On September 21st, prosecutors from Travis County led by Ronnie Earle (as it happens, the only Democrat left with any real power in the state) indicted three friends of Mr DeLay and eight corporations said to have contributed to Texans for a Republican Majority, a group the former pest exterminator founded, on 32 felony charges.
With Gingrich and Ken Starr gone, the role of tormentor fell to majority whip Tom DeLay, the diminutive former fire-ant exterminator from Texas who knew enough to lie low and deny Clinton a repellent foil.