It appears that Drier has been quickly thrown under the bus. After initial reports indicated Dreier, now Blunt will be the new majority leader:Rep. Roy Blunt of Missouri emerged as temporary House majority leader Wednesday in a fast-paced episode of power politics triggered by the indictment of his one-time patron.

With Texas Rep. Tom DeLay obliged to relinquish his leadership post for the time being, Blunt forcefully asserted his claim to the job in personal meetings with Speaker Dennis Hastert, according to several GOP officials.

At the same time, conservative lawmakers quickly made known their unhappiness when reports circulated that Hastert was on the verge of recommending that Rep. David Dreier of California assume most of the duties of majority leader.

Dreier is apparently a good friend of Bush, which probably gave him the early inside track. However, I bet that once the hamster that powers the collective Republican gaydar finally awoke from his nap and starting running again, they realized that they couldn't sacrifice the ultimate, core Republican principle--homophobia--by choosing Dreier as their new leader. For a party that in 2004 secured its greatest electoral victory ever by running on a platofrm of homophobia, it is really amazing how poor Republican gaydar actually is.

The biggest problem with Blunt? That he has the exact same ethical problems as DeLay. Fired Up America has the details:

Many people are aware of Jim Ellis, only because of his role in Texans For a Republican Majority.  Ellis, along with two other DeLay associates are currently under indicitment in Texas

However, most people are unaware that Ellis has extensive ties to both Tom DeLay and Roy Blunt that go back at least to 1999.

On May 26, 1999, Rep. Roy Blunt inaugurated the Rely on Your Beliefs Fund.  At that time, it was simply a non-federal leadership PAC.  It later became a 527.

In a May 30, 1999 St. Louis-Post Dispatch article, Jim Ellis is quoted as the PAC's coordinator(...)

In a December 8, 1999 National Journal story, Ellis was identified as:

Meanwhile, Jim Ellis - director of the federal and non-federal arms of House Majority Whip DeLay's Americans for a Republican Majority PAC and the Rely On Your Beliefs Fund sponsored by Chief Deputy Majority Whip Roy Blunt, R-Mo. - said the committees are concentrating on fundraising and keeping an eye on strong candidates at every level

There is a lot more where that came from on Blunt. The major problem facing Republicans and conservatives right now is that they have built a pwoerful movement largely through superior infrastructure and extensive coordination. However, extensive coordination has also resulted in a select handful of individuals, most notably Dick Cheney, Tom DeLay, Grober Norquist and Karl Rove, serving as the ultimate coordinators and gatekeepers of this movement. As a result, there is almost no one int eh conservative movement who DeLay is not already tied into. Thus, even as DeLay steps aside, he long reach has already tainted nearly everyone in the Republican leadership and the conservative movement.

With leaders like Cheney, Frist, Rove and DeLay, there is no escape from the Culture of Corruption for Republicans save total defeat and reorgnization. The gatekeepers are all knee-deep in it, and everyone else is knee deep in the gatekeepers. Because of their unprecedented power, it has become impossible for any Republican who ever wants to go anywhere to attack these leaders. Because of their unprecendented power, it has become impossible for almnost any Republican in office to extricate themsevles from the ethical problems of this select group. The gatekeepers are corrupt, and no one passes through untainted.