The Wahsington Post reports this morning that [sw: Tom DeLay]’s wife received a $25,000 retirement account from lobbyist and ex-DeLay chief of staff Ed Buckham for paid work she was doing for his firm. Buckham and DeLay have come under increased scrutiny for their connections to the swindling lobbyist Jack Abramoff. DeLay’s wife has previously been mentioned as being looked at by investigators trying to determine if DeLay did anything in his official capacity in exchange for the money his wife received. Christine DeLay’s take from Buckham, when including the $25,000 retirement package, exceeded $490,300. The Post notes, “Before being paid by ARMPAC for political consulting, Christine DeLay, a homemaker and advocate for foster care, had not done paid work of that type. That circumstance has figured in government investigations of payments to other lawmakers’ spouses, on the grounds that, if the compensation began after a lawmaker’s election, it might have been meant to influence official acts.”