DeLay, who faces a maximum punishment of two years in prison and a $10,000 fine if convicted, called Earle an "unabashed partisan zealot." His lawyer said he hoped the case would go to trial quickly, perhaps by year's end.
In Austin, Earle denied he was politically motivated. "Our job is to prosecute abuses of power," he said.
For The Record
Los Angeles Times Thursday October 06, 2005 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 2 inches; 74 words Type of Material: Correction
DeLay indictment -- An article in Thursday's Section A about the indictment of Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Texas) described as "illegal" the campaign contributions that Sears, Roebuck & Co. and other companies made to a political action committee formed by DeLay. The article should also have said that charges against Sears were dropped as part of an agreement with a Texas prosecutor, who found "no intent on the part of [Sears] to violate Texas law."
While the criminal case develops in Texas, the implications for the GOP power base in Washington are significant.
Recent polls have shown approval ratings for the GOP-controlled Congress stuck in the low- to mid-30% range. Those figures are not much higher than the marks Democrats received just before the 1994 elections.
"If I were a Republican, I would be getting nervous," said Gary C. Jacobson, a UC San Diego political scientist who specializes in congressional affairs.
Potentially most threatening for Republicans is the convergence of the DeLay indictment with other ethical controversies swirling around the party.
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) is facing federal investigations over allegations of insider trading, which he has denied. Federal investigators continue to probe Jack Abramoff, a prominent lobbyist close to DeLay and other GOP leaders. Another federal prosecutor is exploring whether anyone in the Bush administration broke federal laws by leaking to the media the name of CIA operative Valerie Plame.
The House ethics committee is expected to open an investigation into DeLay's ties to Abramoff. The lobbyist, who has been indicted in Florida on an unrelated matter, is under investigation for his dealings with Indian tribes and for his lavish entertainment of DeLay and other members of Congress, including stays at overseas golf resorts.
Guy Molyneux, a Democratic pollster, said the DeLay indictment and the ethical questions surrounding other Republicans would allow "a debate not about big government versus small government, but honest government versus corrupt government -- and that is vastly better for Democrats."
Many GOP strategists do not think opportunities for gains are as great as Democrats believe, partly because polls show voters are more satisfied with their individual member of Congress than with the institution overall.
"The macro numbers [for Congress] look worse than the sentiment on the street for the individual members," said William Miller, vice president and political director for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
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