KISS OF DEATH

TOM DELAY


Last month, I wrote this about Tom DeLay's interest in Dancing with the Stars:
When Tom DeLay resigned from Congress (in disgrace) back in June, saying at the time, "I have recently made the decision to pursue new opportunities to engage in the important cultural and political battles of our day from an arena outside of the U.S. House of Representatives." Who would have thought that his first skirmish in the important cultural and political battles he left Congress (under indictment) to fight would be ... Dancing with the Stars?
...
[As part of Tom DeLay's] battle to bring decency to the airwaves, he has very publicly endorsed (including sending out a letter to supporters urging them to vote) one Sara Evans. Sara Evans? Who the hell is Sara Evans, you ask? Yeah, I thought the same thing. Apparently she's a country singer and she's also married to an "ultra-right wing, theocracy-supporting, failed Republican candidate," Craig L. Schelski (more on him later).
Here is an excerpt from DeLay's letter to supporters urging them to vote for Evans:

Sara Evans has been a strong supporter of the Republican Party and represents good American values in the media. From singing at the 2004 Republican Convention to appearing with candidates in the last several election cycles, we have always been able to count on Sara for her support of the things we all believe in. ... We need to send a message to Hollywood and the media that smut has no place on television by supporting good people like Sara Evans.

So, why am I rehashing this? For the very simple reason that Sara Evans has flat out quit the competition. Why? Well, it most likely has to do with the fact that Evans is divorcing her husband, the aforementioned Schelski. The grounds?
Evans alleges in divorce papers that her husband committed adultery, was verbally and emotionally abusive, drank excessively and frequently watched pornography in their home.
Now, a quick recap on Schelski (credit - Alternet):

But why go out of his way to promote Sara Evans? I mean, DeLay doesn't come out of his spider hole every day for any old Dancing with the Stars contestant, does he?
The answer may lie in Sara's husband, ultra-rightwing theocracy-supporting Craig L. Schelske -- failed Republican candidate and cute-as-a-button executive director of Americandestiny.com.
American Destiny is an organization that promotes a revisionist history of America's founding as a theocracy and dedicates itself to busting the "myth" of separation of church and state. In order to do so, it must use the discredited scholarship of one David Barton, who used to speak at "Christian Identity" conferences. In Kingdom Coming, Michelle Goldberg wrote:

...In the past [Barton] was embraced by the racist far right, addressing at least two Christian Identity gatherings. (Christian Identity maintains that Anglo-Saxons are the true children of Israel, while blacks are "mud people" and Jews are the spawn of Satan).

So, an ultra-right wing theocracy supporter now stands accused of adultery, abuse, alcoholism and watching pornography. And the poster child for the Republican Party that "represents good American values in the media" is divorcing this guy. How exactly does this represent good American values?
Alright, let me say that I feel for Ms. Evans. Having been through a divorce myself once, I know how difficult it can be, though I concede that it's certainly much worse for someone in the public spotlight who also has to deal with the effects on her three young children. Mine was a quiet no-fault thing and no children were involved so it made it all about as easy as the dissolution of a marriage should be.
I guess what most made me want to post about this is that it is yet another example of people who claim good GOP/conservative values and yet end up looking as hypocritical as one can look. Much like what happened with former GOP golden boy Ralph Reed, Schelski has been exposed for the hypocrite he is. They preach a good game about morals and God and walk around with an air of superiority, but they're eventually exposed for the greedy pricks (in Reed's case) or adulterers and abusers (in Schelski's case) they truly are.
Of course, these are all just allegations in a divorce at this point, but one wonders why Evans would lie. If she's not lying, then this Schelski looks like a real bastard, but what if Evans is lying? Well, that would certainly fly in the face of the good Christian that Tom DeLay so fervently believes she is.
Given all this, I suppose that no one should be surprised that another associate of DeLay turns out to be as morally bankrupt as he is. People should treat an endorsement by DeLay as the kiss of death. If DeLay supports you, you're probably going to be indicted or get involved in a messy divorce.