Simply Politics and News

[ergo sum]

Washington - Rep. Joel Hefley refused Wednesday to endorse the Republican candidate for the 5th Congressional District seat he's vacating, calling primary winner Doug Lam born's campaign "dishonest" and "sleazy."

"I spent eight years trying to get rid of the sleaze factor in Congress," said Hefley, a Republican who chaired the House ethics committee and three times reprimanded then-Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas. "It's not something I can do to help put more sleaze factor in Congress."

Retiring after 20 years in Congress, Hefley, 71, said he could have endorsed any of the five other Republicans who lost in the primary.

Hefley said he doesn't plan to endorse Democratic candidate Jay Fawcett but didn't rule out voting for Fawcett.

http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_4297390