DA defends criticism of DeLay

Speech to Democrats shows bias in PAC inquiry, aide says

19 May 2005 // Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle is defending his appearance at a Democratic fundraiser, where he made critical remarks about U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay.

Mr. Earle, who is investigating a political group established by Mr. DeLay, was the featured speaker at the newly formed Texas Values in Action Coalition.

The group's May 12 fundraiser in Dallas netted $102,000, which organizers said would be use to help elect candidates statewide, from courthouses to the Legislature.

"I'll make that same speech to any group that was interested in open and honest government," Mr. Earle said.

Dan Allen, a spokesman for Mr. DeLay, said Mr. Earle's speech proved his bias in the case.

"How can Texans expect Mr. Earle to be independent when he's out headlining a fundraiser for a group that is dedicated to electing Democratic candidates [and] where he launches into a partisan political attack on Congressman DeLay," Mr. Allen said. "That kind of partisan rhetoric may make Mr. Earle a hero with the extreme Howard Dean wing of the Democratic Party, but for taxpayers ... enough's enough."

Texas GOP leader Tina Benkiser called on Mr. Earle, whose office contains a public integrity unit that can investigate statewide officeholders, to resign.

"This proves once and for all that Ronnie Earle is a hypocrite on a political witch hunt," she said.

Travis County prosecutors have charged three DeLay allies with breaking campaign finance laws by using corporate donations to help GOP House candidates. Mr. DeLay has not been charged with any wrongdoing.

Thursday's exchange reflected the political stakes involved in Mr. Earle's investigation. Republicans have long contended that politics were driving Mr. Earle's investigation of the use of corporate money in the 2002 legislative elections that propelled Republicans to a majority for the first time in a century.

Mr. Earle disagrees, saying that he has prosecuted Democrats as well as Republicans. And he has defended remarks that were critical of Mr. DeLay.

"Mr. DeLay is a public figure, and he is not under any criminal accusation," he said.

Leaders in the new Democratic political action committee said they saw nothing wrong with Mr. Earle's appearance.

"Why is Tom DeLay so threatened?" asked Lisa Turner, a former campaign manager for former Congressman Martin Frost and spokeswoman for the Texas Values in Action Coalition. "It's typical DeLay bullying tactics. He's trying to dictate to a prosecutor what he can or cannot do."

Dallas lawyer Ed Ishmael, the group's co-founder, said any criticism of Mr. Earle's appearance is misplaced.

"Ronnie Earle isn't against politics," he said. "He wants to make sure people in politics play by the rules."

Almost 100 people attended the event, where Mr. Earle called Mr. DeLay a bully.

His speech was titled "Public Safety and the Tone of Corruption in Government," and it included references to the investigation surrounding Mr. DeLay. He gave a transcript of the speech to The Dallas Morning News.

"This case is not just about Tom DeLay," he told the group. "If it isn't Tom DeLay, it'll be another one, just like one bully replaces the one before."