More trouble for Bush ally

2005-10-04 10:37

Washington - Congressman Tom DeLay, a powerful ally of President George W Bush, has been indicted on a new charge of money laundering less than a week after he was indicted on conspiracy charges, his office said in a statement.

Both indictments accuse DeLay of conspiring to violate Texas campaign finance laws.

DeLay was forced to step aside last week as leader of the Republican majority in the House of Representatives after the first indictment was issued.

Separate grand juries in DeLay's home state of Texas issued the indictments.

DeLay's office issued a statement rejecting the charges and accusing the Travis County district attorney, Ronnie Earle, of engaging in a "partisan hunt".

After DeLay's lawyers had filed papers questioning the legality of the first indictment, "Ronnie Earle panicked and decided to persuade yet another grand jury to bring this ridiculous new charge against Mr DeLay today," the statement said.

"This is an absolute abomination of justice."

The first indictment alleged that DeLay and two political associates converted $190 000in corporate money into individual campaign contributions to avoid campaign finance restrictions.

DeLay, one of the most powerful lawmakers in Washington known for pushing the president's legislative agenda by enforcing party discipline among the Republican majority, has faced a series of ethics allegations.

- AFP