WASHINGTON - In a show of strength at the dawn of a new Congress, majority Republicans passed new ethics standards opposed by House Democrats on Tuesday and threatened to change Senate rules if necessary to confirm President Bush (news - web sites)'s court appointees.
"In this Congress, big plans will stir men's blood," pledged Rep. Dennis Hastert of Illinois, re-elected speaker. He vowed to spend the next two years pursuing key elements of Bush's ambitious second-term agenda.
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House Democrats criticized the GOP ethics rules in the first partisan fight of the Congress, but Republicans prevailed on a vote of 220-195.
Democratic prospects in the dispute diminished markedly following a series of concessions blessed by Hastert and Majority Leader Tom DeLay on Monday night.
"The proposed changes are destructive and unethical," evidence of Republican arrogance and pettiness, charged Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi of California.
Rep. Louise Slaughter, D-N.Y., looking across the House floor to the Republicans, said, "The lesson we have today is you have the power and you break the rules and you can change them."
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DeLay predicted that the Democratic criticism would be the first of "countless personal attacks against the integrity of the majority and ultimately against the House."
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/ap/20050105/ap_on_go_co/new_congressCould Hastert BE a bigger dweeb? And does anyone see DeLay's "personal attack" ANYWHERE?