Thomas Dale "Tom" DeLay
24th United States House of Representatives Majority Leader
In office January 3, 2003 – September 28, 2005
Preceded by	Dick Armey
Succeeded by	Roy Blunt (acting)
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas's 22nd District
In office January 3, 1985 – June 9, 2006
Preceded by	Ron Paul
Succeeded by	Shelley Sekula-Gibbs
Born	April 08, 1947 (1947-04-08) (age 60) Laredo, Texas
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Christine Furrh DeLay
Religion	Baptist

Thomas Dale DeLay (born April 8, 1947) is a former member of the United States House of Representatives from Sugar Land, Texas. He was House Majority Leader 2003–2006 and is a prominent conservative member of the Republican Party. Image File history File links TomDeLay. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures State Courts Counties, Cities, and Towns Other countries Politics Portal      Party leaders of the United States House of Representatives are elected by their respective parties in... is the 3rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 271st day of the year (272nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Richard Keith Dick Armey (born July 7, 1940 in Cando, North Dakota) is a former U.S. Representative from Texas 26th Congressional District (1985–2003) and House Majority Leader (1995–2003). ... Roy D. Blunt (born January 10, 1950) is a Republican politician from Missouri, currently representing that states 7th Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives. ... The House of Representatives is the larger of two houses that make up the U.S. Congress, the other being the United States Senate. ... Official language(s) No official language See languages of Texas Capital Austin Largest city Houston Largest metro area Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington Area  Ranked 2nd  - Total 261,797 sq mi (678,051 km²)  - Width 773 miles (1,244 km)  - Length 790 miles (1,270 km)  - % water 2. ... The current boundaries of the 22nd district. ... is the 3rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... June 9 is the 160th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (161st in leap years), with 205 days remaining. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Ronald Ernest Paul (born August 20, 1935) is a 10th-term United States congressman from Lake Jackson, Texas, a member of the Republican Party, a pro-life physician, and a candidate for the Republican nomination in the 2008 presidential election. ... Shelley Sekula-Gibbs (b. ... April 8 is the 98th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (99th in leap years). ... Year 1947 (MCMXLVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Nickname: Settled 1755 Government  - Type Mayor / City Manager  - Mayor Raul G. Salinas  - City Manager Carlos R. Villarreal Area  - City 218. ... The Republican Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States of America, along with the Democratic Party. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations · Other religions Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      Baptist is... April 8 is the 98th day of the year (99th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1947 (MCMXLVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Type Bicameral Speaker of the House of Representatives House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi, (D) since January 4, 2007 Steny Hoyer, (D) since January 4, 2007 House Minority Leader John Boehner, (R) since January 4, 2007 Members 435 plus 4 Delegates and 1 Resident Commissioner Political groups Democratic Party Republican Party... City nickname: The Land of Sugar City slogan: Sugar Land. ... Official language(s) No official language See languages of Texas Capital Austin Largest city Houston Largest metro area Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington Area  Ranked 2nd  - Total 261,797 sq mi (678,051 km²)  - Width 773 miles (1,244 km)  - Length 790 miles (1,270 km)  - % water 2. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures State Courts Counties, Cities, and Towns Other countries Politics Portal      Party leaders of the United States House of Representatives are elected by their respective parties in... American conservatism is a constellation of political ideologies within the United States under the blanket heading of conservative. ... The Republican Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States of America, along with the Democratic Party. ...

DeLay was first elected to the House in 1984. He became known as "The Hammer" for his enforcement of party discipline in close votes and his reputation for taking political retribution on opponents. He was appointed Deputy Minority Whip in 1988 and was elected House Majority Whip in 1995 after helping Newt Gingrich to lead the Republican Revolution. In the 1990s, he helped to start the K Street Project, an effort to pressure lobbying firms to hire Republicans to top positions. He was a driving force behind the impeachment of President Bill Clinton in 1998. DeLay was elected House Majority Leader after the 2002 midterm elections, and compelled House Republicans to unite to an unprecedented degree, especially in support of President George W. Bush's agenda. In the early 2000s, DeLay helped to coordinate efforts to redistrict congressional districts in Texas to favor the election of more Republicans. In 2005, a Texas grand jury indicted DeLay on criminal charges that he had conspired to violate campaign finance laws during that period. DeLay denied the charges, saying that they were politically motivated, but Republican Conference rules forced him to resign temporarily from his position as Majority Leader. In January 2006, under pressure from fellow Republicans, DeLay announced that he would not seek to return to the position. In the months before and after this decision, two of his former aides were convicted in the Jack Abramoff scandal. DeLay ran for re-election in 2006, and won the Republican primary election in March 2006, but, citing the possibility of losing the general election, he announced in April 2006 that he would withdraw from the race and resign his seat in Congress. He resigned on June 9, 2006, and sought to remove his name from the ballot. The court battle that followed forced him to remain on the ballot, despite having withdrawn from the race. A whip in the United States House of Representatives is a member of the party leadership who comes second in line after the partys floor leader, which in the house is the House Majority Leader or the House Minority Leader. ... A whip in the United States House of Representatives is a member of the party leadership who comes second in line after the partys floor leader, which in the house is the House Majority Leader or the House Minority Leader. ... Newton Leroy Gingrich, (born June 17, 1943), served as the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 1995 to 1999. ... The Republican Revolution refers to the success of Republican Party in the 1994 U.S. midterm elections, which resulted in a net gain of 54 seats in the House of Representatives, and a pickup of eight seats in the Senate. ... The K Street Project is a project by the Republican Party to pressure Washington lobbying firms to hire Republicans in top positions, and to reward loyal GOP lobbyists with access to influential officials. ... This article is about the political effort. ... The impeachment trial of President Clinton in 1999, Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist presiding. ... William Jefferson Bill Clinton (born William Jefferson Blythe III[1] on August 19, 1946) was the 42nd President of the United States, serving from 1993 to 2001. ... The U.S. House election, 2002 was an election for the United States House of Representatives in 2002 in the middle of President George W. Bushs first term. ... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the forty-third and current President of the United States of America, originally inaugurated on January 20, 2001. ... The 2003 Texas redistricting refers to a highly controversial congressional redistricting plan appealed to the United States Supreme Court in League of United Latin American Citizens v. ... In the American common law legal system, a grand jury is a type of jury which determines if there is enough evidence for a trial. ... In the common law legal system, an indictment (IPA: ) is a formal accusation of having committed a criminal offense. ... Campaign finance refers to the means by which money is raised for election campaigns. ... The House Republican Conference, sometimes known as the House Republican Leadership Conference, is an organization for Republicans in the United States House of Representatives. ... This article is being considered for deletion in accordance with Wikipedias deletion policy. ... President Bush meets with Nancy Pelosi and Steny Hoyer (then House Minority Leader and Minority Whip, respectively) at the Oval Office in the White House. ... For other uses, see Primary. ... June 9 is the 160th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (161st in leap years), with 205 days remaining. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

After all the judicial wrangling[1], DeLay's name was not on the ballot on election day. There were two elections for the House seat, a special election to fill the vacancy created by DeLay's resignation and the general election for the 110th Congress.

In the general election there were three main candidates. Democrat and former US Representative Nick Lampson, Libertarian Party candidate Bob Smither, and Republican Sekula-Gibbs. Only Lampson's and Smither's names appeared on the ballot, as Shelley Sekula-Gibbs had to run as a write-in candidate because DeLay had previously won the Republican primary. Election Results

Biography and early political career

DeLay was born in Laredo, Texas. He spent part of his childhood in Venezuela, due to his father's work in the petroleum and natural gas industry. He later attended Calallen High School in Corpus Christi, Texas, and spent two years as a pre-med student at Baylor University before he was expelled for drinking and vandalism — DeLay was caught painting a building at rival Texas A&M University green and gold, Baylor's colors. DeLay married Christine Furrh, whom he had known since high school, in 1967. The DeLays had a daughter, Danielle, in 1972. Nickname: Settled 1755 Government  - Type Mayor / City Manager  - Mayor Raul G. Salinas  - City Manager Carlos R. Villarreal Area  - City 218. ... Pumpjack pumping an oil well near Lubbock, Texas Ignacy Łukasiewicz - inventor of the refining of kerosene from crude oil. ... This article is about the fossil fuel. ... Nickname: Location in the state of Texas Counties Government  - Mayor Henry Garrett Area  - City 1,192. ... Baylor University is a private, Baptist-affiliated research university located in Waco, Texas. ... Vandalism is the conspicuous defacement or destruction of a structure, a symbol or anything else that goes against the will of the owner/governing body. ... Texas A&M University redirects here. ...

DeLay received a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in biology from the University of Houston in 1970. He spent three years working for Redwood Chemical. This work was the source for his nickname "the Exterminator". In the eleven years DeLay ran the company, the IRS imposed tax liens on him three times for not paying payroll and income taxes.^[1] The United States Environmental Protection Agency's ban on a certain pesticide that was used in extermination work led DeLay to oppose government regulation of businesses, a belief that he has carried with him throughout his political career.^[2] B.S. redirects here. ... A degree is any of a wide range of status levels conferred by institutions of higher education, such as universities, normally as the result of successfully completing a program of study. ... For other system schools, see University of Houston System. ... Seal of the Internal Revenue Service Tax rates around the world Tax revenue as % of GDP Part of the Taxation series        “IRS” redirects here. ... A tax lien is a lien imposed on property by law to secure payment of taxes. ... EPA redirects here. ... A cropduster spreading pesticide. ...

In 1978, DeLay won the election for an open seat in the Texas House of Representatives. He was the first Republican to represent Fort Bend County in the state House. During his time in the Texas Legislature, he struggled with alcoholism and gained a reputation as a playboy, earning the nickname "Hot Tub Tom". (He's refered to a "Drunky McPukeShoes on the Stephanie Miller radio show) By the time of his election to Congress, he drank "eight, ten, twelve martinis a night at receptions and fundraisers."^[1] In 1985, DeLay became a born-again Christian, and later gave up hard liquor. He has stated that he "was no longer committing adultery by [the time of] the impeachment trial" in 1998.^[3] In 1994, Christine DeLay began volunteering as a court-appointed special advocate for children in foster care, and soon thereafter, the DeLays became foster parents to three teenage boys. The Texas Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Texas. ... Official website: www. ... Alcoholism is the consumption of, or preoccupation with, alcoholic beverages to the extent that this behavior interferes with the drinkers normal personal, family, social, or work life, and may lead to physical or mental harm. ... The martini is a cocktail made with gin and dry white vermouth. ... Born again is a term used originally and mainly in Christianity, where it is associated with salvation, conversion and spiritual rebirth. ... This article is about the act of adultery. ... Foster care is a system by which a certified, stand-in parent(s) cares for minor children or young people who have been removed from their biological parents or other custodial adults by state authority. ...

DeLay has declined to comment on reports in The New Yorker that he is estranged from much of his family, including his mother and one of his brothers.^[4] DeLay has not spoken to his younger brother, Randy, a Houston lobbyist, since 1996, when a complaint to the House Ethics Committee prompted Tom DeLay to cut his brother off in order to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest.^[1] For other uses, see New Yorker. ... Houston redirects here. ... The Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, often known simply as the Ethics Committee, is one of the committees of the United States House of Representatives. ... A conflict of interest is a situation in which someone in a position of trust, such as a lawyer, a politician, or an executive or director of a corporation, has competing professional or personal interests. ...

DeLay was elected to the House in 1984, representing the Texas 22nd congressional district, after his predecessor, Republican Ron Paul, declined to run for re-election to run in the Republican primary for the 1984 U.S. Senate race. The U.S. House election, 1984 was an election for the United States House of Representatives in 1984 which coincided with the re-election of President Ronald Reagan in a landslide. ... The current boundaries of Texas District 22. ... Ronald Ernest Paul (born August 20, 1935) is a 10th-term United States congressman from Lake Jackson, Texas, a member of the Republican Party, a pro-life physician, and a candidate for the Republican nomination in the 2008 presidential election. ... The United States Senate is the upper house of the U.S. Congress, smaller than the United States House of Representatives. ...

Early Congressional career

As a member of the Republican minority in the 1980s, DeLay made a name for himself by criticizing the National Endowment for the Arts and the Environmental Protection Agency. During his first term in Congress, DeLay was appointed to the Republican Committee on Committees, which assigned representatives to House committees, and in his second term, he was appointed to the powerful House Appropriations Committee, a position that he retained until his election as Majority Leader in 2003. He was reappointed to the committee in 2006 after leaving his position as Majority Leader. He also served for a time as chairman of a group of conservative House Republicans known as the Republican Study Committee, and as secretary of the Republican Conference. The National Endowment for the Arts is a United States federally funded program that offers support and funding for projects that exhibit artistic excellence. ... A Congressional committee is a legislative sub-organization in the United States Congress that handles a specific duty (rather than the general duties of Congress). ... The Committee on Appropriations, or Appropriations Committee (often referred to as simply Appropriations, as in Hes on Appropriations) is a committee of the United States House of Representatives. ... The Republican Study Committee is a caucus of conservative members of the Republican Party in the United States House of Representatives. ...

No one close to DeLay corroborated that DeLay attempted to serve. The Washington Post reported that he had received student deferments while at Baylor and had kept the deferment after his expulsion from Baylor in 1967. He received a high draft lottery number in 1969, and graduated from University of Houston in 1970. The December 1, 1969 draft lottery was held to determine the order of induction into the US Army during the Vietnam War. ...

DeLay was appointed deputy whip by then-Minority Whip Dick Cheney in 1988. When the Republican Party gained control of the House in 1995 following the 1994 election, DeLay was elected Majority Whip against the wishes of House Speaker-elect Newt Gingrich. The Minority Whip is a member of the minority party in the U.S. House of Representatives who assists the Minority Leader in coordinating the party caucus in its responses to legislation and other matters. ... In politics, a whip is a member of a political party in a legislature whose task is to ensure that members of the party attend and vote as the party leadership desires. ... Richard Bruce Dick Cheney (born January 30, 1941), is the 46th and current Vice President of the United States, serving under President George W. Bush. ... The U.S. House election, 1994 was an election for the United States House of Representatives in 1994 which occurred in the middle of President Bill Clintons first term. ... The Majority Whip is an elected member of the U.S. House of Representatives who assists the Speaker of the House and the Majority Leader to coordinate ideas on and garner support for proposed legislation. ... The Speaker of the United States House of Representatives is the presiding officer—or speaker—of the United States House of Representatives. ... Newton Leroy Gingrich, (born June 17, 1943), served as the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 1995 to 1999. ...

DeLay was not always on good terms with Gingrich or Dick Armey, the House Majority Leader from 1995 to 2003, and he reportedly considered them uncommitted to Christian values. In 1997 DeLay unsuccessfully tried to remove Gingrich from his position as Speaker. Nevertheless, in the heyday of the 104th Congress (1995–1997), DeLay described the Republican leadership as a triumvirate of Gingrich, "the visionary"; Armey, "the policy wonk"; and himself, "the ditch digger who makes it all happen".^[5] Richard Keith Dick Armey (born July 7, 1940 in Cando, North Dakota) is a former U.S. Representative from Texas 26th Congressional District (1985–2003) and House Majority Leader (1995–2003). ... The term Christian values usually refers to values the speaker feels represent those found in the teachings of Christ as described in parts of the United States. ... The term triumvirate is commonly used to describe a political regime dominated by three powerful political and/or military leaders. ... Policy wonk is a term of art of politics, meaning an expert with a detailed knowledge of current or potential government policies, administrative matters, and the effects of policy and programs. ...

In keeping with his opposition to environmental regulation, DeLay criticized proposals to phase out the use of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which lead to the depletion of the ozone layer. In 1995, DeLay introduced a bill to revoke the CFC ban and to repeal provisions of the Clean Air Act dealing with stratospheric ozone, arguing that the science underlying the ban was debatable. For other uses, see CFC (disambiguation). ... The ozone layer is a layer in Earths atmosphere which contains relatively high concentrations of ozone (O3). ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

As Majority Whip, DeLay earned the nickname "The Hammer" for his enforcement of party discipline in close votes and his reputation for wreaking political vengeance on opponents. DeLay has expressed a liking for his nickname, pointing out that the hammer is one of a carpenter's most valuable tools.^[6] In the 104th Congress, DeLay successfully whipped 300 out of 303 bills.^[7] A claw hammer For other uses, see Hammer (disambiguation). ... Carpenter at work in Tennessee, June 1942. ...

In 1998, DeLay worked to ensure that the House vote on impeaching President Bill Clinton was successful.^[1] DeLay rejected efforts to censure Clinton, who, DeLay said, had lied under oath.^[8] DeLay believed that the U.S. Constitution allowed the House to punish the president only through impeachment. He called on Clinton to resign and personally compelled enough House members to vote to approve two articles of impeachment.^[8][9] William Jefferson Bill Clinton (born William Jefferson Blythe III[1] on August 19, 1946) was the 42nd President of the United States, serving from 1993 to 2001. ... Distinguish from sensor, censer and censor. ... Page I of the Constitution of the United States of America Page II of the United States Constitution Page III of the United States Constitution Page IV of the United States Constitution The Syng inkstand, with which the Constitution was signed The Constitution of the United States is the supreme...

Contributions from Russian oil executives

In December 2005, the Washington Post reported that, in 1998, a group of Russian oil executives had given money to a nonprofit advocacy group run by a former DeLay staffer and funded by clients of lobbyist Jack Abramoff in an attempt to influence DeLay's vote on an International Monetary Fund bailout of the Russian economy.^[10] Associates of DeLay advisor Ed Buckham, the founder of the U.S. Family Network, said that executives from the oil firm Naftasib had offered a donation of $1,000,000 to be delivered to a Washington, D.C.-area airport in order to secure DeLay's support. On June 25, 1998, the U.S. Family Network received a $1 million check via money transferred through the London law firm James & Sarch Co. This payment was the largest single entry on U.S. Family Network's donor list. The original source of the donation was not recorded.^[11] DeLay denied that the payment had influenced his vote. Naftasib denied that it had made the payment and that it had ever been represented by James & Sarch Co. The now-dissolved law firm's former partners declined to comment due to confidentiality requirements. Lobbying is the practice of private advocacy with the goal of influencing a governing body, in order to ensure that an individuals or organizations point of view is represented in the government. ... Jack Abramoff (born February 28, 1958) is an American political lobbyist, a Republican political activist and businessman who is a central figure in a series of high-profile political scandals. ... IMF redirects here. ... Edwin A. Buckham is a former congressional staffer and lobbyist, who presently is under investigation in various scandals surrounding high-profile lobbyist Jack Abramoff and former Congressman Tom DeLay. ... U.S. Family Network, Inc. ... For other uses, see Washington, D.C. (disambiguation). ... is the 176th day of the year (177th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ...

Settlement in civil suit

In early 1999, the The New Republic picked up a story, first reported by Houston-area alternative weeklies, alleging that DeLay had committed perjury during a civil lawsuit brought against him by a former business partner in 1994. For other uses, see New Republic. ... Perjury is the act of lying or making verifiably false statements on a material matter under oath or affirmation in a court of law or in any of various sworn statements in writing. ...

The plaintiff in that suit, Robert Blankenship, charged that DeLay and a third partner in Albo Pest Control had breached the partnership agreement by trying to force him out of the business without buying him out. Blankenship filed suit, charging DeLay and the other partner with breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, wrongful termination, and loss of corporate expectancy. While being deposed in that suit, DeLay claimed that he did not think that he was an officer or director of Albo and that he believed that he had resigned two or three years previously.^[1] However, his congressional disclosure forms, including one filed subsequent to the deposition, stated that he was either president or chairman of the company between 1985 and 1994. Blankenship also alleged that Albo money had been spent on DeLay's congressional campaigns, in violation of federal and state law. A fiduciary is a person who occupies a position of trust in relation to someone else such that he is required to act for the latters benefit within the scope of that relationship. ... Wrongful termination is, in the law, a cause of action alleging that the employer has wrongfully fired the employee; reasons alleged can include racial or sexual or age discrimination. ... In law, a deposition is evidence given under oath and recorded for use in court at a later date. ... Chairman of the Board redirects here. ...

DeLay and Blankenship settled for an undisclosed sum. Blankenship's attorney said that had he known about the congressional disclosure forms, he would have referred the case to the Harris County district attorney's office for a perjury prosecution. DeLay has never been charged with a crime in connection with this case. In law there are two main meanings of the word settlement. ... Harris County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. ...

Majority Leader

After serving as his party's Whip for eight years, DeLay was elected Majority Leader upon the retirement of Dick Armey in 2003. His tenure as a young strong black man, really just dabbling in adult pictures, was marked by strong Republican party discipline and by parliamentary and redistricting efforts to preserve Republican control of the House.

After being indicted on September 28, 2005, DeLay stepped down from his position as Majority Leader. He was the first congressional leader ever to be indicted.^[12] Rep. Roy Blunt of Missouri took over as acting leader.^[13] On January 7, 2006, after weeks of growing pressure from Republican colleagues, and particularly from Reps. Charlie Bass and Jeff Flake,^[14] who wanted to avoid being associated with DeLay's legal issues in an election year, DeLay announced that he would not seek to regain his position as Majority Leader. is the 271st day of the year (272nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Roy D. Blunt (born January 10, 1950) is a Republican politician from Missouri, currently representing that states 7th Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives. ... is the 7th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Charles Foster Bass (born January 8, 1952) is a member of the United States House of Representatives for the second district of New Hampshire. ... Jeffry Jeff Flake (born December 31, 1962), an American politician, has been a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 2001, representing Arizonas 6th congressional district. ...

Legislative and electoral methods

DeLay was known to "primary" Republicans who resisted his votes (i.e., to threaten to endorse and to support a Republican primary challenge to the disobedient representative),^[15] and, like many of his predecessors in Congress, used promises of future committee chairmanships to bargain for support among the rank-and-file members of the party.^{[citation needed]} For other uses, see Primary. ...

Employing a method known as "catch and release," DeLay allowed centrist or moderately conservative Republicans to take turns voting against controversial bills. If a representative said that a bill was unpopular in his district, then DeLay would ask him to vote for it only if his vote were necessary for passage; if his vote were not needed, then the representative would be able to vote against the party without reprisal.^{[citation needed]} Catch and release, named after the fishing term catch and release, is a term used to describe a political strategy by which members of the United States Congress can affect an appearance of political independence. ... In politics, centrism usually refers to the political ideal of promoting moderate policies which land in the middle ground between different political extremes. ...

In the 108th Congress, a preliminary Medicare vote passed 216-215, a vote on Head Start passed 217-216, a vote on school vouchers for Washington, D.C. passed 209-208, and "Fast track," usually called "trade promotion authority", passed by one vote as well. Both political supporters and opponents remarked on DeLay's ability to sway the votes of his party, a method DeLay described as "growing the vote". President Johnson signing the Medicare amendment. ... Head Start is a program of the United States Department of Health and Human Services that focuses on assisting children from low-income families. ... A school voucher, also called an education voucher, is a certificate by which parents are given the ability to pay for the education of their children at a school of their choice, rather than the public school (UK state school) to which they were assigned. ... Fast track gives the President of the United States authority to negotiate trade agreements that cannot be amended by Congress, only voted on yes or no. ...

DeLay was also noted for involving lobbyists in the process of passing House bills. One lobbyist said, "I've had members pull me aside and ask me to talk to another member of Congress about a bill or amendment, but I've never been asked to work on a bill — at least like they are asking us to whip bills now."^[16]

DeLay's ability to raise money gave him additional influence. During the 2004 election cycle, DeLay's political action committee ARMPAC was one of the top contributors to Republican congressional candidates, contributing over $980,000 in total.^[17] Partly as a result of DeLay's management abilities, the House Republican caucus under him displayed unprecedented, sustained party cohesion.^[18]

On September 30, 2004, the House Ethics Committee unanimously admonished DeLay because he "offered to endorse Representative [Nick] Smith's son in exchange for Representative Smith's vote in favor of the Medicare bill."^[19] is the 273rd day of the year (274th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Nick H. Smith (born November 5, 1934), is a politician from the U.S. state of Michigan, who served as a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from 1993 until 2005, representing from the 7th District of Michigan. ... The Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act (Public Law No. ...

Domestic policy

In 2001, DeLay defied President George W. Bush when DeLay refused to increase the Earned Income Credit (EIC) welfare entitlement during the congressional battle over Bush's tax cuts for people making between $10,500 and $26,625 a year; when reporters asked DeLay about what he would do about increasing the EIC, DeLay simply stated, "[It] ain't going to happen." When Bush's press secretary Ari Fleischer reiterated the president's desire for a low-income tax cut, DeLay retorted, "The last time I checked they [the executive branch] don't have a vote."^[20] This is for the working poor. ... A tax cut is a reduction in the rate of tax charged by a government, for example on personal or corporate income. ... Lawrence Ari Fleischer (born October 13, 1960) was the press secretary for U.S. President George W. Bush from January, 2001 to July, 2003. ... The executive is the branch of a government charged with implementing, or executing, the law and running the day-to-day affairs of the government or state. ...

DeLay was rated a 2.77 out of 100 by the Progressive Punch website for his votes regarding corporate subsidies, government checks on corporate power, human rights and civil liberties, labor rights and environmental policy.^[21]

On economic policy, DeLay was rated 95 out of 100 by Americans for Tax Reform, and 95 to 100 by the United States Chamber of Commerce, a pro-business lobby. On environmental policy, he earned ratings of 0 from the Sierra Club and League of Conservation Voters. He has been a fervent critic of the United States Environmental Protection Agency, which he has called the "Gestapo of government".^[22] DeLay is for gun rights in the gun politics debate.^[1] The American Civil Liberties Union measured that his voting history aligned with their civil liberties platform 0% of the time.^[23] Not to be confused with Political economy. ... Americans for Tax Reform is an interest group seeking to reduce the overall level of taxation in the United States, at the federal, state and local level. ... The United States Chamber of Commerce is the worlds largest not-for-profit business federation, representing 3,000,000 businesses (via its Federation of local chambers and association members. ... The Sierra Club is an American environmental organization founded on May 28, 1892 in San Francisco, California by the well-known preservationist John Muir, who became its first president. ... The League of Conservation Voters is an American environmentalist lobby. ... EPA redirects here. ... The   (contraction of Geheime Staatspolizei: “secret state police”) was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. ... Gun politics is a set of legal issues surrounding the ownership, use, and control of firearms as well as safety issues related to firearms both through their direct use and through criminal use. ... The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is the common name for an American organization consisting of two separate entities. ...

DeLay blamed Senate Democrats and what he called "BANANA (Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anything) environmentalists" for blocking legislative solutions to problems such as the 2003 North America blackout.^[24] Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  Politics Portal      Further information: Politics of the United States#Organization of American political parties The Democratic... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... For the psychology topic, see Environmental psychology. ... The 2003 North America blackout was a massive power outage that occurred throughout parts of the northeastern United States and eastern Canada on Thursday, August 14, 2003. ...

DeLay maintained public silence on Houston's 2003 METRORail light rail initiative, though in the past, he had opposed expanding light rail to Houston. Public filings later showed that DeLay had his Americans for a Republican Majority Political Action Committee (ARMPAC) and his congressional campaign committee send money to Texans for True Mobility, an organization that advocated against the initiative. The proposal passed by a slim margin.^[25] Despite his earlier opposition, following the passage of the initiative, DeLay helped to obtain funding for the light rail program.^[26] METRORail is the light rail service in Houston, Texas, United States that started on January 1, 2004. ... This article is about light rail systems in general. ... Americans for a Republican Majority also ARMPAC is a Political Action Committee formed by former Republican House Majority Leader Tom DeLay. ... Texans for True Mobility (TTM) is a 501(c)6 non-profit organization based in Houston, Texas. ...

DeLay is pro-life.^[1] In 2005, he voted 100% in line with the views of the National Right-to-Life Committee and 0% with the National Abortion Reproductive Rights Action League.^[27] This article is about the social movement. ... NARAL Pro-Choice America (pronounced Nay-ral) is a United States group that favors the right to legal abortions and engages in political action to oppose restrictions on what it portrays as womens right to abort. ...

DeLay supported the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005. Critics of this law argued that it unduly favors creditors over consumers, and noted that the credit card industry spent millions of dollars lobbying in support of the act.^[28] The Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005, Pub. ... Look up credit card in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

In 2004, the House Ethics Committee unanimously admonished DeLay for his actions related to a 2002 energy bill. A Committee memo stated that DeLay "created the appearance that donors were being provided with special access to Representative DeLay regarding the then-pending energy legislation."^[29]

In 2005, DeLay, acting against the president's wishes, initiated the "safe harbor" provision for MTBE in the Energy Policy Act of 2005, together with Rep. Joe Barton.^[30] This provision would have retroactively protected the makers of the gasoline additive from lawsuits. The provision was dropped from the final bill. MTBE is highly flammable and is widely used as an oxygenate. ... The Energy Policy Act of 2005 (Pub. ... Joseph Linus Joe Barton (born September 15, 1949) is a Republican politician, representing Texass 6th congressional district (map) in the U.S. House of Representatives since 1985. ...

DeLay opposes the teaching of the theory of evolution. After the Columbine High School massacre, he entered into the congressional record a statement saying that shootings happened in part "because our school systems teach our children that they are nothing but glorified apes who have evolutionized [sic] out of some primordial soup of mud."^[31] The Columbine High School massacre occurred on Tuesday, April 20, 1999, at Columbine High School in unincorporated Jefferson County, Colorado near Denver and Littleton. ...

Foreign policy

DeLay has been a strong supporter of the State of Israel, saying, "The Republican leadership, especially that leadership in the House, has made pro-Israel policy a fundamental component of our foreign policy agenda and it drives the Democrat [sic] leadership crazy — because they just can’t figure out why we do it!"^[32] In a 2002 speech, DeLay promised to "use every tool at my disposal to ensure that the Republican Conference, and the House of Representatives, continues to preserve and strengthen America's alliance with the State of Israel."^[33] For a history, see Timeline of United States diplomatic history For the published diplomatic papers, see The Foreign Relations of the United States For Foreign relations under George W. Bush, see Foreign policy of the George W. Bush administration. ...

On a 2003 trip to Israel, DeLay toured the nation and addressed members of the Knesset. His opposition to land concessions is so strong that Aryeh Eldad, the deputy of Israel's conservative National Union Party, remarked, "As I shook his hand, I told Tom DeLay that until I heard him speak, I thought I was farthest to the right in the Knesset."^[34] Former Mossad chief Danny Yatom said "The Likud is nothing compared to this guy."^[35] Type Unicameral Speaker of the Knesset Dalia Itzik, Kadima since May 4, 2006 Deputy Speaker Majalli Wahabi, Kadima since May 4, 2006 Members 120 Political groups Kadima Labour-Meimad Shas Likud Last elections March 28, 2006 Meeting place Knesset, Jerusalem, Israel Web site www. ... Image:Arie Eldad. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into National Union. ... For the Haganah branch responsible for coordinating Jewish immigration into the British Mandate of Palestine, see Mossad Lealiyah Bet. ... Danny Yatom also Dani Yatom was the Director of the Mossad from 1996 to 1998. ... Likud (Hebrew: ליכוד, literally means consolidation) is a centre-right political party in Israel. ...

In 2005, in a snub to the Bush administration, DeLay was the "driving force behind the rejection of direct aid" to the Palestinian Authority. The deal was "brokered" by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. In the wake of the legislation, some Jewish leaders expressed concern "about the degree to which the Texas Republican, an evangelical Christian who opposes the creation of a Palestinian state, will go to undercut American and Israeli attempts to achieve a two-state solution."^[36] The West Bank The Palestinian National Authority (PNA or PA) is a semi-autonomous state institution nominally governing the bulk of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip (which it calls the Palestinian Territories). It was established as a part of Oslo accords between the PLO and Israel. ... The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) is an American special interest group that lobbies the United States Congress and White House in favor of maintaining a close U.S.-Israel relationship. ... The two-state solution is the name for a class of proposed resolutions of the long-running Arab-Israeli conflict now explicitly backed by the Israeli and United States governments. ...

DeLay has long been a strong critic of Cuban leader Fidel Castro's regime, which DeLay has called a "thugocracy", and a supporter of the U.S. trade embargo against Cuba. Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz (born on August 13, 1926) is the current President of Cuba but on indefinite medical hiatus. ... The United States embargo against Cuba (described in Cuba as el bloqueo, Spanish for the blockade) is an economic, commercial, and financial embargo imposed on Cuba on February 7, 1962. ...

Charity work

In 2003 Majority Leader DeLay set up a charity for abused and neglected children, with part of the funds going to the 2004 GOP convention. The New York Times described it as "aides to Mr. DeLay... acknowledged that part of the money would go to pay for late-night convention parties, a luxury suite during President Bush's speech at Madison Square Garden and yacht cruises. ... "They are using the idea of helping children as a blatant cover for financing activities in connection with a convention with huge unlimited, undisclosed, unregulated contributions," said Fred Wertheimer, president of Democracy 21, a Washington group that helped push through the recent overhaul of the campaign finance laws."

Accusations of misuse of federal investigative agencies

During the Texas redistricting warrant controversy, several Democratic members of the Texas House of Representatives fled to Oklahoma to prevent the House from establishing a quorum of members, thereby preventing the House from acting on any legislation. Although not a member of the Texas legislature, DeLay became involved, by contacting several federal agencies in order to determine the location of the missing legislators. DeLay's staff contacted the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for assistance in tracking down a plane that one of the legislators was flying to Oklahoma, an action that the FAA believed to be a result of safety concerns about the aircraft.^[37] A review by the U.S. Department of Transportation found that a total of thirteen FAA employees spent more than eight hours searching for the airplane.^[38] Members of DeLay's staff asked the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to arrest the missing Democrats. The FBI dismissed the request as "wacko".^[37] DeLay also contacted United States Marshal and United States Attorney's offices in Texas, as well as the Air and Marine Interdiction Coordination Center, an agency that deals with smuggling and terrorism.^[39] The Texas Ten are a group of Democrats who fled the state for New Mexico in 2003 in a quorum-busting effort aimed at preventing the passage of controversial redistricting legislation that would have benefited Texas Republicans. ... Texas Senate in session The Texas Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Texas. ... Official language(s) None Capital Oklahoma City Largest city Oklahoma City Largest metro area Oklahoma City metro area Area  Ranked 20th  - Total 69,898 sq mi (181,196 km²)  - Width 230 miles (370 km)  - Length 298 miles (480 km)  - % water 1. ... Look up quorum in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... “FAA” redirects here. ... The United States Department of Transportation (DOT) is a Cabinet department of the United States government concerned with transport. ... F.B.I. and FBI redirect here. ... The United States Marshals Service, part of the United States Department of Justice, is the United States oldest federal law enforcement agency. ... United States Attorneys (also known as federal prosecutors) represent the U.S. federal government in United States district court and United States court of appeals. ...

U.S. Senator Joseph Lieberman requested an investigation into the Congressman's involvement in the requests, and asked that any White House involvement be reported. The House Ethics Committee admonished DeLay for improper use of FAA resources, and for involving federal agencies in a matter that should have been resolved by Texas authorities.^[40] Joseph Isadore Lieberman (born February 24, 1942) is a Jewish-American Democratic politician and a current U.S. senator from Connecticut. ... For other uses, see White House (disambiguation). ...

The K Street Project

See also: K Street Project

DeLay's involvement with the lobbying industry included a pointed effort on the part of the Republican Party to parlay the Congressional majority into dominance of K Street, the lobbying district of Washington, D.C. DeLay, Senator Rick Santorum, and Grover Norquist launched a campaign in 1995 encouraging lobbying firms to retain Republican officials in top positions. Firms that had Democrats in positions of authority, DeLay suggested, would not be granted the ear of majority party members. The K Street Project is a project by the Republican Party to pressure Washington lobbying firms to hire Republicans in top positions, and to reward loyal GOP lobbyists with access to influential officials. ... K Street is both a real location in the United States capital of Washington, D.C., and a fictional Home Box Office (HBO) television series inspired by the physical location. ... “Santorum” redirects here. ... Grover Norquist Grover Glenn Norquist (born October 19, 1956) is an influential American conservative activist and lobbyist. ...

In 1999, DeLay was privately reprimanded by the House Ethics Committee after he pulled an important intellectual property rights bill off of the House floor when the Electronics Industries Alliance hired a former Democratic Congressman, Dave McCurdy.^[41] David Keith McCurdy (born March 30, 1950) is a lawyer, politician, and a former Congressman from Oklahoma. ...

Firms initially responded to the campaign, but it waned during 2004, when the possibility of Senator John Kerry's winning the presidency gave lobbying firms some incentive to hire Democrats.^[42] John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is the junior United States Senator from Massachusetts, in his fourth term of office. ...

Cuban cigar photo

DeLay has long been a strong critic of Cuban leader Fidel Castro's regime, which DeLay has called a "thugocracy", and a supporter of the U.S. trade embargo against Cuba. However, in April 2005, Time Magazine published a photo from a July 2003 trip to Israel, in which DeLay is seen smoking a Cuban cigar.^[43] The consumption or purchase of Cuban cigars is illegal in the United States (but was, at the time, not illegal abroad). Since September 2004, the U.S. Treasury Department's enforcement of the law has been toughened to forbid consumption (smoking) or purchase of Cuban cigars by U.S. citizens anywhere in the world.^[44] Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz (born on August 13, 1926) is the current President of Cuba but on indefinite medical hiatus. ... The United States embargo against Cuba (described in Cuba as el bloqueo, Spanish for the blockade) is an economic, commercial, and financial embargo imposed on Cuba on February 7, 1962. ... (Clockwise from upper left) Time magazine covers from May 7, 1945; July 25, 1969; December 31, 1999; September 14, 2001; and April 21, 2003. ... The cigarette is the most common method of smoking tobacco. ... For other uses, see Cigar (disambiguation). ... The United States Department of the Treasury is a Cabinet department, a treasury, of the United States government established by an Act of U.S. Congress in 1789 to manage the revenue of the United States government. ...

Terri Schiavo

See also: Government involvement in the Terri Schiavo case

DeLay made headlines for his role in the Terri Schiavo controversy. On Palm Sunday weekend in March 2005, several days after the brain-damaged Florida woman's feeding tube was disconnected for the third time, the House met in emergency session to pass a bill allowing Schiavo's parents to petition a federal judge to review the removal of the feeding tube. DeLay called the removal of the feeding tube "an act of barbarism." DeLay faced accusations of hypocrisy from critics when the Los Angeles Times revealed that he had consented to ending life support for his father, who had been in a comatose state because of a debilitating accident in 1988.^[45] This article is about government involvement in the Terri Schiavo case, including both Florida state legislative and legal activities, and the United States federal government. ... Theresa Marie Terri Schiavo (December 3, 1963 – March 31, 2005), from St. ... Palm Sunday is a moveable feast in the Christian calendar which falls on the Sunday before Easter. ... This just IN !!!:paris hiltons new dog. ... Life support, in the medical field, refers to a set of therapies for preserving a patients life when essential body systems are not functioning sufficiently to sustain life unaided. ... For other uses, see Coma (disambiguation). ...

DeLay was accused of endorsing violence in the wake of a series of high-profile violent crimes and death threats against judges when he said, "The men responsible [for Terri Schiavo's death] will have to answer to their behavior." DeLay's comments came soon after the February 28, 2005 homicide of the mother and husband of Chicago Judge Joan Lefkow, and the March 11, 2005 killing of Atlanta Judge Rowland Barnes. DeLay's opponents accused him of rationalizing violence against judges when their decisions were unpopular with the public. Ralph Neas, President of People for the American Way, said that DeLay's comments were "irresponsible and could be seen by some as justifying inexcusable conduct against our courts."^[46] DeLay publicly apologized for the remark after being accused of threatening the Supreme Court. February 28 is the 59th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Joan Humphrey Lefkow (born 1944) is a United States district court judge. ... is the 70th day of the year (71st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...   Judge Rowland Barnes Rowland W. Barnes (b. ... Ralph Neas is the current president of People for the American Way, a prominent socialist advocacy organization in the United States. ... People For the American Way (PFAW) is a liberal, self described progressive advocacy organization in the United States. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  US Government Portal      The Supreme Court of the United States (sometimes colloquially referred to by the...

Jack Abramoff Scandal

See also: Jack Abramoff Indian lobbying scandal

DeLay may be one of the targets of the Justice Department investigation into Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff's actions. Abramoff allegedly provided DeLay with trips, gifts, and political donations in exchange for favors to Abramoff's lobbying clients, which included the government of the U.S. Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Internet gambling services, and several Native American tribes.^[47] Two of DeLay's former political aides, Tony Rudy and Michael Scanlon, as well as Abramoff himself, pled guilty in 2006 to charges relating to the investigation. Political columnist Robert Novak has since reported that Abramoff "has no derogatory information about former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay and is not implicating him as part of his plea bargain with federal prosecutors."^[48] This article is being considered for deletion in accordance with Wikipedias deletion policy. ... The Jack Abramoff Guam investigation involves an alleged plot by lobbyist Jack Abramoff and others to control the functions of the courts in Guam. ... The Jack Abramoff CNMI scandal involves the efforts of Jack Abramoff, other lobbyists, and government officials to change and/or prevent Congressional action regarding the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands (CNMI) and businesses on the main island of Saipan. ... The Internet Gambling Prohibition Act (IGPA) was a 1999 bill in the US Senate to ban Internet gambling defeated, in large part, by the lobbying efforts of Jack Abramoff. ... The monetary influence of Jack Abramoff run deep in Washington, as Jack Abramoff spent millions of dollars to influence and entertain Republican politicians. ... SunCruz Casinos is one of many cruise lines that offer cruises to nowhere, taking passengers into international waters out of reach of the federal and state gambling laws. ... Jack Abramoff (born February 28, 1958) is an American political lobbyist, a Republican political activist and businessman who is a central figure in a series of high-profile political scandals. ... R. Jared Carpenter is a Republican environmental activist. ... Italia Federici is the President of the Council of Republicans for Environmental Advocacy (CREA). ... James Steven Griles (born December 13, 1947) is the Deputy Secretary for the U.S. Department of Interior. ... William Heaton is the former chief of staff for Rep. ... Adam Kidan is a former business associate of indicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff, who partnered with Abramoff in the purchase of SunCruz Casinos. ... Robert William Bob Ney (born July 5, 1954) is an American politician from the U.S. state of Ohio. ... Tony C. Rudy, with Ed Buckhams Alexander Strategy Group which shutdown January 9, 2006, served as Deputy Chief of Staff (and former counsel) to House Majority Leader Thomas D. DeLay (R-Texas) until 2001, when he took a job with Jack Abramoff. ... Michael Scanlon is a former communications director for Rep. ... Roger G. Stillwell (born October 13, 1939), an American lobbyist. ... ‹ The template below has been proposed for deletion. ... Mark Zachares is a former Congressional aide to Rep. ... David Hossein Safavian (suh-FAY-vee-an) was chief of staff of the United States General Services Administration (GSA), the procurement arm of the U.S. federal government and in 2004, an employee of the Office of Management and Budget. ... Edwin A. Buckham is a former congressional staffer and lobbyist, who presently is under investigation in various scandals surrounding high-profile lobbyist Jack Abramoff and former Congressman Tom DeLay. ... Thomas Charles Tom Feeney III, usually known as Tom Feeney (born May 21, 1958), is a Republican politician from the state of Florida. ... Team Abramoff is the team of lobbyists assembled by Jack Abramoff when he worked at Greenberg Traurig, primarily of former aides to prominent Congressional politicians. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Grover Norquist Grover Glenn Norquist (born October 19, 1956) is an influential American conservative activist and lobbyist. ... Susan Bonzon Ralston worked as an administrative assistant for Jack Abramoff and Ralph Reed before being hired in 2001 as the most senior assistant to Karl Rove in The West Wing of the White House. ... Ralph Eugene Reed, Jr. ... Kevin A. Ring is a lobbyist and Of Counsel at the Barnes & Thornburg LLP law firm in Washington, DC. [1] On June 28, 2005, Jon Kamman reported in The Arizona Republic that Ring no longer represented the Hopi Tribe following harsh questioning by Senator John McCain (R-Arizona) on Ring... A list of organizations related to Jack Abramoff. ... List of Jack Abramoffs tribal clients: Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma Chitimacha Tribe of Louisiana Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians Pueblo of Sandia Pueblo of Santa Clara Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe Tigua Indian Reservation Category: ... A listing of trips for politicians, lobbyists, and staffers funded by Jack Abramoff. ... This article belongs in one or more categories. ... This article is being considered for deletion in accordance with Wikipedias deletion policy. ... The Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building in Washington, D.C. “Justice Department” redirects here. ... Online gambling is a general term for gambling using the Internet. ... Tony C. Rudy, with Ed Buckhams Alexander Strategy Group which shutdown January 9, 2006, served as Deputy Chief of Staff (and former counsel) to House Majority Leader Thomas D. DeLay (R-Texas) until 2001, when he took a job with Jack Abramoff. ... Michael Scanlon is a former communications director for Rep. ... Robert David Sanders Novak (born February 26, 1931) is a conservative American political commentator. ...

According to ABC's 20/20 television program, Abramoff lobbied DeLay to stop legislation banning sex shops and sweatshops that forced employees to have abortions in the Northern Mariana Islands when Abramoff accompanied DeLay on a 1997 trip to the U.S. commonwealth. While on the trip, DeLay promised not to put the bill on the legislative calendar.^[49] The American Broadcasting Company (ABC) operates television and radio networks in the United States and is also shown on basic cable in Canada. ... This article is about the television show. ... Front window of a Tokyo sex shop advertising adult toys A sex shop is a shop that sells products such as sex toys, pornography, erotic lingerie, erotic books, and safer sex products such as condoms and dental dams. ... Sweatshop is a pejorative term used to describe a manufacturing facility, usually a garment manufacturing facility, where working conditions are poor and workers are paid little. ...

In 2000, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed a worker reform bill to extend the protection of U.S. labor and minimum-wage laws to the workers in the Northern Mariana Islands. DeLay, then the House Republican Whip, stopped the House from considering the bill.^[50] DeLay later blocked a fact-finding mission planned by Rep. Peter Hoekstra by threatening Hoekstra with the loss of his subcommittee chairmanship.^[49] The minimum wage is the minimum rate a worker can legally be paid (usually per hour) as opposed to wages that are determined by the forces of supply and demand in a free market. ... Pete Hoekstra (born October 30, 1953), American politician, is a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 1993, representing the 2nd District of Michigan. ...

DeLay received gifts from Abramoff, including paid golfing holidays to Scotland, concert tickets, and the use of Abramoff's private skyboxes for fundraisers. In May 2000, ARMPAC received the free use of one of Abramoff's private skyboxes to host a political fundraiser. At the time, campaign finance laws did not require the use of the skybox, valued at several thousand dollars, to be disclosed or for Abramoff to be reimbursed for its use.^[51] This article is about the country. ... There are several usages of the term Skybox: Skybox (video games) refers to computer animation sky boxes. ...

Later that month, the DeLays, Rudy, another aide, and Abramoff took a trip to London and Scotland. Abramoff paid for the airfare for the trip, and lobbyist Ed Buckham paid for expenses at a hotel at St. Andrews golf course in Scotland.^[52] Abramoff was reimbursed by The National Center for Public Policy Research, the nonprofit organization that arranged the trip. On the day that the trip began, The National Center received large donations from two of Abramoff's clients, internet lottery service eLottery, Inc., and the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. Both organizations denied that they had intended to pay for DeLay's trip.^[53] House rules forbid members to accept travel expenses from lobbyists, and require that members inquire into the sources of funds that nonprofits use to pay for trips. DeLay denied knowing that lobbyists had paid for travel expenses. In July 2000, DeLay voted against a bill that would have restricted internet gambling. Both eLottery and the Choctaws opposed the bill.^[53] Rudy, who was then DeLay's deputy chief of staff, doomed the bill by engineering a parliamentary maneuver that required a two-thirds majority vote, rather than a simple majority, in order for the bill to pass. Rudy's actions on behalf of Abramoff's clients during this time were mentioned in Abramoff's guilty plea in January 2006.^[54] This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... See St Andrews, New South Wales for St Andrews, Sydney, Australia. ...

In January 2006, The Associated Press reported that in 2001, DeLay co-signed a letter to U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft calling for the closure of a casino owned by the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas. Two weeks earlier, the Choctaws had donated $1,000 to DeLay's Texans for a Republican Majority PAC (TRMPAC). A DeLay spokesman denied that the donations had influenced DeLay's actions.^[55] Currently, and at the time of the letter, casinos or other private gambling establishments are illegal in Texas, even on Indian reservations.^[56] The United States Attorney General is the head of the United States Department of Justice concerned with legal affairs and is the chief law enforcement officer of the United States government. ... John David Ashcroft (born May 9, 1942) is an American politician who was the 79th United States Attorney General. ... The Alabama or Alibamu (Albaamaha in the Alabama language) are a Southeastern culture of Native Americans, originally from what is now southern Alabama, which is named after them. ... This article contains information that has not been verified. ...

Scanlon, who became Abramoff's lobbying partner, pleaded guilty in November 2005 to conspiracy charges.^[57] Abramoff pleaded guilty to fraud, tax evasion, and conspiracy charges on January 3, 2006, and agreed to cooperate with the government's investigation. His cooperation may have forced DeLay to abandon his efforts to return to his position as House Majority Leader,^[54] a decision that DeLay announced only a few days after Abramoff's plea bargain. Rudy pleaded guilty on March 31, 2006 to illegally acting on Abramoff's behalf in exchange for gifts.^[58] is the 3rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 90th day of the year (91st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Abramoff referred clients to Ed Buckham's Alexander Strategy Group (ASG), a lobbying firm. In addition, Abramoff clients gave more than $1.5 million to Buckham's U.S. Family Network. U.S. Family Network then paid ASG more than $1 million.^[59] Alexander Strategy Group was a lobbying firm involved in the K Street Project. ...

From 1998 to 2002, ASG paid Christine DeLay a monthly salary averaging between $3,200 and $3,400. DeLay's attorney, Richard Cullen, initially said the payments were for telephone calls she made periodically to the offices of certain members of Congress seeking the names of their favorite charities, and that she then forwarded that information to Buckham, along with some information about those charities. But in early June 2006, Cullen said the payments were also for general political consulting she provided to her husband. In all, Christine DeLay was paid about $115,000 directly by ASG, and got another $25,000 via money put into a retirement account by the firm.^[60] Her work with ASG has been the subject of an inquiry by the Department of Justice.^[47][61]

Investigation of possible misconduct in Texas fundraising and indictments

Main article: Tom DeLay campaign finance investigation

The Tom DeLay campaign finance investigation led by Texas Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle led to the indictment of Tom DeLay in 2005 on criminal charges of conspiracy to violate election laws in 2002 by a Travis County, Texas grand jury. ...

2006 campaign

Main article: Texas 22nd congressional district election, 2006

// Overview The Texas 22nd congressional district election, 2006 for the 110th Congress will be held on November 7, 2006, and has attracted considerable attention because this district was represented by former House Majority Leader Tom Delay, a prominent member of the Republican Party, who resigned after being indicted and subsequently...

Post-Congressional career

On December 10, 2006, DeLay launched a weblog that is, as of 2006, ghostwritten based on DeLay's ideas.^[62] is the 344th day of the year (345th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A weblog (now more commonly known as a blog) is a web-based publication consisting primarily of periodic articles (normally, but not always, in reverse chronological order). ... 2006 is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see Ghostwriter (disambiguation). ...

On March 14, 2007 a book co-authored with Stephen Mansfield was published by Sentinal HC entitled No Retreat, No Surrender: One American's Fight (ISBN 1595230343). He appeared on The Colbert Report on May 17, 2007 to promote the book. is the 73rd day of the year (74th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... Stephen Mansfield (born 1958) is an American author who has written and continues to write books on history and leadership. ... The Colbert Report (IPA ) is an American satirical television program that airs from 11:30 p. ... is the 137th day of the year (138th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ...

References

Notes

The Washington Post is the largest newspaper in Washington, D.C.. It is also one of the citys oldest papers, having been founded in 1877. ... The Texas Observer (also known as the Observer) is an American political magazine published bi-weekly and based in Austin, Texas. ... Jeffrey Mark Goldberg (born September, 1965) is a prominent American journalist. ... For other uses, see New Yorker. ... The New York Times is a daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed internationally. ... Look up time in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... This article concerns the British newspaper. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 113th day of the year (114th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Associated Press logo This article concerns the news service. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... April 14 is the 104th day of the year (105th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 261 days remaining. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 253rd day of the year (254th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 9th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 119th day of the year (120th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... PDF is an abbreviation with several meanings: Portable Document Format Post-doctoral fellowship Probability density function There also is an electronic design automation company named PDF Solutions. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 112th day of the year (113th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 234th day of the year (235th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Cable News Network, commonly known as CNN, is a major cable television network founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 105th day of the year (106th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is the common name for an American organization consisting of two separate entities. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 105th day of the year (106th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Washington Times[1] is a daily broadsheet newspaper published in Washington, D.C., United States. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 105th day of the year (106th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Houston Chronicle is a daily newspaper in Houston, Texas, United States. ... NARAL Pro-Choice America (pronounced NAY-ral) is a pro-choice organization in the United States that engages in political action to oppose restrictions on abortion and expand access to abortion. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 176th day of the year (177th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 114th day of the year (115th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 112th day of the year (113th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the news website, see msnbc. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 105th day of the year (106th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 234th day of the year (235th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 105th day of the year (106th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Los Angeles Times (also L.A. Times) is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California and distributed throughout the Western United States. ... The Forward is a Jewish-American newspaper published in New York. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 105th day of the year (106th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see New Yorker. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 170th day of the year (171st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 204th day of the year (205th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs has jurisdiction over matters related to the Department of Homeland Security and other homeland security concerns, as well as the functioning of the government itself, including the National Archives, budget and accounting measures other than appropriations, the Census, the... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 114th day of the year (115th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 114th day of the year (115th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Salon. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 105th day of the year (106th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 169th day of the year (170th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... “TIME” redirects here. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 106th day of the year (107th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... PDF is an abbreviation with several meanings: Portable Document Format Post-doctoral fellowship Probability density function There also is an electronic design automation company named PDF Solutions. ... The U.S. Treasury building today. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 112th day of the year (113th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 105th day of the year (106th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 105th day of the year (106th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 106th day of the year (107th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Robert David Novak (born February 26, 1931) is a U.S. conservative columnist (Inside Report, since 1963; until 1993 co-written with Rowland Evans) who is also well known as a television personality, appearing on programs like CNNs Capital Gang or Crossfire or NBCs Meet the Press. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 106th day of the year (107th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Brian Ross is the chief investigative correspondent of ABC News. ... ABC News Special Report ident, circa 2006 ABC News is a division of American television and radio network ABC, owned by The Walt Disney Company. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 106th day of the year (107th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... –Mark Shields (born May 25, 1937 in Weymouth, Massachusetts) is an American political pundit who appears frequently on CNN and PBSs Newshour with Jim Lehrer as a liberal commentator. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 106th day of the year (107th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 106th day of the year (107th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 172nd day of the year (173rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 172nd day of the year (173rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 172nd day of the year (173rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 106th day of the year (107th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 112th day of the year (113th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 172nd day of the year (173rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 172nd day of the year (173rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 346th day of the year (347th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 347th day of the year (348th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Further reading

• Burka, Paul. "Without DeLay", Texas Monthly. 
• Byrne, John. "DeLay daughter's baby shower held by Texas energy firm under investigation", The Raw Story, April 6, 2005. 
• "DeLay indicted, steps down as majority leader", CNN, September 29, 2005. Retrieved on 2006-04-15. 
• Dix, George (October 21, 2005). Tom DeLay's Challenge to Texas Grand Jury Process. JURIST.
• Eilperin, Juliet. "DeLay Thanks Lobbyists With Vegas Trip", The Washington Post, September 22, 2000. 
• Flaherty, Peter. "Texas Smear Machine Targets DeLay", The American Spectator, September 23, 2004. 
• Gamboa, Suzanne. "Ethics Panel Reviewing DeLay Complaint", The Associated Press, June 23, 2004. 
• Keane, Meghan. "Tom's Kids", The National Review, May 21, 2004. 
• Noah, Timothy. "What Did You Do in the War, Hammer?", Slate.com, May 4, 1999. 
• Perl, Peter. "DeLay's Next Mission From God", The Washington Post, April 9, 2006. 
• Report of the Audit Division on Americans for a Republican Majority (PDF). PoliticalMoneyLine.com.
• Rice, Ned. "Bugged By Tom DeLay", The National Review, March 23, 2005. 
• Schlader, Marty. "DeLay Disputes Charges Of Abuse In Saipan", The Galveston County Daily News, May 15, 2005. 
• Smith, R. Jeffrey. "DeLay PAC Is Indicted For Illegal Donations", The Washington Post, September 9, 2005. Retrieved on 2006-04-17. 

Texas Monthly is a monthly American magazine published in Austin, Texas. ... The Raw Story is a left-leaning news and politics weblog founded in 2004. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 105th day of the year (106th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... A jurist is a professional who studies, develops, applies or otherwise deals with the law. ... The Washington Post is the largest newspaper in Washington, D.C.. It is also one of the citys oldest papers, having been founded in 1877. ... The American Spectator magazine. ... Associated Press logo This article concerns the news service. ... Categories: Magazines stubs | Microsoft subsidiaries | Websites | The Washington Post ... PDF is an abbreviation with several meanings: Portable Document Format Post-doctoral fellowship Probability density function There also is an electronic design automation company named PDF Solutions. ... The Galveston County Daily News is a newspaper published in Galveston, Texas. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 107th day of the year (108th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

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Weblog

• Tom DeLay.com

Biography

• Tom DeLay at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Voting record maintained by The Washington Post

The Biographical Directory of the United States Congress is a biographical dictionary of all members of both houses of the United States Congress, past and present. ... The Washington Post is the largest newspaper in Washington, D.C.. It is also one of the citys oldest papers, having been founded in 1877. ...

U.S. Government links

• DeLay testimony to the Committee on Resources, April 12, 2000, in which he argued against restrictions on oil exploration
• Investigation of Certain Allegations Related to Voting on the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003, Report of the Committee of Standards of Official Conduct, September 30, 2004. 72-page pdf file.

is the 102nd day of the year (103rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full 2000 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 273rd day of the year (274th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Indictments

• Copy of conspiracy indictment State of Texas v. Colyandro, Ellis & DeLay (PDF)
• Copy of money laundering indictment State of Texas v. Colyandro, Ellis & DeLay (PDF)

v • d • e Majority Leaders of the United States House of Representatives
Payne • Underwood • Kitchin • Mondell • Longworth • Tilson • Rainey • Byrns • Bankhead • Rayburn • McCormack • Halleck • McCormack • Halleck • McCormack • Albert • Boggs • O'Neill • Wright • Foley • Gephardt • Armey • DeLay • Blunt (acting) • Boehner • Hoyer

v • d • e Majority Whips of the United States House of Representatives
Tawney • Watson • Dwight • Bell • Knutson • Vestal • McDuffie • Greenwood • Boland • Ramspeck • Sparkman • Arends • Priest • Arends • Albert • Boggs • O'Neill • McFall • Brademas • Foley • Coelho • Gray • Bonior • DeLay • Blunt • Clyburn