By Eliza Newlin Carney, NationalJournal.com
© National Journal Group Inc.
Last updated: April 4, 2006

Texas Republican Tom DeLay has been a magnet for both power and controversy since his election to the House in 1984. The majority leader from 2002 to 2005, DeLay had repeated run-ins with the House Standards of Official Conduct (Ethics) Committee, and his activities attracted the attention of state and federal prosecutors. He received one warning, one private rebuke and three admonishments from the Ethics panel. In 2005, two Texas grand juries indicted DeLay on charges of conspiracy and money laundering. A Texas judge in December threw out the conspiracy charge, but let the money laundering charges stand.

In January, his former associate, lobbyist Jack Abramoff, pleaded guilty to three criminal felony counts. On Jan. 7, as some Republicans circulated a petition to replace him, DeLay announced that he would no longer seek to regain his majority leader post. On March 31, another top aide, Tony C. Rudy, pleaded guilty to charges of conspiring to corrupt public officials and defraud clients. On April 3, DeLay - who has maintained from the start that he did nothing wrong -- told colleagues he would not seek re-election, ending a career of just over two decades on Capitol Hill.

DELAY TIMELINE: 1997-Present

November 1997	The Ethics Committee warns DeLay in a letter involving an undisclosed matter that House members must guard against the appearance of giving political donors special treatment. The committee's letter advises DeLay that it is "particularly important" that no member make statements that create the impression that a member would "consider an individual's requests for access or for official action based on ... campaign contributions."
May 1999	The Ethics Committee privately rebukes DeLay for imposing improper pressure on the Electronics Industry Association not to hire former Rep. Dave McCurdy, D-Okla., as its president. DeLay reportedly wants a Republican, former Rep. Bill Paxon, R-N.Y., to get the job.
Sept. 21, 2004	A grand jury in Austin, Texas, indicts three DeLay associates for allegedly raising political funds from corporations in 2002. Texas law bans corporate contributions to state legislative candidates. Seven corporations still face indictment. The continuing grand jury investigation, led by Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle, involves DeLay's use of a political action committee, known as Texans for a Republican Majority (or TRMPAC), to help the GOP win control of the Texas House in 2002 and therefore initiate congressional redistricting.
Sept. 30, 2004	The Ethics Committee admonishes DeLay for his tactics in trying to secure the vote of retiring Rep. Nick Smith, R-Mich., during House passage of the Medicare bill in November 2003. The committee says it is "improper" for DeLay to offer to endorse the congressional candidacy of Smith's son, Brad Smith, in exchange for Nick Smith's vote on the bill. But the committee also rejects Smith's earlier contention that, in exchange for his vote, he was offered $100,000, or "an endorsement or financial support" for his son from the GOP. The panel rebukes Smith for "making public statements that risked impugning the reputation of the House."
Oct. 6, 2004	The Ethics Committee admonishes DeLay for his conduct on two separate matters that it says raises "serious concerns" under House rules. The committee says that DeLay's participation in a 2002 golf fundraiser attended by officials of the Westar Energy company is "objectionable," particularly because a conference committee, of which DeLay was a member, was about to consider legislation of interest to the firm. The panel cites "an appearance that donors were being provided special access to you regarding the then-pending energy legislation." Separately, the committee criticizes DeLay for asking the Federal Aviation Administration to help track down Texas Democratic legislators who fled the state during the 2003 redistricting debate. The committee warns DeLay: "It is clearly necessary for you to temper your future actions to assure that you are in full compliance at all times with the applicable House rules and standards of conduct." However, the panel also faults outgoing Rep. Chris Bell, D-Texas, who filed the complaint, for making exaggerated claims.
Nov. 17, 2004	The House Republican Conference, by voice vote, agrees to repeal its rule requiring a party leader to step aside if he or she is indicted for a felony that carries a potential sentence of a least two years imprisonment. House Republicans now will refer the case of any indicted leader, or committee or subcommittee chairman, to the leadership-controlled Steering Committee.
Jan. 3, 2005	Amid mounting public criticism, DeLay asks unanimous consent to reverse the conference rule approved the previous November that would have allowed a member of the House Republican leadership to retain his leadership post even if indicted.
March 15, 2005	DeLay holds a press conference to defend recent trips paid for by interest groups. He disputes charges that trips financed by lobbyist Jack Abramoff are linked to his legislative actions. He offers to meet with the House Standards of Official Conduct (Ethics) Committee to answer questions about travel. However, the committee had been rendered inoperative by partisan disputes over rules and staffing.
April 27, 2005	House GOP leaders reverse themselves on controversial ethics rules changes agreed on earlier in the year. The changes would automatically dismiss a compliant if a majority of the ethics panel's members do not vote to move forward with an investigation within 45 days. Under mounting pressure, Republican leaders roll back the rules change.
Sept. 28, 2005	A Texas grand jury indicts DeLay and two associates, James Ellis and John Colyandro, on charges of conspiring to violate Texas campaign finance law by funneling corporate contributions to state legislative candidates. DeLay, decrying the charges as reckless and partisan, temporarily steps down as Majority Leader. His post is filled on an interim basis by Rep. Roy Blunt, R-Mo.
Oct. 3, 2005	A grand jury in Austin, Texas, hands down two new indictments that charge DeLay with money laundering and conspiracy to launder money. The indictments also name as co-conspirators Colyandro and Ellis. The new indictments follow a move by DeLay's lawyer, Dick DeGuerin, to throw out the Sept. 28 indictment on the grounds that the conspiracy laws did not apply to the Texas election code until after 2003, when the alleged violations took place.
Nov. 3, 2005	The Texas Supreme Court names senior district judge Pat Priest to hear the case against DeLay. The court action follows a series of motions by DeLay lawyers and by Earle to reject other judges with alleged partisan conflicts.
Dec. 5, 2005	Priest throws out one of three charges leveled by Earle, the September indictment, and agrees with DeGuerin that conspiracy to violate the campaign finance laws was not a crime prior to 2003. However, Priest lets stand the two, more serious charges facing DeLay: money laundering and conspiracy to launder money. Negotiations point to a trial tentatively set for early January.
Dec. 12, 2005	The Supreme Court announces that it will review a challenge to the Texas legislature's 2002 redistricting map. The map was drawn after Republicans took control of the state legislature, thanks to the very campaign contributions at issue in the money laundering case. The high court's move follows news reports that Justice Department lawyers had originally concluded that the redistricting map violated civil rights laws, but were overruled by senior Justice officials. Oral arguments are set for March 1.
Dec. 17, 2005	In a move that hurts DeLay's chances for a speedy trial, Priest announces that he will not schedule further hearings until lower courts have acted on an appeal filed by prosecutor Earle. Earle had appealed Priest's Dec. 5 dismissal of the conspiracy charge pending against DeLay.
Dec. 19, 2005	DeLay and his lawyers launch a last-ditch bid to force the case to trial quickly. These include a motion asking an appeals court to direct the district court to move forward on the money laundering charges, as well as a request that all charges against him be dismissed because of "extraordinary circumstances."
Jan. 3, 2006	In a separate federal probe, lobbyist and DeLay associate Jack Abramoff pleads guilty to fraud, conspiracy and tax evasion in a federal court. His plea signals a widening of the investigation, which implicates top aides to DeLay.
Jan. 5, 2006	Earle issues new subpoenas, this time for records of donations to the U.S. Family Network, a nonprofit linked to DeLay. Earle's move follows reports that Abramoff contributed to the nonprofit.
Jan. 6, 2006	A coalition of House Republicans circulates a petition for a House leadership election that would end DeLay's chances of reclaiming his majority leader post. As many as two dozen Republicans sign the petition, indicating collapsing GOP support for DeLay.
Jan. 7, 2006	DeLay announces to colleagues that he will not seek to regain the majority leader's office. In a letter to House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., DeLay states: "The job of majority leader and the mandate of the Republican majority are too important to be hamstrung, even for a few months, by personal distractions."
March 31, 2006	Tony C. Rudy, DeLay's ex-deputy chief of staff, pleads guilty to conspiring with Abramoff to corrupt public officials and defraud clients. Rudy's statement describes criminal activities performed out of DeLay's leadership office.
April 3, 2006	Amid polls that show him trailing opponents by a wide margin, DeLay tells colleagues that he will not seek re-election. The move is personal and political, and unrelated to criminal probes, his attorney says. The contest "had become a referendum on me," DeLay tells Time magazine.

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