Dems Complain About DeLay's Smiling Mug Shot

By Susan Jones

October 21, 2005

There it is, front and center on the Democratic National Committee's webpage: a full-color mug shot of Rep. Tom DeLay, not bad as mug shots go, with the caption, "DeLay Booked."

The Texas Republican is smiling, dressed in a suit and wearing his House pin. Unlike most mug shots, the photograph being circulated on the Internet does not include written information at the bottom, so it looks more like an ordinary snapshot than a mug shot.

That bothers many of the bloggers on the Democrat's "Kicking Ass" website.

Some complained that the official mug shot \ldblquote doesn't look real -- no ID markings, no booking numbers, etc." Others wanted to see the profile shot.

"I want a copy of the warrent [sic] for the back of a t-shirt and his mug on the front," one Democrat wrote. Others indicated they'd like to wipe the smile off DeLay's face.

DeLay was fingerprinted and photographed at a Harris County, Tex., sheriff's office on Thursday, then released on $10,000 bond. He's scheduled to appear in an Austin courtroom on Friday to face charges of conspiracy and money laundering.

DeLay says he's the victim of a politically motivated prosecutor, Ronnie Earle, a Democrat who DeLay insists is out to get him.

''Now Ronnie Earle has the mugshot he wanted," DeLay's attorney Dick DeGuerin told reporters after DeLay was booked. DeGuerin also noted that DeLay is smiling in the mug shot. "He's eager and he's ready to go," the attorney told reporters.

While Democrats scream corruption, DeLay's supporters argue that the fund-raising-related charges against him are flimsy and came only after prosecutor Ronnie Earle brought the case before three grand juries. Two of the three returned indictments, forcing DeLay to temporarily relinquish his powerful position as House majority leader.

DeLay has requested that his trial be moved out of Travis County, but Earle said he would oppose the motion. DeLay's attorneys also have asked Travis County Judge Bob Perkins to step aside, given his record of supporting liberal politicians and causes.

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What do you do when you're an indicted politician, facing having your picture taken for a mug shot, a picture that will be broadcast instantly around the world??

You do what Tom DeLay did, . . . . Wear a suit with your House of Representatives pin on the lapel and smile nice and broadly while they take your mug shot. Why do that??

Because as soon as that mug shot is released, your political opponents and the media are going to be waiting to pick it up and run with it.

They planned on using that picture in their news reports and campaign commercials. An unflattering mug shot photo could be used to make Tom DeLay look like a criminal. But he took away their ammunition by making his picture look like the photo you might see hanging in a congressman's district office.

It looks nothing like a mug shot. So much for that. DeLay continues to thwart his political enemies...they're not going to get any mileage out of this picture, that's for sure.

God Bless,
Dan'L