Houston Democrats

House rules do not exempt such nonprofit organization board members from the prohibition on lobbyist payments for travel. They also state that this prohibition "applies even where the lobbyist . . . will later be reimbursed for those expenses by a non-lobbyist client."

Despite evidence to the contrary, DeLay's attorney insisted yesterday that

DeLay "continues to understand his expenses" were properly paid by the nonprofit organization, the National Center for Public Policy Research.

Since when is feigned ignorance of the law a proper defense?

Ethics rules also state that

Trips outside the United States are also not supposed to exceed a week in length out of concern, the rules state, for "the public perception that such trips often may amount to paid vacations for the Member and his family at the expense of special interest groups."

The Post outlines further violations stemming from the fact that travel arrangements were made by paid employees of registered lobbyists.

I've heard a lot of conservative pundits claim that Democrats are attacking DeLay because he's an effective leader. If his effectiveness is based on behavior that violates ethics rules, the attacks are well-deserved.