WASHINGTON -- House Republicans are trying to block U.S. Rep. Chris Bell's ethics complaint against House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, with Democrats saying the GOP is trying to silence any criticism of its chief.
Republicans denied they were trying to muzzle allegations against DeLay. But in the escalating partisan warfare touched off by investigations into DeLay's political dealings, Republicans' maneuvers may prevent Bell's complaint from being examined by the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct.
U.S. Rep. Ray LaHood, R-Ill., took steps Thursday to throw out the complaint by Bell, a Democrat whose Houston-area district borders DeLay's.
LaHood said that because Bell is a lame-duck congressman, after losing the Democratic primary this year in his freshman term, he "has no stake in the institution" and should be disqualified from filing the charges. Bell's term expires at the end of the year.
A spokesman for House GOP leaders said the series of events in defense of DeLay was not a coordinated effort.
"We're trying to make sure people follow the rules. We always do that," said John Feehery, spokesman for House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert, R-Ill.
U.S. Rep. Janice Schakowsky, D-Ill. -- after speaking about the DeLay case on the House floor -- was warned Thursday by a presiding Republican that the chamber's rules prohibit discussion of ethics complaints on the floor unless they are pending before the full House.
Bell's complaint, filed this week after a years-long unofficial truce in which lawmakers did not make formal ethics complaints against each other, rests with the ethics committee.
He planned to distribute a "Dear Colleague" letter to Democratic and Republican lawmakers outlining his charges against DeLay. But with the House under Republican control, its Administration Committee this week did not allow the letter to be sent.
Committee Chairman Bob Ney, R-Ohio, said the letter's political nature "went over the top" in violation of House rules. Democrats on the committee did not appeal.
"I think its outrageous that they would try to take away the rights of a representative," replied Bell. "I see this as part of the process to represent my constituents and represent the average people."
The anger highlights the tension in the bitterly divided House and in a political dispute involving DeLay.
In DeLay's office, spokesman Stuart Roy said he did not know of any organized attempt to mute Democratic criticism.
"Chris Bell and other Democrats love to moan and whine and play the victim card because they have nothing else to offer," Roy said.
Bell alleges DeLay engaged in extortion, bribery and abuse of power in separate incidents during the last two years.
The charges focus on fund-raising activities for DeLay's successful push, through the state Legislature, for a new Texas congressional district map designed to increase the number of GOP seats in Washington. One result was Bell's loss in the March Democratic primary to Al Green.
Democrats lost a lawsuit alleging the new congressional maps were unconstitutional. But the political fallout continues.
A Travis County grand jury is investigating DeLay's political action committee and possible illegal use of corporate campaign contributions to Texas legislative candidates.
Prosecutors said they are looking into similar allegations against U.S. Rep. Martin Frost, D-Dallas.
Frost denied the accusation, calling it a retaliatory strike to deflect attention from DeLay. The issue against Frost was brought to prosecutors' attention by state Sen. Robert Deuell, R-Greenville.
When Bell filed his complaint Tuesday, he and other Democrats predicted they would encounter the wrath of DeLay and his Republican allies.
Republican lawmakers are closely monitoring Democrats' floor speeches and other public communications for possible rules violations. And there has been speculation that Republicans are looking into the fund-raising practices of House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.
"I'm not worried about the Republicans at all. Morning, noon and night, their modus operandi is the threat," Pelosi said. "We are used to that atmosphere here."
But for a freshman like Bell, attempts to strip him of a congressional right to file a complaint took some by surprise.
Maintaining that Bell is motivated by "political revenge," LaHood plans to ask the House Appropriations Committee next week to add a rule to a legislative branch funding bill that would ban lame-duck lawmakers from filing ethics complaints.
He failed to get the rule changed at a subcommittee hearing this week, but Republicans have a greater majority on the full Appropriations Committee.
In a twist, ethics Chairman Joel Hefley, R-Colo., who has a cool relationship with DeLay, disagreed with LaHood's attempt to cripple Bell because of his lame-duck status.
"I don't think that's appropriate. Anybody who is here and is a legitimate member of Congress, whether this is their last term or not, if they think there have been some indiscretions, they have a right to bring it to our attention," Hefley said.
===== " How come people always flip and think they're Jesus? Why not Buddha? Particularly in America, where more people resemble Buddha than Jesus. 'Ah'm BUDDHA!' 'You're Bubba!' 'Ah'm Buddha now..All I gotta do is change 3 letters on ma belt...' " - Bill Hicks