5 years after indictments, DeLay's trial begins

[ProSense]

Source: Associated Press

AUSTIN, Texas – Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, one of the most polarizing politicians of the Bush years, is finally getting his day in court, five years after being charged with illegally funneling corporate money to help elect Republicans to the Texas Legislature.

Jury selection begins Tuesday, but it's at neither the time nor the place that DeLay sought. The trial will be in Austin, the most Democratic city in one of the nation's most Republican states, and testimony is set to start on the eve of Election Day.

<...>

But the criminal charges in Texas, as well as a separate federal investigation of his ties to disgraced former lobbyist Jack Abramoff, forced DeLay to step down as majority leader and eventually to resign after representing suburban Houston for 22 years.

<...>

The 63-year-old DeLay is charged with two crimes: money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering. If convicted of money laundering, he faces from five years to life in prison. The conspiracy charge carries a prison term of two to 20 years.



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101025/ap_on_go_co/us_delay_trial

[madrchsod]

1. well..it`s going to be very interesting...

[CurtEastPoint]

2. Lookin' good, Bug Man!

[SDuderstadt]

4. Actually, I think DeLay's color is...

prison orange, however, I don't care what color he wears as long as he goes to jail for what he did.

[bvar22]

3. Your Honor,

Mr Delay has many close personal & business contacts in Saudi Arabia. He should be considered a flight risk. For this reason, I recommend that he be held without bail during this emotionally charged trial.

I would also recommend Maximum Sentencing since Mr. Delay has done considerable harm to the American Public at large and their confidence in our democratic government. Those holding an elected position of TRUST must be held to a greater degree of public accountability.
An example must be set that will deter those who would corrupt our system for personal or political gain.

Thanh You, Your Honor.

[Lindsey]

5. To see this horrible person in jail will give me happiness

that can't be expressed. I don't normally say things like this but may he rot in Hell.

[Hawkeye-X]

12. Also, your Honor

I would not mind a *cough* Death Penalty for high treason recommendation.

Hawkeye-X

[dixiegrrrrl]

6. Delay, indeed.

[LuckyLib]

7. Guilty, guilty, guilty!

:hippie:

[trusty elf]

8. It would make my day to see him convicted and thrown in jail.

[S_B_Jackson]

18. I wish that this were as slam-dunk as many seem to believe...

but the prosectution has a real problem to surmount, and I don't know if they're going to get past it.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/3397339.html

Travis County prosecutors admitted Friday they lack physical proof of a list of Republican candidates that is at the heart of money-laundering indictments against U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay and two of his associates.

The list is key to prosecutors being able to prove that corporate money that could not be legally spent on Texas candidates was specifically exchanged at the national level for donations that legally could be spent on Republican candidates for the Texas House.

Indictments against DeLay, Jim Ellis and John Colyandro state that Ellis gave "a document that contained the names of several candidates for the Texas House" to a Republican National Committee official in 2002 in a scheme to swap $190,000 in restricted corporate money for the same amount of money from individuals that could be legally used by Texas candidates.

But prosecutors said Friday in court that they only had a "similar" list and not the one allegedly received by then-RNC Deputy Director Terry Nelson. Late in the day, they released a list of 17 Republican candidates, but only seven are alleged to have received money in the scheme.

Dick DeGuerin is a very good defense attorney and he can be counted on to hammer this point with the jury over, and over, and over again. And if they can't link with direct evidence, Action A with Action B as a quid pro quo arrangement, I'm afraid Texas's nastiest cockroach is going to skitter away from the light once again.

[skamaria]

9. Justice "delayed"

is not justice served.

[aquart]

10. WHAT? OMG. Are pigs flying?

[Hawkeye-X]

11. Make an example out of this asshole. Give him life without any possibility of parole

and send him to Texas' worst max prison.

Let him taste pain.

And one other thing: The 5 years he's been free since his indictment DOES NOT COUNT as good time.

Hawkeye-X

[UTUSN]

13. K&R #28 for justice DELAYED!1 n/t

[Crowman1979]

14. Hopefully a long prison sentence will get that shit eating grin off of his face.

[martymar64]

15. God, I'd have loved to be picked for that jury.

I haven't been called for jury duty in over a year. I figured I'd hear from them soon. I'd have taken the hit in pay to serve on this jury.

Time to lock up that pissant.

[live love laugh]

16. Wow. That's just all over the news! You can't turn on the teevee without seeing this!!

NOT :sarcasm:

[LeftishBrit]

17. 5 years? 'DeLay' is a good name for him!