Dominoes

They're starting to fall in the GOP Congressional Caucus. First Tom DeLay ends his quixotic bid to regain the Leadership, and now Bob Ney's being told to step down:

Embattled Ohio Republican Bob Ney is in talks with House Speaker Dennis Hastert about resigning his chairmanship of the House Administration Committee, a senior House GOP aide told The Associated Press on Friday.

Ney has been linked to the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal and has denied wrongdoing in the burgeoning scandal. But he is facing the loss of his chairmanship as House Republicans seek to implement an ambitious lobbying reform agenda, much of which would pass through his committee.

"There have been ongoing discussions between Speaker Hastert and Rep. Ney about his role as chairman of the House Administration Committee," said Hastert spokesman Ron Bonjean.

Ney is all but mentioned in the Abramoff plea agreement. He'd shouldn't worry about resisting dropping his chairmanship; he should worry about resisting arrest.

But these drips of the faucet aren't going to stop. One by one the Justice Department will scoop up one Congressman after another. There's no way to stop the bleeding politically. Abramoff's flipped, and this is now a legal matter. Those bricks you see on the Capitol steps were left by the Republicans that shit them.

p.s. It's a separate issue, but if he did something wrong, Democrat Bill Jefferson needs to go as well. Corruption is not a partisan issue. I refuse to defend those who work against honesty and integrity in government, regardless of party.

Jefferson, you might remember, is the guy that commandeered a boat during Hurricane Katrina rescue efforts so he could enter his house and get rid of a bunch of documents.