US News
Controversial former Republican leader Delay leaves Congress
By DPA
Jun 9, 2006, 19:00 GMT

Washington - Tom Delay, the controversial former majority leader of the US House of Representatives, left office Friday after 22 years as a congressman.

Delay, nicknamed the Hammer, was arguably the most powerful member of Congress in the last decade, but was forced to resign as majority leader last year after being indicted on campaign finance charges. In April he announced that he would not seek re-election and would resign from his congressional seat as well, effective Friday.

The Texas congressman has long been a lightning rod for criticism by Democrats for his heavy handed tactics in pushing through a conservative agenda, while that very same ability to get things done made him a hero of the Republican movement.

\'Political careers tend to end in one of three ways: defeat, death or retirement,\' Delay said in his final speech on the House floor Thursday. \'And despite the fervent and mostly noble exertions of my adversaries over the years, I rise today to bid farewell to this House under the happiest of the available options.\'

Despite the resignation, Delay, 59, has continued to insist that he will be cleared of the campaign finance charges that sparked his fall from leadership, and said he will continue to promote \'the conservative view and where we want to take the country\' from out of office.