constitutional congressional representation. I am being attacked not for doing anything wrong - I'm being attacked for being effective and standing up for what's right. I have had the honor of representing Fort Bend for over 20 years, and in that time I have always been truthful and forthright in everything from my positions on immigration and tax reform to my involvement in local politics. Not everyone agrees with my conservative brand of politics. My plainspoken style might ruffle feathers from time to time. But you always know where I stand, and I always stand up for what I believe. It's no secret that on top of the deep sense of responsibility I have for advancing the interests of this congressional district, I have also worked to help elect fellow Republicans. Without a unified team of conservative leaders, many of the remarkable changes we've seen in government would never have occurred. Without Republican majorities, we would never have ended a generational welfare system, reduced overbearing tax rates, or created an economic environment for small businesses to flourish. Because of their decade of defeat, Democrats have now dropped to the least common denominator - the politics of personal destruction. They held power in state and federal politics for so long, they can't fathom Republican control of elected offices. They simply don't understand that we win election after election because our ideas, our agenda, and our values are more representative of the voters and the American dream than theirs. And instead of re-evaluating their position on key issues like immigration, taxes, national security, and government spending, they have chosen a path of personal destruction. Look at the attacks thrown at our strong Republican leaders - Karl Rove, Senator Bill Frist, and especially President Bush - and it becomes quite apparent that liberals are trying to divert attention from their own political problems, so they try to turn the tables on us. They call us criminals. They demand investigations, file lawsuits, and mock-up mugshots. They say we should be serving time in jail, not in public office. But they still won't win. What we're fighting is so much larger than a single court case or a single District Attorney in Travis County. We are witnessing the criminalization of conservative politics. Here in Texas, we take our ideas and our ideals very seriously, and we fight for what we believe in. You have that right. I have that right. Ronnie Earle has that right. But these fights are meant to take place at the ballot box, not the jury box. Just because a rogue Democratic prosecutor doesn't agree with some political tactics doesn't make them illegal or even wrong. He has an opinion, but he doesn't make the law. Ronnie Earle is wrong on the facts. He's wrong on the law. And he has abused his position, the taxpayer dollars, and our justice system throughout this process. I've listed below just a few instances of Mr. Earle's misconduct (you can go to my website www.tomdelay.com for a more complete rundown and to sign up for e-mail updates): * Earle's indictments are based on non-existent laws, and non-existent documents. * Earle went to three grand juries in four business days in a desperate attempt to salvage his deteriorating case. * For two years, Ronnie Earle assisted in the filming of a documentary movie about Mr. Earle's planned prosecutorial efforts targeting me. * In May 2005, Earle used his investigation to raise $102,000 for a Democrats' PAC that was formed to take back the Texas State Legislature. * Past is prologue - In 1993, Ronnie Earle used his office to attack newly-elected Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison on baseless charges of misconduct. We have fought and won many battles together, united and determined in the justice of our cause - and we will fight and win many more. While they may have made me step aside for now, they can never make us stand down. That's why I am asking you to stand with me, fight these unjust attacks, and remember that while our victories may come at a price, they're always worth the fight. Sincerely, Tom DeLay Member of Congress

[Hat-tip: Chris Elam]