DeLay's Charity for Children Under Fire

NEW YORK -- At a tribute last month in Washington to House majority leader Tom DeLay, admirers praised DeLay as a hero to foster children, having drawn attention to their needs, taken them into his home, and especially raised millions of dollars through the DeLay Foundation for Kids.

But his critics have also noted DeLay's work on behalf of foster children -- as a way for companies to give unregulated and undisclosed funds to a charity controlled by DeLay, in order to get in his good graces.

''It looks good on the surface, but it's rotten," said Fred Lewis, president of Campaigns for People, a Texas nonprofit group. ''It's not about benefiting children, and it's not about benefiting charity. It's about allowing another way for the donors to get their hooks into politicians."

In 2004, DeLay established another nonprofit, Celebrations for Children, to raise money at the Republican National Convention in New York City for abused and neglected children. The organization invited donors to parties, Broadway shows, luxury seats at President Bush's acceptance speech, and a yacht cruise with DeLay.