Court to consider faster DeLay trial

WASHINGTON -- A Texas court has agreed to hear arguments to speed up Representative Tom DeLay's trial on money laundering charges, increasing the possibility that he could reclaim his position as majority leader when the House reconvenes at the end of January if the case is resolved in his favor.

Late Tuesday, the all-Republican State Court of Criminal Appeals in Austin gave Travis County prosecutor Ronnie Earle one week to respond in writing to DeLay's motion for a quick resolution of the charges that forced him to step down from his leadership post in September, sending the House GOP hierarchy into disarray.

DeLay, an influential, 12-term congressman from suburban Houston, allegedly funneled corporate donations to candidates running for the Texas Legislature, illegal under state law. He denies any wrongdoing, and his lawyer, Dick DeGuerin, has already persuaded the court to throw out a separate charge of conspiracy.

The court's willingness to consider expediting the case appeared to buoy DeLay's hopes to return as House leader and reclaim his grip on the once- unified GOP membership, which has fractured from dissension in the ranks since he resigned.

''Congressman DeLay's constituents, the citizens of the 22d Congressional District, as well as the Republican delegation in the United States Congress, are being deprived of the effective services of their elected representative as long as the charges remain unresolved," DeLay spokesman Kevin Madden said in a statement.

Earle, a Democrat who DeLay contends is on a partisan crusade, did not comment on the court's latest order. The trial has been delayed while Earle appeals the dismissal of the conspiracy charge.

But in a court filing, DeGuerin said that a trial could begin in early January and finish before the end of the month, when Congress begins its new session. Some House Republicans want to elect a new leader if DeLay's case is not resolved by then. Yet moderate and conservative members of the party disagree on who should succeed DeLay, known as ''The Hammer" for his ability to keep his caucus in line and gather votes for his legislative priorities.

Majority whip Roy Blunt of Missouri has been acting majority leader in DeLay's place, but he has not mustered the same kind of party discipline.

''Blunt may be a very able whip, but he is not the permanent majority leader and doesn't have quite the clout DeLay has," said John J. Pitney Jr., a professor of government at Claremont McKenna College in Claremont, Calif.

He said the DeLay case has been a ''distraction" and the clamoring to replace DeLay has bogged down the GOP's agenda.

''Overall it's been a fairly bumpy road," Pitney said. ''Succession battles often take up a lot of time and attention that might otherwise go to legislative battles."

DeLay, a strong conservative, has been the bane of Democratic lawmakers who accuse him of abusing his power and silencing dissent.

His critics say that he overreached when in 2002 he and two associates, Jim Ellis and John Colyandro, allegedly collected almost $200,000 in corporate donations intended for candidates running for the Texas Legislature. Such donations are illegal and the three are accused of sending the money to the Republican National Committee in Washington, which in turn gave the exact amount to seven GOP candidates for the Texas House.

The Texas court will have to determine whether DeLay and his associates used the RNC to circumvent Texas state law.

Republicans took over the Texas House that year for the first time since Reconstruction and redrew its congressional districts. The US Justice Department objected to the redistricting, saying it discriminated against minorities. But the Bush administration overruled the decision and approved the move, which helped the national party increase its majority in the US House of Representatives in 2004, a year in which DeLay himself garnered 55 percent of the vote.

The US Supreme Court said earlier this month that it would hear a challenge to the redistricting next year.

DeLay has also been linked to Jack Abramoff, a top Washington lobbyist for Native American gaming interests who has been indicted on bribery and other charges and whose case has tainted several members of Congress who had dealings with him. DeLay, who went on foreign trips paid for by Abramoff, has not been charged with any criminal wrongdoing for his involvement with the lobbyist.

But his activities have led to repeated calls for a House Ethics Committee investigation, which so far have gone unheeded.

''I don't see any sign of him backing down," said Pitney. ''I think he very much wants a vindication in court and a vindication from his colleagues."

Material from wire services was used in this report.