DeLay: Ethics Woes Won't Stop Republicans 

May 7, 2006— -- Despite high gas prices, ongoing concerns about the Iraq war, ethics scandals and other thorny political problems, former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas voiced confidence about his party's prospects this November.

In an exclusive interview with "This Week with George Stephanopoulos,"  DeLay categorically the possibility of defeat for the Republican Congress in November. 

"None of these will affect the races," said DeLay, who resigned his post as House Majority Leader under indictment in Texas and recently announced he will retire from Congress altogether.

"National polls have nothing to do with what's happening in each Congressional district across the country."

 DeLay also dismissed the notion his personal ethical troubles will influence the upcoming midterm elections. He said though he'd been investigated "many times" by the House Ethics Committee, those probes "were all dismissed by Democrats." 

During his turbulent but powerful congressional career, DeLay was officially admonished several times by the House Ethics Committee and last year became the first sitting congressional leader ever to be indicted. 

Turning the argument on the Democrats, DeLay cited allegations of impropriety by several congressmen, including Rep. William Jefferson, D-La., who is accused of improperly using his influence to direct business toward a favored company. DeLay also cited Rep. Alan Mollohan, D-W. Va., who recently resigned from the House Ethics Committee amid accusations that he may have directed federal funds toward a West Virginia charity. 

"I think this is really unfortunate that the Democrats are trying to play the politics of personal destruction," DeLay said. He blamed Democratic National Committee chair Howard Dean for what he described as a pattern of misconduct by many Democrats. "Howard Dean is creating a cult of hypocrisy," he said.

In a following interview with "This Week," Dean shot back against DeLay, saying "There was one name that he [DeLay] left off the list and that was his own."