DeLay put on Texas 'worst lawmakers list'

Under the heading "Pest," DeLay is criticized for pushing the Texas Legislature to take up a congressional redistricting bill late in the 140 day, biennial session. The bill prompted state Democratic representatives to head to Ardmore, Okla. for nearly a week and an ensuing manhunt that involved a federal anti-terrorism agency.

"He's a member of the House of Representatives, all right, but it's the one in Congress, not the one on Congress Avenue," Texas Monthly wrote. The Texas Capitol is on Congress Avenue in Austin.

DeLay spokesman Jonathan Grella declined comment Thursday.

I'd say it's a bad news day for DeLay but does he ever have a good one?

Utility got resort stay after donation

A utility embroiled in a campaign fund-raising controversy made a $25,000 donation to an organization affiliated with Rep. Tom DeLay just before attending a two-day get-together at a Virginia resort with the House GOP leader.

Described by a DeLay spokesman as "a golf fund-raising event," several executives from Topeka, Kan.-based Westar Energy went to the 15,000-acre Homestead resort in early June 2002 for what participants said was an energy issues round-table.

Westar made the donation to the DeLay-affiliated political action committee, Texans for a Republican Majority, the month before the company's executives joined DeLay and representatives from a small number of other corporations at the posh mountain resort in southwestern Virginia. Internal Revenue Service records show the Westar donation was $25,000.