Bush voices his support of DeLay

Houston Chronicle ^ | March 17, 2005, 8:14AM | GEBE MARTINEZ and JULIE MASON

[bgsugar]

Bush voices his support of DeLay As president's 'close ally' faces ethics probe, a partisan dispute over rules simmers By GEBE MARTINEZ and JULIE MASON Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle Washington Bureau WASHINGTON - President Bush made a strong public show of support Wednesday for embattled House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, calling the Sugar Land Republican a "close ally." "I have confidence in Tom DeLay's leadership, and I have confidence in Tom DeLay," Bush told reporters at a White House news conference. "We've worked closely with Tom DeLay and the leaders in the House to get a lot done during the last four years, and I'm looking forward to working with him to get a lot done during the next four years," Bushsaid. DeLay is drawing attention following news reports examining the propriety of his political fund raising and overseas travel. There is also a pending civil lawsuit and a grand jury investigation in Austin concerning Texans for a Republican Majority, a political action committee with ties to DeLay. The majority leader has called investigations into his activities partisan attacks and has denied wrongdoing in every instance. Still deadlocked DeLay has offered to go before the House ethics committee to answer questions regarding trips to South Korea and Britain. However, the ethics panel has been shut down by a partisan dispute. The president's remarks came on a day when House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., urged his GOP colleagues not to seek revenge by filing ethics complaints against Democrats, notably House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. "I told members the ethics process should not be politicized," Hastert said. Democrats are refusing to accept Republican-drafted rules that make it harder to conduct ethics probes, arguing they are intended to protect DeLay. Republicans say the old rules led to what they said was a partisan attack against DeLay. Vote of confidence Despite the deadlock, ethics committee Chairman Doc Hastings, R-Wash., and ranking Democrat Alan Mollohan of West Virginia are seeking to increase the panel's two-year budget by 55 percent, to almost $4.8 million, "to create a more ethical climate" in the House. Bush, through his comments, made it clear that he remains behind DeLay and sent a signal that Republicans in Congress should also support DeLay. "We've got a big agenda," Bush said. "There's a lot going on. And Speaker Hastert and Leader DeLay and Whip (Roy) Blunt are close allies and people with whom we're working to get a lot done."

gebe.martinez@chron.com julie.mason@chron.com

[bgsugar]

DeLay has been strengthened by President Bush's strong show of support. Bush had his own example of media deception in the last election. Any Republicans who were starting to be worried about the media and Dem misinformation and innuendo attacks on DeLay should take Bush's example and get firmly behind DeLay. The propaganda machine of the liberals cannot be allowed to be successful.