The Funny Farm

House GOP to Discuss Ethics Rule Changes

WASHINGTON — In the aftermath of ethics rebukes of their popular but controversial majority leader, Tom DeLay of Texas*, House Republicans today are expected to consider rule changes that would make it harder to bring ethics complaints against Repugnicant lawmakers.

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The proposed rule changes are among the first orders of business of the new, more corrupt** Republican Congress, which convenes Tuesday.

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The effort to change the rules comes amid reports that House leaders also are considering replacing Rep. Joel Hefley (R-Colo.) as chairman of the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, as the ethics committee is formally known. Under Hefley's leadership, the committee rebuked DeLay twice last fall for his hardball political tactics.

DeLay was admonished for allegedly (cough) involving a federal agency in a Texas partisan matter and staging a fundraising event in a way that appeared to link access to the congressman with political donations. He also was criticized for saying he would support the campaign of a retiring congressman's son to succeed his father if the congressman voted for legislation adding a prescription drug benefit under Medicare.

The rebukes angered many of DeLay's fellow Republicans, who are not used to being called on their illegal activities credit the House's No. 2 leader for helping the GOP expand its majority in the House and position itself to pass more of The Illegal Usurper's blatantly partisan legislative agenda. The Republicans picked up three seats in November and will now hold 232 of the chamber's 435 seats.

In November, House Republicans changed a party rule to allow DeLay to hold onto his leadership post even if indicted. Two months earlier, a Texas grand jury indicted three fundraisers with ties to DeLay for allegedly funneling illegal corporate contributions to GOP candidates for state office. DeLay's allies contend that the Texas inquiry is politically motivated and designed to weaken one of Congress' most powerful members***.

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But some lawmakers are concerned that the wording of the Code of Conduct is too broad. Some Repugnicant lawmakers thought it was unfair for the ethics committee to admonish DeLay last year for playing host to energy lobbyists at a golf fundraising event as the House was considering energy legislation.

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