Congressman Cole Recused from Delay Inquiry By Ethics Committee

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Cole and Ethics Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (R-WA) announced that at his own request Cole will not participate in any matter concerning House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX) that may come before the House Ethics Committee. The announcement was made earlier today at the organizational meeting of the committee, officially known as the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct. Congressman Lamar Smith (R-TX) also recused himself from matters concerning Mr. DeLay.

In a separate press release, Chairman Hastings said he had "...the utmost respect for the honesty, integrity and impartiality ..." of Congressman Cole. Hastings added he values Cole's "leadership, wisdom and genuine commitment to upholding the highest ethical standards in the House of Representatives."

In July 2004, seven months before he was appointed to the Ethics Committee, Congressman Cole contributed $5,000 from his campaign fund to Congressman DeLay's legal defense fund.

"I am confident in my ability to fairly and impartially review any matter--including those related to the Majority Leader--the Ethics Committee may take up. That said, I believe it is important for the committee and for the House that its actions be viewed as nonpartisan and objective by the members of this institution and by the public," Cole said.

"I have felt since my appointment to the committee in February that I should recuse myself from decisions on matters involving Majority Leader Delay. With the organization of the committee today and an impending review of the allegations made against the Majority Leader, I felt now was the appropriate time to make that decision public."

"I believe Congress needs to move forward on ethics matters in a nonpartisan manner. Those that sought to politicize the ethics process should start putting the institution ahead of their partisan agenda. They should recognize the ethics process is to judge and, if necessary, discipline individual Members. It is not a means to score partisan political points."

Cole will remain a member of the Ethics Committee and will participate in all deliberations on matters unrelated to Mr. DeLay.

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