The values party is changing their own rule to allow Despicable DeLay to keep his leadership post.
Thanks, America. This is what we can expect from the next two years of Republican control.
House GOP to Change Leadership RulesHouse GOP to Change Leadership Rules
By Charles Babington
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, November 16, 2004; 3:55 PM
House Republicans plan to change their rules in order to allow members indicted by state prosecutors to remain in a leadership post, a move designed to benefit Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex.) in case he is charged by a Texas grand jury that has indicted three of his political associates, GOP leaders said today.
The rules change, which leaders said is likely to be adopted Wednesday, comes as House Republicans return to Washington indebted to DeLay for the enhanced majority they won in this month's elections. DeLay led an aggressive redistricting effort in Texas last year that resulted in five Democratic House members retiring or losing reelection. It also triggered the grand jury inquiry into fundraising efforts related to the state legislature's redistricting actions.
House Republicans recognize that DeLay fought fiercely to widen their majority, and they are eager to protect him from an Austin-based investigation they view as baseless and partisan, said Rep. Eric I. Cantor (R-Va.), the GOP's chief deputy whip.
"That's why this [proposed rule change] is going to pass. . . . because there is a tremendous recognition that Tom DeLay led on the issue to produce five more seats in our majority," Cantor said after emerging from a meeting in which the Republican Conference welcomed new members and reelected Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) and DeLay as its top leaders.
The rule change, proposed by Rep. Henry Bonilla (R-Tex.), would apply only to leaders indicted by a state prosecutor or grand jury. A party leader indicted by a federal court would have to step down at least temporarily. The GOP conference, however, could waive that restriction at any time. Bonilla's proposal will be among several rules changes that House Republicans will vote on in a closed meeting Wednesday.
"Congressman Bonilla's rule change is designed to prevent political manipulation of the process while preserving the original ethical principles of the rule," said Bonilla spokeswoman Taryn Fritz Walpole.
Several GOP aides agreed with Cantor that Republican members will change the rule if given the opportunity. Hastert and DeLay, meanwhile, are publicly taking a hands-off posture.
Asked whether he supported the change, Hastert told reporters, "that's going to be the will of the conference and we'll see what happens."
DeLay spokesman Stuart Roy said of his boss: "I believe his position is that the conference should do whatever the conference wants to do."
A Texas grand jury in September indicted three of DeLay's political associates on charges of using a political action committee to illegally collect corporate donations and funnel them to Texas legislative races.
The Texans for a Republican Majority Political Action Committee, known as TRMPAC, is closely associated with DeLay. DeLay has said he has not acted improperly and has no reason to believe he is a target of the grand jury, which continues to look into the matter.
The House ethics committee on Oct. 6 admonished DeLay for asking federal aviation officials to track an airplane involved in the highly contentious 2003 redistricting battle, and for conduct that suggested political donations might influence legislative action. The ethics panel deferred action on a complaint related to TRMPAC, noting that the grand jury has not finished its work.
The Texas investigation is headed by Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle, a Democrat who has been bitterly criticized by DeLay supporters. Cantor today called Earle's efforts "a witch hunt."
"It's a totally a partisan exercise," Cantor said. "It's coincidental with what's going on up here [in the Capitol], where they are trying every avenue to go after Tom DeLay because they can't beat him" on the House floor or in congressional elections. Changing the rule is not a sign that lawmakers think DeLay will be indicted, Cantor said, but rather a public rebuke of an investigation they feel is wholly unwarranted.
House Republicans and Democrats set their own rules for organizing their caucuses. These are different from the rules that govern House committee and floor procedures, which must be adopted by the full House.
House Republicans in 1993 -- trying to underscore the ethics problems of Dan Rostenkowski (D-Ill.), then-chairman of the Ways and Means Committee -- adopted the rule that requires a party leader to surrender his or her post if indicted by any grand jury, federal or state.
Thanks, America. This is what we can expect from the next two years of Republican control.
House GOP to Change Leadership RulesHouse GOP to Change Leadership Rules
By Charles Babington
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, November 16, 2004; 3:55 PM
House Republicans plan to change their rules in order to allow members indicted by state prosecutors to remain in a leadership post, a move designed to benefit Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex.) in case he is charged by a Texas grand jury that has indicted three of his political associates, GOP leaders said today.
The rules change, which leaders said is likely to be adopted Wednesday, comes as House Republicans return to Washington indebted to DeLay for the enhanced majority they won in this month's elections. DeLay led an aggressive redistricting effort in Texas last year that resulted in five Democratic House members retiring or losing reelection. It also triggered the grand jury inquiry into fundraising efforts related to the state legislature's redistricting actions.
House Republicans recognize that DeLay fought fiercely to widen their majority, and they are eager to protect him from an Austin-based investigation they view as baseless and partisan, said Rep. Eric I. Cantor (R-Va.), the GOP's chief deputy whip.
"That's why this [proposed rule change] is going to pass. . . . because there is a tremendous recognition that Tom DeLay led on the issue to produce five more seats in our majority," Cantor said after emerging from a meeting in which the Republican Conference welcomed new members and reelected Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) and DeLay as its top leaders.
The rule change, proposed by Rep. Henry Bonilla (R-Tex.), would apply only to leaders indicted by a state prosecutor or grand jury. A party leader indicted by a federal court would have to step down at least temporarily. The GOP conference, however, could waive that restriction at any time. Bonilla's proposal will be among several rules changes that House Republicans will vote on in a closed meeting Wednesday.
"Congressman Bonilla's rule change is designed to prevent political manipulation of the process while preserving the original ethical principles of the rule," said Bonilla spokeswoman Taryn Fritz Walpole.
Several GOP aides agreed with Cantor that Republican members will change the rule if given the opportunity. Hastert and DeLay, meanwhile, are publicly taking a hands-off posture.
Asked whether he supported the change, Hastert told reporters, "that's going to be the will of the conference and we'll see what happens."
DeLay spokesman Stuart Roy said of his boss: "I believe his position is that the conference should do whatever the conference wants to do."
A Texas grand jury in September indicted three of DeLay's political associates on charges of using a political action committee to illegally collect corporate donations and funnel them to Texas legislative races.
The Texans for a Republican Majority Political Action Committee, known as TRMPAC, is closely associated with DeLay. DeLay has said he has not acted improperly and has no reason to believe he is a target of the grand jury, which continues to look into the matter.
The House ethics committee on Oct. 6 admonished DeLay for asking federal aviation officials to track an airplane involved in the highly contentious 2003 redistricting battle, and for conduct that suggested political donations might influence legislative action. The ethics panel deferred action on a complaint related to TRMPAC, noting that the grand jury has not finished its work.
The Texas investigation is headed by Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle, a Democrat who has been bitterly criticized by DeLay supporters. Cantor today called Earle's efforts "a witch hunt."
"It's a totally a partisan exercise," Cantor said. "It's coincidental with what's going on up here [in the Capitol], where they are trying every avenue to go after Tom DeLay because they can't beat him" on the House floor or in congressional elections. Changing the rule is not a sign that lawmakers think DeLay will be indicted, Cantor said, but rather a public rebuke of an investigation they feel is wholly unwarranted.
House Republicans and Democrats set their own rules for organizing their caucuses. These are different from the rules that govern House committee and floor procedures, which must be adopted by the full House.
House Republicans in 1993 -- trying to underscore the ethics problems of Dan Rostenkowski (D-Ill.), then-chairman of the Ways and Means Committee -- adopted the rule that requires a party leader to surrender his or her post if indicted by any grand jury, federal or state.
