WASHINGTON, Oct. 9 (UPI) -- House Democrats failed in an effort Friday to appoint a special counsel to investigate the conduct of House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas.
The surprise step in their continued criticism of the powerful conservative Republican -- who Democratic leaders have called on to resign from his post -- failed 210-182 along party lines as GOP leaders beat back the proposal during the closing days of the congressional session.
The call for an independent investigation came from Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi of California in the wake of the second public rebuke of DeLay by the House Ethics Committee in one week.
The panel found DeLay violated House ethics standards, but did not break any laws, dropping further investigation into two of the charges and admonishing the Republican leader to "temper" his political practices.
In addition, the panel delayed action on a third charge related to a Texas grand jury investigation that has resulted in felony indictments against three of DeLay's top political aides and several corporate donors to his political machine.
For his part, DeLay has dismissed the charges, filed by an outgoing House Democrat, as partisan and denied any wrong doing. He called Friday's effort a "political smear."
