House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Illinois) shook up the House Ethics Committee yesterday, ousting the chairman and two other members.

The chairman's gavel will pass from outgoing chair Joel Hefley (R-Colorado) to current member Doc Hastings (R-Washington). Hefley had irked the GOP leadership by having his committee rebuke House Majority Leader Tom Delay (R-Texas). The two other departing members, Kenny Holshof (R-Missouri) and Steven LaTourette (R-Ohio) had both resisted changing rules to Delay's favor, and appear to have paid the political price.