Tom DeLay is laughing at you

Congratulations to Boston Globe reporter Rick Klein. Refusing to simply dryly report on DeLay's response to an effort to get bipartisan support for a strengthening of lobbyist disclosure, Klein uses DeLay's own unspoken behavior to illustrate the Representative from Sugarland's arrogance and contempt.

Yesterday, Representatives Martin T. Meehan of Lowell and Rahm Emanuel of Illinois, both Democrats, unveiled a bill that would overhaul lobbying regulations by forcing more public disclosure of who finances Congress members' trips and by beefing up enforcement. They said reform is necessary because of flaws in the system revealed by recent allegations against DeLay, who has been accused of taking luxury trips funded by lobbyists and representatives of foreign governments.

But DeLay laughed out loud when he was asked about the Democrats' suggestion that the bill could gain bipartisan support .

''I'm not interested in the water that they're carrying for some of these leftist groups," DeLay, a Texas Republican, said at his weekly news conference with reporters.

"But DeLay laughed out loud." Well said, Mr. Klein. Well said.