Good riddance

In welcome news from Washington, indicted Republican Tom DeLay has announced his eventual resignation from Congress.

Knowing that he was all but certain to lose a re-election bid, he decided instead to step aside in favor of a Republican who has a chance to win, saying, "I refuse to allow liberal Democrats an opportunity to steal this seat with a negative, personal campaign."

Of course, when you've been indicted for money laundering and were forced to step down as House majority leader, your personal conduct is a legitimate campaign issue -- "character," I believe Bill Clinton's GOP attackers called it. And if pointing out that a candidate is unfit to serve after being indicted by a grand jury is negative, it's also entirely accurate.

Perhaps there was a certain shame in being an indicted public official, in being, if the allegations are true, the most corrupt member of Congress now that Duke Cunningham is playing tennis behind razor wire. And with the guilty pleas of Tony Rudy, Michael Scanlon and Jack Abramoff, we know that, at the very least, DeLay surrounded himself with criminals.

DeLay is almost certainly correct when he says that his resignation hurts Nick Lampson, who would have been his Democratic opponent in the election -- it always helps your campaign when your opponent is indicted and steps down from a leadership post in disgrace. And perhaps some Democrats are disappointed that Lampson now will have to face a Republican without DeLay's considerable baggage in a district that, by design, is heavily Republican.

Sure, DeLay's resignation may end up costing the Democrats the opportunity to pick up a seat in Congress. But set partisan politics aside and it becomes clear that this is good for the United States. A dirty politician has announced his resignation. Take pleasure in that.