Earle sues over DeLay investigation secrecy

[Judi Lynn]

July 11, 2006, 4:13PM
Earle sues over DeLay investigation secrecy
Associated Press

AUSTIN — Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle is suing to keep secret the details about his investigation of indicted former House majority leader Tom DeLay.

The Houston Chronicle filed a request under Texas' open records law in March seeking vouchers, hotel and airfare receipts, budget documents, memos and e-mails describing the expenses for the DeLay inquiry and related investigations.

DeLay, indicted last year on conspiracy and money laundering charges connected to the financing of 2002 state legislative races, resigned from Congress on June 9.

Earle, in his attempt to keep details of his investigation out of public view, appealed to Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott, arguing that releasing the information could compromise the prosecution.
(snip/...)

http://chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/4040043.html

[global1]

1. Can We Accuse The Houston Chronicle Of Treason - Like The....

repugs are doing to NYT?

[Purveyor]

2. So just what is Earle trying to hide?

Dislike Delay as I might, this is not helpful and the babbling neocons will seize upon it to tarnish all proceedings against the scumbag, Delay.

[ret5hd]

3. It's not like he's trying to keep it secret forever...

Just till he's done throwing the cocksucker republican in prison.

Unlike our illustriuous leader (well, maybe yours, but not mine) who wants to keep even the EXISTENCE of ILLEGAL operations secret.

Just sayin'...

[Doremus]

4. It's premature and potentially damaging to the investigation.

And 'tarnishing the proceedings' is likely the reason they're pushing for it in the first place.

[Massacure]

5. Nothing. It will all come out at trial.

But its pretty obvious the instant this gets into the media it will not possible to get unbiased jury members from the public with a case of this magnitude.

[jobycom]

7. Probably nothing. Looks more like an attempt to head off distractions.

The Chronicle is trying to find out Earle's expense records to raise a fuss about them and distract Earle from the case, maybe even get the case thrown out for some reason. Earle's trying to head that off. When Earle indicted Kay Bailey Hutchison in the 90s, he was sabotaged by a judge who refused to rule on whether Earle's evidence was admissable before the trial. Earle then refused to try the case, which should have resulted in either the charges being dismissed, or in a mistrial, either of which would have allowed Earle to try her again after he was sure the evidence was admissable. Instead the judge waylaid him in one of the most blatantly corrupt judicial maunevers I've ever heard of--the judge ordered the jury to find her not guilty because the prosecution had not made a case, and so she couldn't be tried again. The evidence was very clear against her, yet the judge played political activist and set her free.

Earle plays things closer to the vest now.

What Republicans choose to gossip about in regards to this really doesn't matter. They won't agree with Earle no matter what the evidence, so there's no point in worrying about what they say. The thing will be tried in a court, where their babbling doesn't matter. The only real question is whether Earle gets a judge with any integrity, or whether the whole case gets thrown out or sabotaged by one of the Republican activist judges DeLay put into office. Keep in mind, DeLay's illegal financing and money laundering put several judges in office, too, and it's possible Earle will get one who really doesn't want a lot of evidence made public.

[Toots]

8. Do you agree the Administration should not talk about ongoing investigatio

That is what they say whenever asked about anything. They can not talk about ongoing investigations. Why should the Prosecuter divulge information from ongoing investigations?

[Bridget Burke]

9. The story says "details about the investigation"....

Let's wait until the investigation is over. The neocons will babble--no matter what we do.

[rubberducky]

6. Bushbots

Could it be he is worried that Bush@Co will try to turn some dirty tricks with the evidence?:shrug: