The Hammer in the Slammer

Newly indicted Tom DeLay faces a possible sentence of up to two years. In Texas as felon he would lose his right to vote and could miss voting in the midterm elections and the 2008 race.

Eventually his right to vote could be restored. But what do his fellow Texans think about that? Not much, if this op-ed in The Daily Texan is the rule and not the exception. To wit:

Texas lets ex-felons vote after they have completed probation and/or parole. This is completely unacceptable. Ex-felons throughout the United States should be completely disenfranchised. Bush's actions in Florida are reprehensible.

Felons commit a crime which carries a set potential sentence of least a year, and they must complete whatever time is actually set in the courtroom in order to even walk the streets again. It is important to say that there is no such thing as an ex-felon. There are people who have committed felonies (felons) and people who haven't (citizens).

But there is also another act underlying any felony crime, an act which is against the rest of society, regardless of the victim of the crime. We live in a society of laws, and respect for them is fundamental. Not respecting the laws is akin to not respecting society. We owe nothing to those who would not respect us and our laws. Those felons are neither owed nor deserve the vote. They have opted out.(emphasis added)

In a way, this fate could be crueler to the Bugman than if he did hard time on the chain-gang busting rock.

Oh the humanity!

Update: Smoking Gun has a copy of the idictment and here is the Texas Penal Code on Criminal Conspiracy.