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Tom delay still controlling votes Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)
http://www.thehill.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/101205/delay.htmlhttp://www.thehill.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/101205/delay.html
Sans title, DeLay still has power
By Patrick O’Connor
Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Texas) is no longer an official member of the Republican leadership, but you would never know it by watching him.
DeLay still occupies the majority leader’s ceremonial office just off the House floor, and last Friday he was involved in intense discussions with reluctant Republicans on the floor before GOP leaders eked out a victory on a bill giving U.S. oil refineries incentives to expand.
While the former majority leader appears unmoved by his diminished stature, other rank-and-file Republicans are much less comfortable with the interim leadership structure.
Most members are content to leave Washington this year without enduring an open scramble to replace DeLay or a reshuffling of the leadership team, but there is growing anxiety throughout the conference about the current direction of the party and whether this leadership team is properly positioned to execute its goals.
“I think there’s a nervousness and anxiety under the surface,” said Rep. Ray LaHood (R-Ill.). “We’re going to muddle through the rest of this legislative session and keep our heads down.”
LaHood said members were taking a “wait and see” attitude toward the current leadership structure. Without specifically mentioning DeLay, the outspoken Republican expressed concern that a temporary fix sent the wrong message to voters.
“I think it’s a poor reflection of our conference,” LaHood said. “It’s a continuation of a very negative message on the part of our leadership.”
LaHood said former Majority Whip Tony Coelho (D-Calif.), former Speaker-designate Bob Livingston (R-La.) and former Speakers Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) and Jim Wright (D-Texas) each stepped aside in the face of ethical challenges for the good of their respective caucuses.
“When they realized they weren’t contributing to the goals of the conference, they moved on,” LaHood said. “I give them credit for that.”
Responding to LaHood’s comments, DeLay spokesman Kevin Madden said his boss is not going to stop doing whatever he can to help the GOP leadership team accomplish its goals.
“Mr. DeLay has been instrumental in guiding Republicans in Congress for 11 years now,” Madden said, adding that he “is not going to let bogus charges dreamt up by a rogue prosecutor in Texas stop that progress.”
In an apparent attempt to address any conference concerns, DeLay made an impassioned speech to his fellow House Republicans on Thursday night, according to several members in attendance. He asked conference members to hold off on launching leadership races to replace him and even took responsibility for some of the budgetary concerns that have overwhelmed congressional leaders in recent weeks.
“We lost sight on spending, and for that I apologize,” DeLay told his fellow House Republicans.
There has been growing unrest among some rank-and-file members, particularly conservatives, that Republicans in Washington have discouraged their base with increased government spending. Some members and aides are afraid that the rapidly expanding deficit could result in low GOP turnout during the critical 2006 midterm elections.
“We need to change the way we spend,” Rep. Kevin Brady (R-Texas) said. “We need to find ways to start paying for Katrina.”
Calling the immigration issue an “Achilles’ heel,” Brady said the House must also pass some form of border security this year because voters have grown frustrated with congressional inactivity on the issue.
“The frustration level is so high that we need to move now,” Brady said.
To make matters worse, the conference is at a crossroads regarding DeLay’s fate, with a full slate of potential leadership races expected early next year if DeLay cannot clear his name beforehand.
Although DeLay relinquished the title of majority leader after he was indicted by a Texas grand jury nearly two weeks ago, he continues to wield power and influence within the conference, as evidenced by his push to help pass the gas bill Friday. DeLay spent much of the vote hovering over Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-Md.), who eventually voted for the bill. He also joined Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) and Rules Chairman David Dreier (R-Calif.) in coaxing Rep. Wayne Gilchrest (R-Md.) to change his no vote to yes 45 minutes into what was supposed to be a five-minute vote.
DeLay is no longer expected to attend weekly leadership meetings or his regular Tuesday-night sit down with committee chairmen to discuss the upcoming agenda, unless invited by Hastert or Dreier, who has taken over some of the majority leader’s duties.
Despite signs of unrest, some of the conference’s most conservative members were buoyed by DeLay’s speech last week and remain vocally committed to the former majority leader.
“I was very moved,” said Rep. Tom Feeney (R-Fla.). “Our conference has totally rallied around Tom.”
Asked about his impression of DeLay’s speech, freshman Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.) said, “He absolutely knows the temperature of the conference, and that is a rare gift.”
Even Rep. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), an outspoken conservative who has openly challenged leadership in recent weeks to reduce federal spending, seemed pleased by DeLay’s comments at last week’s conference meeting.
“Finally, we’re all singing from the same hymnal,” he said.
While DeLay’s official status in the leadership will remain an open question — at least until his arraignment Oct. 21 — he is expected to retain at least one trapping of his former stature.
Last Friday, Ted Van Der Meid, the Speaker’s chief counsel, who advises Hastert on institutional matters, confirmed DeLay’s use of the majority leader’s ceremonial office, which is adjacent to the House chamber.
“It’s whatever the Speaker assigns him to use,” Van Der Meid said. “He had it before.”
Asked Friday about his occupancy of the office, DeLay confirmed that he was working from the Capitol’s majority-leader quarters.
“We’re still working things out,” he said.
Jonathan Allen contributed to this report.
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