Yesterday DeLay hitched a ride on AF1 from Texas to DC. Reporters asked McClellan about this. Read the question about ethics problems and the slimeball answer.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/04/20050426-1.html#bQ Scott, why -- Tom DeLay is not from Galveston, why is he riding back with the President today? And what's the signal that the President is trying to send by inviting him on Air Force One?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, he is from the area. Galveston is near his district and we typically invite members of Congress to events in their area, and we're glad to have Leader DeLay flying back to D.C. with us. I know the President looks forward to seeing him and visiting with him on the way back.
Q Is this a way to, you know, express further commitment to their relationship, you know, further backing DeLay?
MR. McCLELLAN: I think we've already made that pretty clear. I'm sure it will be an opportunity for them to continue to visit about how we can move forward in Congress on the important priorities facing the American people. He is someone that the President has worked closely with, along with other congressional leaders, to get things done for the American people.
That's the way I would describe it.
Q Does DeLay's district touch on Galveston at all?
MR. McCLELLAN: No
Q Okay.
Q Does this have something to do with his ethics problems?
MR. McCLELLAN: What's that?
Q Is it helping him with his ethics problem?
MR. McCLELLAN: This has to do with an event that is occurring in his area and the fact that the President appreciates his leadership in the House and that we work very closely with him, as well as other congressional leaders, on the agenda for the American people.
Q But how strongly is the President supporting him at this time in which he's embattled in this ethics dispute?
MR. McCLELLAN: As strongly as he ever has, which is strongly.
Q He wasn't deterred by the latest revelations about the lobbyists paying for his plane tickets? That didn't give pause to the President?
MR. McCLELLAN: No. Look, those will be issues that Leader DeLay has said he's more than happy to address before the Ethics Committee and those matters will be addressed by congressional leaders and by Congressman DeLay.
continues......
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