Republican Congress leader 'paid lobbying money to his family'

The future of Tom DeLay, one of the most powerful Republicans in America, is in serious doubt after new allegations that he improperly used political and lobbyist funds to pay family members and to cover expensive foreign trips.

The future of Tom DeLay, one of the most powerful Republicans in America, is in serious doubt after new allegations that he improperly used political and lobbyist funds to pay family members and to cover expensive foreign trips.

The separate reports in The Washington Post and The New York Times are but the latest setback for Mr DeLay, majority leader in the House of Representatives, already bruised by a string of ethics charges. Thus far he has managed to fend them off, in part thanks to the loyalty of his colleagues, in part as a result of blatant manipulation of House ethics rules.

The New York Times says that since 2001 his wife and daughter received more than $500,000 (£266,000) from DeLay campaign and political action committees, for unexplained "fund-raising fees" and "campaign management". The Post story details a 1997 trip by Mr DeLay to Moscow, paid for by business interests that had lobbied for Russia in Washington. The money for the visit was allegedly channelled through a Bahamas front company.

Mr DeLay yesterday defended the payments to his wife and daughter as justified, in line with a practice followed by many on Capitol Hill. He claimed to know nothing of the financial arrangements for the Moscow trip; if paid for by lobbyists it would be in direct breach of Congressional rules. The reports, he insisted, were "a seedy attempt by the liberal media" to smear him. But even Republicans, although reluctant to cross a politician known as "The Hammer" for his ruthless ways, are becoming queasy at the flood of allegations, fearing they may be tarring the whole party with a reputation for sleaze and impropriety.

Mr DeLay is the most influential Congressional voice for Christian conservatives, whose votes last year helped Republicans increase their majorities in both Senate and House, and secure a second White House term for President George Bush.

Last month, he led the unsuccessful Congressional fight to keep Terri Schiavo on life support. He was also the architect of the controversial redrawing of boundaries in his home state of Texas that gave Republicans a seven-seat windfall in the House in November 2004.

Most important, perhaps, he masterminded a so-called "K Street Strategy", to cement the Republican grip on the money-driven Washington legislative process. Lobbyists are given an unprecedented role in writing legislation. In return they give money to Republican causes, and ensure their firms employ only Republican lobbyists.

But the price has been high. Three members of Mr DeLay's political action committee in Texas have been indicted for money-laundering and illegal campaign contributions. Close Washington associates of his are enmeshed in an influence-peddling scandal over gambling licences. And Republican cracks are showing, notably in a critical editorial in the conservative Wall Street Journal which said: "If DeLay survives this, he should be called Houdini, not The Hammer."