As Congress prepares to return, rumors are circulating that House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R.-Tex.) may announce his retirement in ??¢â???¬â???¢06. Speculation about DeLay??¢â???¬â???¢s exodus from Congress comes amid increased media attention on the Texan??¢â???¬â???¢s relations with lobbyist Jack Abramoff, who was indicted for fraud last week. Abramoff associate Michael Scanlon ??¢â???¬?????has been in discussions with the Justice Department,??¢â???¬ according to the Washington Post. ??¢â???¬?????The potential cooperation of Scanlon with prosecutors could provide crucial evidence in the federal task force investigation of Abramoff and his lobbying,??¢â???¬ the paper speculated. Whether DeLay runs or not, Democrats are expected to wage a spirited challenge for his Houston-area seat with former Rep. Chris Bell.
