Politics
GOP rallies to DeLay's defense amid new reports


Republicans rushed to defend Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) on Wednesday amid reports that another overseas trip was funded by lobbyists and that his wife and daughter had received more than $500,000 since 2001 from his political action and campaign committees.

GOP colleagues said DeLay still has support to remain as leader. They criticized the latest round of media coverage as partisan and DeLay denounced The New York Times story about the payments to family members.

Disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff, who touted his ties to DeLay and funded three trips for the leader, is under investigation by the Senate Indian Affairs Committee and a federal grand jury. The committee doesn't plan on looking into the activities of lawmakers, Sen. John McCain (R-Arizona) has said. DeLay was rebuked three times recently by the House ethics committee.

Get the Story:
As DeLay Faces Ethics Questions, GOP Circles Its Wagons (The Washington Post 4/7)
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DeLay on the defensive (The Hill 4/7)
GOP colleagues defend DeLay (AP 4/7)
DeLay Denounces Report on Payments to His Family (The New York Times 4/7)
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