"The Hammer Has Fleas!"

How many more "former" or "ex-" DeLay aides/staffers will suffer through this headline?

"Former DeLay Aide Pleads Guilty"

Today, it's former DeLay Deupty Chief of Staff Tony Rudy.

It was only a couple of days ago (March 29th) we were learning about the 70-month sentence of the man DeLay would once describe as one of his "closest and dearest friend[s]," Jack Abramoff.

And shortly before that (March 26th), we were reading about DeLay's former Chief of Staff Edwin Buckham: Former DeLay Aide Enriched by Non-profit. DeLay's wife also figures into the mix of this scandal.

And lest we forget these other aides/staffers/associates who have come under indictment and/or intense scrutiny within the last year: Michael Scanlon, Jim Ellis, Drew Maloney, Todd Boulanger, and Jessica Boulanger. (Google the names yourselves to find relevant links)

There's a saying that if you lie down with dogs, you'll get up with fleas. There's also a saying that you will be known by the company you keep.

So is Congressman DeLay just a really bad judge of character and a victim of a series of unfortunate circumstances with shady characters who took advantage of his better nature, or ..... ???