“Law & Order” angers DeLay

House Majority Leader Tom DeLay is upset at a comment uttered during this week’s episode of “Law & Order: Criminal Intent.” According to CNN,

The controversy centers around Wednesday's episode in which a police officer investigating a murder of a federal judge suggested putting out an all points bulletin for "somebody in a Tom DeLay T-shirt."

TYL will concede that the reference to DeLay was unfair. While the show does include disclaimers that all stories and characters are fictional, the utilization of a marketing campaign claiming the show’s topic is “ripped from the headlines” gives viewers the impression that the episode is based on real facts. The inclusion of DeLay’s name – given his high profile as a member of the Congressional leadership and as an outspoken critic of “advocate judges” may have played well to the show’s audience but is also unfair to DeLay.

TYL is also on record calling for the House Ethics Committee to investigate Mr. DeLay following allegations that he went on overseas trips that were improperly paid for by lobbyists. TYL has also criticized DeLay over allegations that a political committee he founded violated Texas campaign laws (the treasurer of that committee was recently found guilty. Full story).