Santorum: DeLay Needs to Answer Questions

Drudgereport.com ^ | April 10,2005 | Halls

[Halls]

WASHINGTON (AP) - The No. 3 Republican in the Senate said Sunday that embattled House Majority Leader Tom DeLay needs to answer questions about his ethics and "let the people then judge for themselves."

Sen. Rick Santorum's comments seem to reflect the nervousness among congressional Republicans about the fallout from the increased scrutiny into DeLay's way of doing business.

DeLay, R-Texas, has been dogged in recent months by reports of possible ethics violations. There have been questions about his overseas travel, campaign payments to family members and his connections to lobbyists who are under investigation.

"I think he has to come forward and lay out what he did and why he did it and let the people then judge for themselves," said Santorum, chairman of the Senate Republican Conference.

(AP) Graphic lists some recent ethical controversies surrounding House Majority Leader Tom DeLay. (AP... Full Image

"But from everything I've heard, again, from the comments and responding to those, is everything he's done was according to the law," Santorum told ABC's "This Week."

"Now you may not like some of the things he's done," Santorum said. "That's for the people of his district to decide, whether they want to approve that kind of behavior or not."

DeLay was admonished three times last year by the House ethics committee. He has blamed his woes on Democrats, liberal interest groups and the media.

House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said last week that the controversy was distracting DeLay from dealing with more pressing problems before Congress.

Santorum, however, said DeLay is "very effective in leading the House" and that "to date, has not been compromised."

(AP) House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Tex., laughs with Vice President Dick Cheney and Rep. Virginia... Full Image

A senior Democratic senator, Christopher Dodd of Connecticut, had this advice for the Republicans who control both the House and Senate: "Be careful about how closely you embrace Mr. DeLay."

Dodd cited the new rules for the ethics committee that House Republicans rammed through in the wake of DeLay's difficulties. Those rules require a bipartisan vote before an investigation can be launched. DeLay's office also helped mount a counterattack last fall against Rep. Joel Hefley, R-Colo., who was the ethics committee chairman when it came down against DeLay.

"Unfortunately, in his particular case, there's a process that he's tried to change so they could actually reach a determination as to whether or not he's innocent or guilty of the things he's been charged with," Dodd said. "But this is not going to go away."

DeLay "becomes the poster child for a lot of the things the Democrats think are wrong about Republican leadership. As long as he's there, he's going to become a pretty good target," Dodd said on ABC.

The House leader, who took center stage in passing legislation designed to keep alive Terri Schiavo, also has found that President Bush and congressional colleagues are distancing themselves from his comments, after her death, about judges involved in her case.

"The time will come for the men responsible for this to answer for their behavior," DeLay said, raising the prospect of impeaching members of a separate and independent branch of government. Later, he complained of "an arrogant and out of control judiciary that thumbs its nose at Congress and the president."

Bush, declining to endorse DeLay's comments, said Friday that he supports "an independent judiciary." He added, "I believe in proper checks and balances."

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee said last week that the judges "handled it in a fair and independent way," although he had hoped for a different result.

Democrats have said DeLay's remarks were tantamount to inciting violence against judges.

[Halls]

I actually agree and think Delay should hold his own press conference and tell everyone his side of the story on all the issues that the MSM and Democrats are throwing out at home so he can be done with this hopefully once and for all!!

[Texas Eagle]

Another nervous Republican. What are the odds.

[SDGOP]

Theres another thread on this here
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1380961/posts

[Halls]

LOL, that may be true. Why Republicans let people bully them is beyond me! Quit getting nervous! You are the majority for Pete's sake, act like it!

[Halls]

AWE, didn't see it! Dumb me, LOL!

[RoseofTexas]

The best defense is to just ignore the DAMN FREAKIN omWHORES!! DeLay need to keep doing business as usual and the rest of the pubs need to get a freakin backbone and keep their mouths SHUT!!

[Texas Eagle]

Yo, Sen. Santorum. This Paxil's for you.