Belo Says Armey Retaliates Over Coverage Of Son

By: (AP) The parent company of The Dallas Morning News accused House Majority Leader Dick Armey of trying to retaliate against the newspaper for its coverage of his son's failed congressional bid.

Reporting in its Monday editions, the newspaper said the Texas Republican tried to have language inserted into a $10 billion military appropriations bill to force Belo to divest itself of one of its three Dallas media properties.

Belo owns the News, three other daily newspapers, and 19 television stations across the country. The provision did not mention Belo by name.

Belo executives said Armey was retaliating for the newspaper's coverage of his son, Scott Armey, a former Denton County judge who lost an April runoff for the seat of his father, who is retiring.

Armey did not return calls for comment by The Associated Press on Sunday night. The Morning News said Armey did not respond to requests for comment.

Leading up to the election, articles published in the News and another Belo property, the Denton Record-Chronicle, looked at Scott Armey's record as judge, including his votes for contracts benefiting political associates.

At the time, the elder Armey, accused the newspaper of "vicious unprofessionalism." The newspaper denied the accusation.