Associated Press
 
Ad compares DeLay prosecutor to dog 
 
October 14, 2005 
 
BY APRIL CASTRO 
 
 AUSTIN, Texas -- A conservative group is running a TV ad likening the Democratic district attorney prosecuting House Majority Leader Tom DeLay to a vicious dog. 
 
 District Attorney Ronnie Earle brought charges last month accusing the Texas Republican of illegally funneling corporate contributions to GOP candidates for the Legislature. The charges forced DeLay to relinquish his leadership post on Capitol Hill. 
 
 The Free Enterprise Fund, based in Washington, began running the ad in heavy rotation Thursday on Austin TV stations and on the Fox News Network. 
 
 ''A prosecutor with a political agenda can be vicious,'' the narrator says, while a snarling dog barks on screen. 
 
 Earle's office would not comment on the advertisements, but has denied the investigation is politically motivated. 
 
Phone calls subpoenaed 
 
 Free Enterprise Fund spokesman Todd Schorle said the ad campaign may be expanded to other markets around the country. 
 
 ''We feel that Ronnie Earle wants to obstruct the free-market agenda and he's using liberals to bring the free-market agenda to a halt in Congress,'' he said. 
 
 Meanwhile, Earle on Thursday subpoenaed the phone records for DeLay's home and campaign during the period he is accused of conspiring to launder illegal corporate donations to candidates. 
 
 Also subpoenaed by prosecutor Earle were records for two phone numbers for DeLay's daughter, Danielle DeLay Ferro, and for a minivan that Earle alleged DeLay bought. 
 
 The subpoenas list telephone numbers, but not whom they belong to. They ask for information about the calls and the numbers' subscribers, voice mail service, billing information, long-distance calls made from or charged to the numbers and special features. 
 
 ''The thing is no big deal,'' said Bill White, Austin attorney for DeLay. 
 
AP