He (DeLay) might have become House speaker in 1998 after Newt Gingrich stepped down, and his would-be successor, Louisiana Rep. Bob Livingston, abruptly bowed out. But he said his leading role in impeaching President Clinton made him "too nuclear." Instead, he backed his deputy, little-known but better-liked Rep. Dennis Hastert, for the job.

Now he finds himself in a situation similar to what Gingrich faced.

In September, three political fund-raisers tied to DeLay were indicted by a Texas grand jury in a case involving a political committee that DeLay helped create. The committee is accused of illegally using corporate donations for political purposes. Documents in a related civil trial suggest DeLay played a substantial role in the group's corporate fund raising.

DeLay has denied wrongdoing, accusing the chief prosecutor of "trying to criminalize politics."

Then the House ethics committee admonished DeLay for pressuring a congressman to vote for a Medicare bill by promising to support his son's run for Congress.

A week later, the panel again rebuked him for enlisting the Federal Aviation Administration in a search for Texas Democratic lawmakers during a battle over a redistricting plan he engineered. He was also admonished for creating the appearance of favoritism when he discussed pending energy legislation with lobbyists at his fund-raising golf outing.

DeLay again dismissed the panel's findings as politics. Even so, both parties are preparing for what could be future charges.