HOUSTON (AP) - Rep. Tom DeLay, under indictment on campaign finance violations, railed against Democrats in a letter Thursday, accusing them of engaging in "the politics of personal destruction." The letter, sent to constituents and contributors, connected his case with investigations into possible misconduct by White House adviser Karl Rove and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist.
"What we're fighting is so much larger than a single court case or a single district attorney in Travis County," the Texas Republican wrote. "We are witnessing the criminalization of conservative politics."
DeLay stepped down as House majority leader after he was indicted Sept. 28 on charges he illegally funneled corporate campaign contributions to candidates for the Texas Legislature.
DeLay has launched an aggressive defense, seeking to have the judge removed because of his Democratic political activity and accusing the Democratic district attorney who charged him, Ronnie Earle, of pursuing the case for political reasons.
The letter was prepared for the Republican Party newsletter in DeLay's home county of Fort Bend. Party chairman Eric Thode said he also e- mailed it to about 2,000 Fort Bend County households and to state and national elected and party officials.
