Embattled House Majority Leader Tom DeLay of Texas may survive the ethics controversies that have dogged him for months. But the steps his Republican colleagues have taken to protect him have drawn the ire of some former GOP congressmen, including Roanoke's Caldwell Butler.

Butler is one of 10 former House Republicans who signed an April 15 letter expressing concerns about new ethics rules that require a bipartisan majority vote in order to investigate charges of misconduct by a member. The House adopted the new rules on a party-line vote earlier this year.

In their letter to House Speaker Dennis Hastert of Illinois, the former congressmen called the rules changes "an obvious action to protect Majority Leader Tom DeLay." They called on House Republican leaders to reinstate the old ethics rules, a move that could open the door for an investigation of DeLay's financial ties to lobbyists and his use of political and campaign committee funds.

Butler, who served in the House from 1972 to 1982, said it is "unique" for him to weigh in on such a matter. Former Rep. William Whitehurst of Norfolk also signed the letter.

"I feel strongly about it because I think it's embarrassing to the party and should be addressed by the party," Butler said Friday in a telephone interview.

"It's just the wrong thing to do," Butler said. "If the ethics committee can't be free of partisan commitment, then you can be in big trouble."

In their letter, the former congressmen concluded: "We write not as a Revolt of the Elders but in the sincere hope that you will act to restore public confidence in the People's House."

Butler said former California Rep. Pete McCloskey drafted the letter and asked Butler and others to sign it. Butler said he signed it "without a great deal of reluctance." He said he has not discussed the matter with Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Roanoke, who occupies Butler's old seat and once served as Butler's congressional aide.

As a freshman congressman, Butler sat on the House Judiciary Committee and voted to impeach President Richard Nixon in 1974. He said several of his contemporaries who signed the letter were part of a loose association of moderate Republicans known as "the Wednesday group."

"We got together because we all respected each other," Butler said.

Butler said his sensitivity to ethics issues dates to his tenure in the General Assembly. He was one of only a handful of Republicans in the legislature when he joined the House of Delegates in 1962 and bristled at the way Democrats wielded their majority power.

"They were so high-handed in everything they did, and anything like that offends me mightily," Butler said.