A cheer for one of the"Good Guys"

I have been reading a great article in the Winter Ms. about an organization called CREW and it's founding director, Melanie Sloan. Sloan has worked very hard on a favorite project: former Rep. Tom Delay of Texas, who is most likely headed for jail time, at least if Ms. Sloan has anything to do about it. Many Republicans have blamed her and CREW for their problems, as if she forced them to break the law. CREW has also gone after ethics violations by Democrats as well, including the now-famous Rep. Jefferson (remember the cash in the freezer?) and questionable activities of the Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and Rep. John Murtha (D-PA). But Republicans have been keeping them busy, because not only have they been in power but they've used it as if no one is watching or would ever care--there's a great quote about this in from conservative icon and AEI Fellow Norman Ornstein:

This past Congress really was different, says Norman Ornstein of the conservative American Enterprise Institute.... The attitude people had was, "I’ll violate the norms, screw them, this is our turn."

When even the Republican hatchet men are this impressed with your arrogance, time is not on your side. Sloan is pretty sure Delay is headed for jail.

Thanks, Ms Magazine, for a great article. I highly recommend checking out their winter issue, which has other good stuff in it too.

One more thing, the article about Sloan mentioned that CREW is active in South Dakota: they are one of squeaky wheels pushing the IRS to investigate Leslee Unruh for running afoul of the tax laws, trying to be a non-profit but at the same time lobbying for her anti-woman legislation and candidates. Here's an article about that from the Yankton paper last year. You can't have it both ways Leslee, you either are a non profit and follow the non profit rules or you need to be a political organization.

Gee Leslee, and you really better pay attention when Melanie Sloan's group comes calling. They are not a liberal fringe group, even if you try to label them. Unlike battering ram propaganda organizations like the South Dakota Family Policy Council, they work against people that think they are above the rules, no matter whose party they belong to, and they do their homework, go to court with facts and they win. I couldn't be happier that CREW is on Leslee's butt--because when people take Fed money they should follow the rules!