WASHINGTON – October 19 - All but five House Republicans vying for re-election this November have received more than $2 million from House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, according to new data released today by the Campaign for America’s Future. Rep. DeLay recently received a series of reprimands by the House Ethics Committee, raising serious questions about his use of bribery and unethical tactics in the U.S. House and prompting calls for his ouster.

The analysis, based on Oct. 4 data from the Federal Election Commission and analyzed by the Center for Responsive Politics, shows that 241 current members of the House and Senate received $2,135,802 from Rep. DeLay’s political action committee, Americans for a Republican Majority, since it was formed in 1994. More than $1 million of the $2.1 million was donated in this election cycle.

The top recipients of Rep. DeLay’s contributions are Rep. Mike Ferguson, R-N.J., Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., Rep. Robin Hayes, R-N.C., Rep. Heather Wilson, R-N.M., Rep. Mike Rodgers, R-Mich., Rep. Anne Northrup, R-Ky. and Rep. Jim Ryun, R-Kan., who all accepted more than $30,000 from the PAC.

Campaign for America’s Future Co-director Robert Borosage called on House Republicans to return the campaign contributions in question and urged all elected officials to take a stand before the election on the series of ethics charges leveled against Rep. DeLay.

“Tom DeLay is the kingpin of the most corrupt Congress in recent history,” said Borosage. “DeLay has a long record of working in the shadows. Taking money from DeLay compromises the integrity of every elected official who supports his dark tactics. Everyone who has taken Tom DeLay’s dirty money must publicly decide if they stand with DeLay or with decency.”

The Campaign for America's Future has already called on House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., to oust Rep. DeLay from his leadership post following rulings from the House Ethics Committee on charges filed in June by Rep. Chris Bell, D-Texas.

The House Ethics Committee reprimanded Rep. DeLay earlier this month for, among other violations, attempting to bribe a Republican colleague to change his vote on President Bush’s Medicare prescription drug bill.

Rep. DeLay tried to force Rep. Nick Smith, R-Mich., to vote his way on the bill and threatened to work against the House candidacy of Rep. Smith’s son if he refused. Rep. Smith voted against the bill and Rep. Smith’s son lost his primary.

Last month, a Texas grand jury indicted three of Rep. DeLay's political associates in a case involving a political committee affiliated with the majority leader. A separate three-part complaint to the committee says Rep. DeLay also misused his office and taxpayer resources for political purposes related to elections and redistricting in Texas.

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