[JURIST] AP is reporting that House ethics committee Republicans say they are prepared to open an investigation into allegations against House Majority Leader Tom DeLay [official website].

4:02 PM ET – Republican Rep. Doc Hastings [official website], chairman of the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct [official website] said Wednesday that four of the five Republicans on the ethics committee are "prepared to vote at the earliest opportunity to empanel an investigations subcommittee to review various allegations concerning travel and other actions" by Tom DeLay. Hastings' announcement was made in the hopes of breaking a deadlock that has kept the committee from operating since committee Republicans pushed through changes to ethics rules last year. Committee Democrats argued that the rule changes were specifically designed to shield DeLay and so have refused to allow the ethics committee to begin its work this year. Hastings said Wednesday that in order for the investigation against DeLay to proceed, Democrats must end the stalemate over the rules. AP has more.