Did he or didn’t he… inhale?

Anti-Castro Majority Leader Tom DeLay enjoys a fine Cuban cigar…

“DeLay has long been one of Congress’ most vocal critics of what he calls Castro’s “thugocracy,” which is why some sharp-eyed TIME readers were surprised last week to see a photo of the Majority Leader smoking one of Cuba’s best — a Hoyo de Monterrey double corona, which generally costs about $25 when purchased overseas and is not available in this country. The cigar’s label clearly states that it was made in “Habana.” The photo was taken in Jerusalem on July 28, 2003, during a meeting between DeLay and the Republican Jewish Coalition at the King David Hotel in Jerusalem.”

More at the link above. Meanwhile…

House Overturns New Ethics Rule as Republican Leadership Yields…

“In a rare retreat, the Republican-led House on Wednesday overturned contentious rule changes made to the House ethics process, with Republicans saying they surrendered to the Democrats to try to restore a way to enforce proper conduct in the House.

“I am willing to step back,” said Speaker J. Dennis Hastert of Illinois, the moving force behind ethics revisions forced through by the majority in January.

“After a closed-door meeting with House Republicans, Mr. Hastert indicated that the reversal was primarily motivated by a need to resolve the torrent of questions surrounding the conduct of Representative Tom DeLay, the majority leader.”

This, my friends, is good news. Very good news. [Photo :: ZIV KOREN / POLARIS]