Indictment of Republican Tom DeLay a serious blow for Bush agenda - Yahoo! News

Indictment of Republican Tom DeLay a serious blow for Bush agenda - Yahoo! News: "WASHINGTON (CP) - In a serious blow for
President George W. Bush, powerful Republican
Tom DeLay was forced to step down Wednesday as House majority leader to face a conspiracy charge in a Texas campaign finance scheme.

Bush, who relied on DeLay's tough style to push policy, is already having a tough time dealing with a party beleaguered by the weak response to hurricane Katrina and divided over how to pay for a massive rebuilding project.

Now DeLay's indictment after years of pushing ethical boundaries provides an opportunity for Democrats to pound Republicans on corruption issues in the run-up to next year's congressional elections.

DeLay, know as 'the Hammer' on Capitol Hill, came out swinging and proclaimed his innocence after word broke that a Texas grand jury charged him and two associates with violating a law banning corporate contributions to state candidates.

The charge came after a long investigation by Democratic district attorney Ronald Earle that DeLay has always portrayed as a political witch hunt.

'I have done nothing wrong,' said DeLay, calling Earle a 'rogue prosecutor' and a 'partisan fanatic.'

'I am innocent,' he said. 'This is one of the weakest, most baseless indictments in American history. It's a sham.'"