Ethics Panel Scolds DeLay’s Accuser

The House Ethics Committee turned the tables on Majority Leader Tom DeLay’s accuser Thursday night, rebuking Rep. Chris Bell (D-Texas) for allegedly exaggerating misconduct allegations against the GOP leader.

Although the complaint by Bell led to an ethics report that admonished DeLay (R-Texas), Bell nonetheless violated a rule barring “innuendo, speculative assertions or conclusory statements,” a committee letter said.

The committee’s Republican chairman and senior Democrat used the four-page letter to Bell to warn lawmakers that making exaggerated allegations of wrongdoing could result in disciplinary action against the accuser.

Bell was not disciplined. He lost in a primary this year that was affected by a DeLay-engineered redistricting plan, and will leave Congress when the session adjourns.

In the future, exaggerations and misstatements also could lead to dismissal of a complaint, said the letter from Chairman Joel Hefley (R-Colo.) and senior Democrat Alan B. Mollohan of West Virginia.

Bell’s complaint was not dismissed, the letter said, because it contained allegations against DeLay that warranted consideration and because the committee had not previously rejected any complaint for violations of the rule against innuendo and speculation.

The committee concluded in October that DeLay appeared to link political donations to a legislative favor and improperly persuaded U.S. aviation authorities to intervene in a Texas political dispute.

Hefley and Mollohan wrote to Bell, “Indeed, it appears there is no purpose for including excessive or inflammatory language or exaggerated charges in a complaint except in an attempt to attract publicity and hence, a political advantage.”

The letter said Bell promoted his complaint “by including such excessive or inflammatory language or exaggerated charges in press releases and other public statements.”

The letter said the most serious exaggeration was Bell’s contention that DeLay violated a bribery law “by soliciting campaign contributions” from a Kansas corporation, Westar Energy, in return for legislative assistance on an energy bill.