Underestimate the Impact of Abramoff at Your Peril

I agree with National Review:

The Abramoff case is not the figment of a fevered partisan prosecutor's imagination. People have pled guilty to crimes -- not just Abramoff, but former DeLay aide and fellow Abramoff rip-off-artist Michael Scanlon. The allegations touch on other former DeLay staffers, Ed Buckham and Tony Rudy. It might be that DeLay was unaware of all the greedy, and perhaps criminal, practices swirling around him, but his colleagues can be forgiven for wanting to take a "wait and see" attitude.

"Republicans underestimate the potential impact of the Abramoff scandal at their peril."

This is not some partisan witch hunt like DeLay is facing in Austin. The Abramoff scandal is the first wide-scale congressional scandal since the 24-hour news cycle was born (If MSNBC/CNN/FOXNews had been competing with each other during the Keating Five investigation, the Straight Talk Express would have never left the depot).

This will touch off a feeding frenzy that will make PlameGate seem tame. This will get worse before it gets better. It is bipartisan, but will impact the majority party more. Republicans should act swiftly and definitively here. Repudiate Abramoff and any of his ilk. Follow up with thorough self policing and pass a solid package of ethics and budgetary reforms. Choose a permanent majority leader with no ties to this mess.

It is impossible to over react to this, and the best way to react to a mess is to get in front of it.

And before the Democrats in this state start to salivate over how this may impact Paul Ryan, Mark Green or other Wisconsin GOP congressmen, take note. Feingold's also benefited from Abramoff and Doyle should worry that a lot of the Abramoff scandal centers around Native American tribal monies...