WASHINGTON, Nov. 19 (UPI) -- The House ethics panel has chastised Rep. Chris Bell for exaggerating claims in ethics charges filed against Majority Leader Tom DeLay earlier this year.
In a letter released Thursday night, the Ethics Committee signaled no disciplinary action would be taken against the outgoing Texas Democrat.
But the panel did find that the complaint he filed against the conservative Texas Republican -- who engineered a redistricting plan in Texas that led to Bell's primary loss this year -- contained "innuendo, speculative assertions or conclusory statements," in violation of House ethics rules.
The panel also warned members that filing complaints with such traits could lead to sanctions.
For his part, Bell said the findings would "intimidate" members from filing complaints against their colleagues, a view rejected by the committee in a statement Friday.
Bell's complaint was not dismissed by the panel because the charges warranted consideration and speculation was not grounds for dismal in the past.
The panel found in October that there did appear to be links between some of DeLay's political and legislative actions and that he improperly used his power to get federal aviation officials to intervene in a political dispute in his home state.
