[Mb-civic] Cracks seen in GOP front on DeLay - Boston Globe

[William Swiggard]

Cracks seen in GOP front on DeLay
Some voice doubt leader will return to House position

By Rick Klein, Globe Staff  |  September 30, 2005

WASHINGTON -- The united front Republicans built to support ousted House 
majority leader Tom DeLay showed signs of crumbling yesterday, with 
conservatives threatening a leadership challenge and some moderate 
Republicans saying they don't think DeLay, facing criminal conspiracy 
charges in Texas, will ever come back to House leadership.

Members of the conservative Republican Study Committee, upset with 
Congress's spending, said they are prepared to challenge some of House 
Speaker J. Dennis Hastert's top lieutenants if the case against DeLay 
isn't resolved by year's end. They warned that the three-way 
power-sharing arrangement Hastert set up in Delay's absence can't last 
into the next House session, which begins in January.

''The reality of the ordeal [DeLay] faces is not as rosy as everyone's 
hopes and aspirations," said Representative Zach Wamp, Republican of 
Tennessee, who said he plans to seek the number three post, House 
majority whip, if DeLay isn't back in power. ''Everyone's rooting for 
Tom DeLay to quash this indictment and prevail. But the realistic view 
is, this is going to take some time, and therefore the conference has to 
go forward."

Meanwhile, some moderates who have clashed with DeLay were already 
speaking as though his temporary resignation from leadership is 
permanent. Yesterday, as DeLay vacated the majority leader's office 
space, Representative Christopher Shays, a Connecticut Republican, said 
it was ''doubtful" that the 11-term Texas Republican would ever return 
to leadership unless the criminal case ends quickly in his favor.

''He's not going away, but he's not the leader," said Shays, who called 
for DeLay to resign in April and in January pressed to reinstate the 
party rule that required members of leadership to step down if they're 
indicted. ''I don't think we're in limbo now. With all due respect, he's 
moving out of his office."

DeLay's indictment on a felony conspiracy charge related to an alleged 
campaign-finance money laundering scheme exposed long-simmering tensions 
within the House GOP caucus. By generating equal measures of respect, 
loyalty, and fear, DeLay has been the linchpin for the 
Republican-controlled House, but he presided over a 231-member caucus 
whose differences have never been sharper since taking control of the 
House a decade ago.

Most Republicans say they stand by DeLay and are confident he will be 
acquitted. But that support is tempered by other factors: the 
frustration of conservatives and moderates; the possibility that DeLay's 
problems will multiply as investigators examine his ties to indicted 
lobbyist Jack Abramoff; and the knowledge that, even if DeLay is 
acquitted, the case may stretch into 2006, when all House members are up 
for reelection.

A state judge could move quickly to quash the indictment if it's deemed 
to be without merit, which would probably allow DeLay to resume his old 
job. DeLay told CNN yesterday that he is confident the case ''will 
probably be done by December." His first court appearance is scheduled 
for Oct. 21.

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2005/09/30/cracks_seen_in_gop_front_on_delay/
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