TX DA Ronnie Earle defends motivations for newest charges against Delay

[RSchewe]

Texas Prosecutor Cites New Input on DeLay
Earle Doesn't Respond to Lawmaker's Attack

By R. Jeffrey Smith
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, October 5, 2005; Page A02

The Texas prosecutor overseeing an investigation of former House majority leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex.) fired back yesterday at criticism by DeLay's lawyers that he brought a new indictment against the powerful legislator on Monday to fix a legal flaw in the first indictment of DeLay last week.

Travis Country District Attorney Ronnie Earle said in a written statement released late yesterday that the new indictment charging DeLay with the criminal felonies of money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering was based on new information that "came to the attention of the District Attorney's Office" last weekend.

The statement did not elaborate on whether the new information consisted of testimony, documents or insight, explaining that "because of the laws protecting grand jury secrecy, no other comments can be made."

But the statement was Earle's most detailed account of why the money laundering charges leveled against DeLay on Monday by one grand jury were not issued earlier, during the three-month tenure of a different grand jury that on its final day, Sept. 28, issued a lesser charge of conspiracy to violate the Texas election laws.

The backdrop for both the new and the old indictments is a long-standing ban in Texas on corporate contributions, and the fact that some of these funds were collected in Texas and sent to an arm of the Republican National Committee in Washington. The RNC several weeks later sent checks for a commensurate amount to Texas Republican candidates on a list that Earle alleges was formulated by the conspirators.

more...


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/04/AR2005100401637.html

[Lasher]

1. Looks like someone's spilling their guts

Co-criminal trying to cop a plea, ya think? That wouldn't be surprising, coming from this bunch of greedy, selfish cowards.

[rateyes]

2. Wouldn't surprise me....

DeLay is "talking tough" in public...in private I bet, seeing as how money laundering can get you life in prision, there's some "wheeling and dealing" going on.

[melissinha]

3. coworker says she heard

that DeLay is playing innocent on being knowledgable of the scheme and letting the other players take the fall, well this looks like retaliation on behalf of one of those people in response to his current position/response. So basically Earle has flipped somebody.

Thats the deal with bad people, its power and self protection, if everyone is selfish and evil, you can't just leave other people out to dry.

Thats why there can only be two Sith (Star Wars) a master and the apprentice, the apprentice owes allegiance to the master to gain knowledge and power, but the apprentice will eventually be overcome with evil and want for power and kill the master and take another apprentice.....

[texpatriot2004]

4. Ronnie Earle is a Pro. n/t

[txaslftist]

5. Great picture of Ronnie coming down the hall.

He just looks bad-ass.