WASHINGTON — A coalition of conservative and moderate Republican lawmakers launched a revolt Friday against Rep. Tom DeLay, petitioning for a House GOP leadership election that would block the Texan's hope of reclaiming the post of majority leader.
The move indicated how quickly DeLay's broad and deep support among Republicans had collapsed following this week's guilty pleas by former lobbyist Jack Abramoff, once a close DeLay associate, in a federal probe into possible congressional corruption. DeLay is believed to be one of several lawmakers whose ties to Abramoff are being scrutinized by a federal task force.
Several Republicans expressed dismay that DeLay did not give up his quest for his former post before the petition for the leadership election began circulating among his GOP colleagues. Collecting 50 signatures on the petition is the first step to scheduling such an election.
DeLay stepped down as House majority leader after a Texas grand jury indicted him on charges of violating state campaign finance laws. Rep. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) was named his temporary successor -- a move designed to give DeLay time to clear himself of the charges and win back his job shortly after Congress reconvenes Jan. 31.
DeLay, a chief architect of the Republican House majority and widely viewed for years as one of Congress' most influential members, has given no sign of abandoning his plan.
But pressure on him to do so has mounted within the GOP since Abramoff -- who had forged strong financial and political links with him -- entered guilty pleas to various felonies in federal courts in Washington and Miami.
"I think it is a smart move for Tom DeLay to see the writing on the wall and, for everyone's benefit, to withdraw himself so he can regroup at a later time and make a comeback," a senior Republican congressional aide said, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the political sensitivity of the situation. "It is the statesman-like thing to do."
House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.), DeLay's longtime political ally and friend, offered no public display of support to the beleaguered former majority leader Friday.
Ron Bonjean, Hastert's spokesman, would say only that the call for a new leadership election "is consistent with the speaker's announcement" this fall that only a temporary leadership structure was put in place after DeLay's indictment "and the matter would be revisited at the beginning" of 2006.
