Democrats: GOP abusing power for DeLay

[ailsagirl]

Top Republican says majority leader won't step down

Monday, April 18, 2005 Posted: 3:28 AM EDT (0728 GMT)

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Top Democrats assailed House Majority Leader Tom DeLay on Sunday over ethical questions that have put him at the center of a political firestorm, while Republicans came to his defense.

In appearances on political TV talk shows, congressional Democrats accused DeLay and fellow Republicans of an "abuse of power" in handling questions over DeLay's fund raising and overseas trips.

But Republicans struck back, accusing Democrats of political opportunism.

"Tom DeLay will stay as leader," Rep. Roy Blunt, the third-ranking Republican in the House, said on NBC's "Meet the Press."

Democratic leaders took aim at changes made to the House Ethics Committee, saying the revisions were aimed at preventing an investigation from determining whether DeLay has violated House rules.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/04/17/delay/index.html