In a surprise move, Republican leaders met tonight and decided to abandon their attempt to revise the ethics rules. Also, Tom Delay moved to reinstate the rule that provides that an indicted member of Congress must step aside. He thought it was giving the Democrats too much ammunition:

Republicans gave no indication before the meeting that the indictment rule would be changed. Even more surprising was DeLay's decision to make the proposal himself.

Jonathan Grella, a DeLay spokesman, said DeLay still believed it was legitimate to allow a leader to retain his post while under indictment. But Grella said that by reinstating the rule that he step aside, DeLay was "denying the Democrats their lone issue. Anything that could undermine our agenda needs to be nipped in the bud."

House speaker Dennis Hastert made the motion to retain the current rules. He said while he believed the change was appropriate, it was becoming " a distraction."