A side line from your article:
DeLay Alumini
Eleven lobbyists who once worked for House Majority Leader Tom DeLay helped bring in at least $45 million in fees for their lobbying firms during the last two years. By comparison, former aides of House Speaker Dennis Hastert's lobbying during that period helped bring in about $2.1 million, according to official disclosure records.
Along the way, Mr. DeLay's former assistants have aided clients such as ChevronTexaco Corp., Wyeth and Reynolds American Inc. in achieving legislative victories. They have also given Mr. DeLay the kind of Washington-insider clout he once criticized when Democrats were in power.
The track record of Mr. DeLay's alumni underlines the success he and fellow Republicans have had reshaping the ranks of Washington lobbyists over the last decade with what they call the "K Street Project," after the Washington street that houses many lobbying firms. The campaign encourages businesses and trade groups to hire Republicans.
Many of the more than 200 companies, coalitions and trade groups have hired former DeLay employees as lobbyists since he became House Republican leader in January 2003. In some cases, they have gained from those ties as he championed their causes.
DeLay spokesman Dan Allen said his boss takes positions because of his ideological convictions, which he said are common knowledge among lobbyists.
"They all know, as do people around him, that Congressman DeLay's legislative activities are based on strongly held beliefs and the corresponding merits of the legislation," Mr. Allen said. "Everybody knows Congressman DeLay has built a strong record of advocating for lower taxes, open trade and a strong and free market."
House Republicans expressed strong support for Mr. DeLay, 57, an 11-term congressman from Sugar Land, dismissing persistent Democratic criticism as evidence of partisan politics.
"I don't see any wavering of the support for the leader. I think a lot of members think he's taking arrows for all of us," said Rep. Roy Blunt, third-ranking among GOP leaders.
Mr. Blunt and others spoke out on Mr. DeLay's behalf as Democrats leveled a new charge ? that the ethical controversy surrounding him was distracting from congressional efforts to tackle pressing problems.
"When politicians, the Republican majority, decides it is above the law, the American people are now seeing that they have a price to pay ? at the pump, for their pharmaceuticals, and in the absence of initiatives that would help grow our economy, and to feed our children, provide for the health of our people, protect our environment and, indeed, even provide for the common defense," said Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi of California.
Later, Mr. DeLay told CNN that the reports were "just another seedy attempt by the liberal media to embarrass me."
Among those who appear to have benefited from their ties to their former boss is Susan Hirschmann. She served as Mr. DeLay's chief of staff until 2002 and has helped her Washington-based firm, Williams & Jensen, earn at least $1.4 million in fees from drugmaker Wyeth in the last two years. That's the second-highest total among the 216 or so clients of DeLay alumni.
Ms. Hirschmann lobbied Congress to add a prescription-drug benefit to Medicare that would prevent the government from negotiating lower prices, according to records compiled by PoliticalMoneyLine, a nonpartisan group that tracks money in politics. She also worked to curb class-action lawsuits; Wyeth has set aside more than $21 billion to pay claims that its diet drugs caused heart and lung complications in patients.
Both measures, strongly backed by Mr. DeLay, are now law. Ms. Hirschmann declined to comment on her activities on behalf of the company; Wyeth had no comment.