 |
||
 |
|
 |
 |
||
|
||||||||||||
Back
to Gay Headline News
(Washington) Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay - a key GOP player in bids to amend the Constitution to forbid same-sex marriage - will not seek re-election. He is also is likely to resign his seat and leave Congress by the end of May or mid-June.
In an interview Monday with The Galveston County Daily News DeLay said his decision was best for the district.
DeLay was indicted last year by a grand jury on charges of conspiracy and money laundering. A judge dismissed some counts. But the Houston-area Republican still faces a charge of money laundering - a first-degree felony. DeLay has denied any wrongdoing, but the charges cost him his majority leader post.
The charges stem from accusations that DeLay funneled illegal corporate donations to Republican candidates for the Texas House during 2002 campaigns.
The Republicans went on to win control of the Legislature. They pushed through a DeLay-engineered redistricting plan that helped Texas send more Republicans to Congress in 2004.
Also indicted were John Colyandro, former executive director of a Texas political action committee formed by DeLay, and Jim Ellis, who headed DeLay's national political committee.
DeLay was the main push in 2004 to amend the US Constitution to ban same-sex marriage. The measure failed in the House but DeLay said the issue was far from dead. "We will come back and come back until this is passed," he said.
Last year, with DeLay's support, the amendment was reintroduced in the House and in April 2005 he called on the House Judiciary Committee to examine recent rulings by what he calls "activist judges".
He specifically called for the committee to probe rulings that were favorable to same-sex marriage and decisions in the Terri Schiavo case.
Both Colyandro and Ellis have been tied to an organization formed to promote the amendment to the Texas Constitution to ban same-sex marriage that was later approved by voters.
The Texas Marriage Alliance was the creation of a Virginia consulting firm operated by the pair. The organization had the endorsement of Texas Gov. Rick Perry.
Sources on the Hill say DeLay was pushed into deciding not to run again. Democrats have been using the DeLay scandal to accuse the GOP of being without ethics.
With DeLay facing possible jail time his campaign would have been a lightening rod for Democrats.
If he resigns his seat this spring, as expect, it would trigger a special election for his replacement.
©365Gay.com 2006
Next Story: Gay Students Under Attack Nationwide
Site
Map
[Future Ex-Boyfriend] [Kiss
of the Week] [Boyfriend Art] [Antique
Boyfriend] [No Porn Promise] [Gay
Boyfriends Dating Connection] [gay
gifts and books shopping] [Gay News and Info]
[streaming
gay video] [gay
sex toy superstore] [get a million bucks for
your gay boyfriend]
 Meet Gay Video Stars LIVE! |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
Add a Virtual
Gay Stripper to your desktop - Play with him today, he's FREE