Idaho Delegation Supports Gingrich Despite Fund-Raising Snub, Chenoweth And Crapo Back Speaker For 2nd Term

Embattled U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich appears to have the support of Idaho’s congressional delegation, even though he snubbed U.S. Rep. Helen Chenoweth for a major fund-raising event last year.

U.S. Rep. Michael Crapo said Friday that he is against a proposal to elect an interim speaker until an ethics subcommittee recommends penalties for Gingrich.

“Once a person is elected speaker, you have to start moving and directing Congress,” the Idaho Republican said. “An interim speaker, pending the outcome of the ethics investigation, would be similar to saying, ‘Let’s have an interim president until the charges against President Clinton are resolved.”’

Gingrich, R-Ga., in mid-December acknowledged violating House rules by failing to seek proper legal advice on use of tax-exempt contributions for possibly political purposes, and by providing inaccurate statements to the ethics committee about the role of his political organization, GOPAC, in the tax-exempt projects.

As a result, at least 20 Republicans have expressed uncertainty about Gingrich’s reelection as speaker.

“At the very least, it may be prudent for the speaker to step aside at least temporarily, until these issues are resolved,” Rep. Matt Salmon, R-Ariz., said earlier this week.

GOP Rep. Michael Forbes of New York has said he opposes another speaker’s term for Gingrich.

The defection of 20 Republicans could deny Gingrich re-election. In the new House, there are 227 Republicans, 207 Democrats and independent Bernard Sanders of Vermont. If 20 Republicans were to vote “present,” Minority Leader Richard Gephardt, D-Mo., could be named speaker with unanimous Democratic support and Sanders’ vote.

Crapo said the facts of the case and the ethics subcommittee investigation remain fluid, but that he would rather support Gingrich than a Democrat.

“If my choice is Gephardt or Gingrich, I’m voting for Gingrich,” he said.

Fellow Idaho GOP Rep. Helen Chenoweth is solidly behind Gingrich even though the speaker stood her up at one of her re-election fund-raising events last January.

“He finally came to Boise,” said Khris Bershers, Chenoweth’s spokeswoman. “They mended fences from that situation.

“She still has full confidence in Newt Gingrich as speaker of the House and his leadership ability,” Bershers said.

The Ethics Committee found problems with only three of the 55,000 pages of paper Gingrich submitted, she said. And Gingrich has taken responsibility for his wrongdoings.

There is not a lot of pressure from Gingrich supporters, Bershers said. “There’s a lot of effort on the part of leadership to make sure all of the members have their questions answered.”

Both Crapo and Chenoweth have participated in conference calls, with rank-and-file Republicans dialing in to listen to their leaders express support for the embattled speaker.

, DataTimes The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = From staff and wire reports Staff writer Ken Olsen contributed to this report.