Former Congressman Tom DeLay Won't Be Charged in Abramoff Investigation

The Justice Department has ended its six-year criminal investigation of ties between former Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Texas) and convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff without filing any charges against the ex-House majority leader.

DeLay's attorneys said federal prosecutors informed them last week that it was ending the investigation, Politico reported.

"I always knew this day would come," DeLay said Monday during a conference call with reporters. "My only hope was that it would come much sooner than the six years we've been doing this. While I will never understand why it took so long for the Justice Department to conclude that I was innocent, I am nevertheless pleased that they have made their determination."

DeLay said he handed over more than 1,000 pages of documents and e-mails but was never interviewed personally or called before a grand jury, according to Politico. He said he and Abramoff were friends but that the lobbyist never asked him to do anything "untoward."

The congressman, once dubbed "The Hammer" for his hard-hitting political style, still faces state criminal charges in Texas. A grand jury indicted him in 2005 on charges of violating campaign finance laws that ban corporate contributions to state political campaigns, as well as conspiracy. DeLay has maintained his innocence on all charges.

Abramoff was released from federal prison June 9 and and sent to a Baltimore halfway house to complete his sentence on fraud and conspiracy convictions. He served about four years for a bogus Florida casino deal, defrauding his lobbying clients and conspiracy to bribe public officials.

In a plea agreement in 2005, Abramoff cooperated with the Justice Department and helped bring down his friend, former Rep. Bob Ney (R-Ohio), former Deputy Interior Secretary J. Steven Griles and several Capitol Hill aides -- all convicted of corruption-related charges.