In Defense of Truth
By SEAN HANNON

10-07-05

Democrats serious about ethical reform need to take a few steps back and re-examine their pile-on of Congressman Chris Shays regarding his connection to House Leader Tom DeLay. Their goal is to bring down Shays by tethering him to the sinking ship of Tom DeLay.  I don’t disagree with the result, but I am thoroughly disgusted by the tactics.

Democrats are succumbing to the terribly misguided impulse to use Karl Rove’s playbook of vicious insinuation, outrageous smear, and context twisting.  If we go down that road, we become as bad as those we condemn.

Those who have read my past letters know where I stand. I’ve taken issue with Congressman Shays on many subjects at townhall meetings. I believe him to be dead wrong on the Patriot Act and the war in Iraq. For those reasons, I wish to see him unseated.

But I remember applauding Chris Shays for being just about the only Republican voice to speak out against his own party’s efforts to change the House Ethics rules, specifically a rule that would have allowed DeLay to stay in office if he was indicted.  He did this at a time when there was no political benefit to be gained. He did it because he recognised right from wrong.  Whatever I think about his politics, I regard Mr. Shays as a decent and ethical man with no resemblance whatsoever to the ethically-challenged DeLay.

So I beg my fellow democrats not to be seduced by the argument that to be successful in our fight that we have to become Rovian slime merchants. The essence of truth that we are trying to restore is not served by dishing up more lies.  Ms. Farrell, take heed.