| Delay linked political donations to legislative favor { October 7 2004 } Original Source Link: (May no longer be active) http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0410070148oct07,1,3756200.story?coll=chi-newsnationworld-hedhttp://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0410070148oct07,1,3756200.story?coll=chi-newsnationworld-hed
House ethics panel again chides Rep. DeLay
Associated Press Published October 7, 2004
WASHINGTON -- The House ethics committee unanimously concluded Wednesday that Majority Leader Tom DeLay appeared to link political donations to a legislative favor and improperly persuaded the FAA to intervene in a Texas political dispute.
The committee's findings were a second rebuke in six days for DeLay (R-Texas).
The panel committee of five Democrats and five Republicans reached no conclusions on an allegation that DeLay violated Texas campaign finance rules. Three DeLay associates were indicted last month in that probe by state authorities.
The panel said DeLay's conduct "created an appearance" of favoritism when he mingled at a 2003 golf outing with an energy company's executives, just days after they contributed to a political organization associated with DeLay. The Kansas firm, Westar Energy, was seeking help with legislation during House-Senate negotiations.
The committee criticized the timing of the golf outing with Westar executives at a Virginia resort.
DeLay also raised "serious concerns" by contacting the FAA to locate Democratic lawmakers who were fleeing Texas in a bid to thwart state GOP legislators from passing a redistricting plan, the panel said.
The committee's admonishment -- expressed in the letter to DeLay and a report criticizing his ethical lapses -- spares him a lengthy investigation by the ethics panel.
Last Thursday the same committee admonished DeLay for offering to support the House candidacy of a Michigan lawmaker's son in return for the lawmaker's vote for a Medicare prescription drug benefit.
DeLay, 57, elected in 1984 to a district representing the Dallas suburb of Sugarland, began his ascent after Republicans captured the House in 1994 -- successfully running for the No. 3 position as majority whip.
As the chief vote-counter and fundraiser for House Republicans, he kept the party united on key votes when it possessed only a slim majority over the Democrats.
When Newt Gingrich stepped down as speaker in 1998 after a damaging ethics investigation, it was DeLay who played a major role in raising little-known Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) to the speakership.
He became majority leader in 2002 after Dick Armey (R-Texas) retired.
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