Delubio Soares, the Workers’ Party treasurer smiles during a news conference in Sao Paulo June 8, 2005. Labor Party head Roberto Jefferson, a government ally, started a scandal on Monday by accusing Brazilian President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva’s Workers’ Party of paying some lawmakers $12,000 a month to support its policies in Congress. The party denies the allegations. Lula promised on Tuesday night to root out corruption, firing the heads of two state companies accused of graft, as he tried to dampen the worst scandal to hit his 2-1/2-year-old government, which is hoping to be reelected next year. REUTERS/Jose Patricio