To the Point

Is Tom DeLay Headed for a Fall?

As House Majority Leader, Tom DeLay is a partisan conservative known for brutal effectiveness behind the scenes. When he led the effort at federal intervention in the Terri Schiavo case, he raised his public profile. Yet the Texas Republican already was becoming well known for other reasons--three reprimands by the House Ethics Committee, the indictment of aides for money laundering in Texas, and junkets allegedly paid for by powerful lobbyists--which have led to scathing criticism and calls for resignation--even from fellow conservatives. Is one of America's most powerful politicians headed for a fall? We hear from supporters and critics of Tom DeLay, including journalists, political scientists, Republican lobbyists and political watchdogs. Making News: Terri Schiavo Dies Terri Schiavo died this morning in Pinellas Park, Florida after the US Supreme Court resisted last-minute efforts to restore her feeding tube. President Bush, who supported federal intervention, called on all those who honor her to "build a culture of life." Warren Ritchie, who reports for the Christian Science Monitor, specializing in legal issues, says her legacy will linger in the courts and Congress as well as in personal lives. Reporter's Notebook: Report Says US Intelligence Agencies 'Dead Wrong' on Iraq After Iraq turned out not to have any weapons of mass destruction, President Bush asked federal Judge Laurence Silberman and former Virginia Governor Charles Robb to lead an inquiry into ongoing problems in the intelligence community. Today, they released a report saying that things are bad and that they won't improve without systemic changes. Newsweek investigative reporter Michael Isikoff has the story.