WASHINGTON -- Rep. Jon Porter said Wednesday he will not keep $25,000 he has received in campaign donations if indicted Republican leader Rep. Tom DeLay is convicted, but until then, "he's innocent until proven guilty."
Porter, R-Nev., said it would be wrong to link him with DeLay, as Nevada Democrats began doing after the Texas Republican's indictment on a political fundraising conspiracy charge.
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"I've served for 20-some years and I am proud of my record," said Porter, a two-term congressman and former state senator, Boulder City mayor and city councilman.
DeLay said the indictment was engineered by a political enemy, a Democratic prosecutor in Texas.
Porter said DeLay "is entitled to his day in court. If he is found guilty he should be punished. An indictment is not proof of guilt."
In the meantime, the DeLay indictment has drawn attention to Porter's ties to the powerful House majority leader and may give Democrats fodder to try to use against him in his suburban Las Vegas district, which they covet.
According to campaign finance records compiled by Political MoneyLine, Porter received eight donations totaling $25,000 from 1999 through 2003 from DeLay's political action committee, Americans for a Republican Majority.
Porter ranked 18th among House Republicans in contributions from ARMPAC, according to Public Campaign Action Fund, a campaign finance watchdog group that has been critical of DeLay and called for his resignation.
Also, Porter gained thousands of dollars more as a beneficiary of "Return Our Majority" fundraisers organized by DeLay associates including Jim Ellis, who runs DeLay's national finance arm and who also was indicted on Wednesday.
Porter was among 10 Republican incumbents who were to divide the proceeds from a March 17 fundraiser.
David Donnelly, Public Campaign Action Fund national campaign director, estimated each of the incumbents received $150,000 from the event.
Porter also has donated $5,000 to DeLay's legal defense fund.
Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., said Democrats likely will highlight Porter's ties to DeLay during campaigns next year.
"That is going to be fair game for anybody running against him," Berkley said.
Porter said he will not keep ARMPAC donations if DeLay is convicted. He said he will decide whether to return the funds or give them to charity.
Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., received $3,602 from ARMPAC, according to the Public Campaign Action Fund.
Likewise, Gibbons said Wednesday, "I will return mine if he is proven guilty."
