A series of quotes about Tom DeLay on ethics:
_White House spokesman Scott McClellan, Wednesday: "Congressman DeLay is a good ally, a leader who we have worked closely with to get things done for the American people. ... The president's view is that we need to let the legal process work."
_President Bush, Wednesday, addressing the question, "Do you think Mr. DeLay has become a liability to your party or your agenda?" Bush: No, I appreciate that. Look, as I've read his comments today, he wants the Ethics Committee to review his case and he's willing to step up and talk to the Ethics Committee about it. And, secondly, I'm looking forward to working with Tom. He's been a very effective leader. We've gotten a lot done in the Legislature, and I'm convinced we'll get more done in the Legislature."
_Howard Dean, chairman, Democratic National Committee, June 2: "The Republican definition of a `fine job' is to be reprimanded three successive times in a row for ethics violations and have a fourth one. The Republican definition of a `fine job' appears to be that if your leader is under investigation and three of his cronies have just been indicted and found that they took $600,000 of corporate money and illegally put it into Texas campaigns, that's how the Republicans do business."
_Tom DeLay, March 16: "With all the partisan politics of personal destruction that the Democrats have announced and have carried through on, I have yet to be found breaking any House rules. It is very unfortunate that the Democrats have no agenda. All they can do is try to tear down the House and burn it down in order to gain power."
_DeLay, Nov. 19, 2004, regarding the House Ethics Committee: "Admonishment is not a sanction of the House rules, although you treat it like it is. It is not a sanction, and it is a mild warning ... about impression."
_DeLay, Nov. 6, 2004: "The election proved that my constituents, No. 1, understand what this is all about, which is a strategy of personal destruction. And they rejected it. All of this stuff is frivolous, and it has been proven to be frivolous."
_DeLay, Oct. 7, 2004: "What's really significant in this decision by the Ethics Committee is that Tom DeLay was exonerated on every count—every count. And there are three levels of action that the committee can take under the law, and they took no action under any one of those penalty levels. They wrote a letter that expressed some concerns." (Regarding the allegations that he "solicited campaign contributions" from Westar Energy.)
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Sources: the Houston Chronicle, Federal News Service
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(c) 2005, Knight Ridder/Tribune Information Services.
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