Politico's Mike Allen reports that the Department of Justice has finally formally dropped its investigation of former Republican House Majority Leader Tom DeLay:

EXCLUSIVE - The Justice Department is dropping its investigation of former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex.) after a six-year probe - through two presidents and four attorneys general -- of his ties to disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff. The Justice Department, which does not comment publicly on investigations, last week notified DeLay's lead attorney in the matter, Richard Cullen, chairman of McGuireWoods.

--"The federal investigation of Tom DeLay is over and there will be no charges," Cullen told us. "This is the so-called Abramoff investigation run by the Public Integrity section of DOJ. There have been a series of convictions and guilty pleas since 2005. A campaign-related charge against him continues in Texas. In 2005, we voluntarily produced to the prosecutors over 1,000 emails and documents from the DeLay office dating back to 1997. Several members of Congress objected to producing official government records under Speech or Debate Clause concerns. DeLay took the opposite position, ordering all his staff to answer all questions. He turned over more than 1,000 documents, and several of his aides gave interviews and grand jury testimony."