Larry Margasak: DeLay's Indictment Seen As Historic
Tom DeLay, a powerful ally of US President George W. Bush, stepped down as Republican majority leader in the House of Representatives yesterday after being indicted on a campaign finance fraud charge that could put him behind bars.
Delay, who comes from Mr Bush's home state of Texas, is known as "The Hammer" for how he kept party discipline and pushed the President's conservative agenda through Congress.
A Texas grand jury indicted Delay, 58, on a state charge of conspiring to violate political fundraising laws, making him the highest-ranking member of Congress to face criminal prosecution.
"This is one of the weakest, most baseless indictments in American history. It's a sham," a defiant DeLay said.
Nonetheless, the prospect of a criminal trial for one of the Republicans' most senior politicians, reverberated throughout the Congress.
DeLay got polite support from the White House, where press secretary Scott McClellan said Mr Bush still considered DeLay "a good ally, a leader who we have worked closely with to get things done for the American people."
By any measure, DeLay's indictment was historic.
Senate historian Donald Ritchie said: "There's never been a member of Congress in a leadership position who has been indicted."
Delay, who comes from Mr Bush's home state of Texas, is known as "The Hammer" for how he kept party discipline and pushed the President's conservative agenda through Congress.
A Texas grand jury indicted Delay, 58, on a state charge of conspiring to violate political fundraising laws, making him the highest-ranking member of Congress to face criminal prosecution.
"This is one of the weakest, most baseless indictments in American history. It's a sham," a defiant DeLay said.
Nonetheless, the prospect of a criminal trial for one of the Republicans' most senior politicians, reverberated throughout the Congress.
DeLay got polite support from the White House, where press secretary Scott McClellan said Mr Bush still considered DeLay "a good ally, a leader who we have worked closely with to get things done for the American people."
By any measure, DeLay's indictment was historic.
Senate historian Donald Ritchie said: "There's never been a member of Congress in a leadership position who has been indicted."