Thread: DeLay Indicted in Campaign Finance Probe

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DeLay Indicted in Campaign Finance Probe

By LARRY MARGASAK, Associated Press Writer 26 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - A Texas grand jury on Wednesday charged Rep.
Tom DeLay and two political associates with conspiracy in a campaign finance scheme, forcing the House majority leader to temporarily relinquish his post.
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DeLay was accused of a criminal conspiracy along with two associates, John Colyandro, former executive director of a Texas political action committee formed by DeLay, and Jim Ellis, who heads DeLay's national political committee.

"I have notified the speaker that I will temporarily step aside from my position as majority leader pursuant to rules of the House Republican Conference and the actions of the Travis County district attorney today," DeLay said.

The White House, meanwhile, called DeLay a "good ally," and said
President Bush still considered DeLay a friend and effective leader in Congress.

GOP congressional officials said Speaker
Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., will recommend that Rep. David Dreier (news, bio, voting record) of California step into those duties. Some of the duties may go to the GOP whip, Rep. Roy Blunt (news, bio, voting record) of Missouri. The Republican rank and file may meet as early as Wednesday night to act on Hastert's recommendation.

Criminal conspiracy is a state felony punishable by six months to two years in a state jail and a fine of up to $10,000. The potential two-year sentence forces DeLay to step down under House Republican rules.

At the White House, press secretary Scott McClellan said the president still considers DeLay "a good ally, a leader who we have worked closely with to get things done for the American people."

"I think the president's view is that we need to let the legal process work," McClellan said.

Good, Good. It's time to hold these corrupt bureaucrats accountable for their actions. I hope Jorge is next.

Yep, flush them all out and get those who want to serve the people in.

Originally Posted by jp_48504

Yep, flush them all out and get those who want to serve the people in.

Didn't Delay vote for Cafta too? He can rot in jail.

Yes, he not only voted for it, he pushed it.

Good. Frist is next with his little Martha Stewart escapade. Time to hold people accountable.

DeLay
indicted
House majority leader
accused of conspiracy
Posted: September 28, 2005
12:59 a.m. Eastern


© 2005 WorldNetDaily.com


Rep. Tom DeLay, R-Texas
House Majority Leader Tom DeLay declared his innocence after he was charged today, along with two associates, of conspiracy in an alleged campaign finance scheme.

The Texas grand jury's indictment will force DeLay to step down temporarily from his party leadership position.

DeLay, who denies committing any crime, contends the Democratic district attorney leading the probe, Ronnie Earle, has political motives.

"I am innocent. Mr. Earle and his staff know it, and I will prove it," DeLay told reporters.

"As for the charges, I have the facts, the law and the truth on my side."

The Texas congressman was accused of a criminal conspiracy along with John Colyandro, former executive director of a Texas political action committee formed by DeLay, and Jim Ellis, who leads DeLay's national political committee.

Earlier, the grand jury indicted a state political action committee founded by DeLay and three of his political associates.

DeLay, 58, will retain his 22nd district seat, representing Sugar Land and other suburbs southwest of Houston, but House Republican Party rules require indicted leaders to temporarily give up their leadership positions.

"I have notified the speaker that I will temporarily step aside from my position as majority leader pursuant to rules of the House Republican Conference and the actions of the Travis County district attorney today," DeLay said in a statement.

House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., will recommend Rep. David Dreier of California take DeLay's place. Rep. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., may fulfill some of his duties. Republican could meet as early as today to decide on leadership changes.

President Bush still considers DeLay a friend and effective congressional leader, said White House press secretary Scott McClellan.

"Congressman DeLay is a good ally, a leader who we have worked closely with to get things done for the American people," McClellan said. "I think the president's view is that we need to let the legal process work."

DeLay's spokesman, Kevin Madden, issued a statement after the indictment was announced.

"These charges have no basis in the facts or the law," Madden said. "This is just another example of Ronnie Earle misusing his office for partisan vendettas. Despite the clearly political agenda of this prosecutor, Congressman DeLay has cooperated with officials throughout the entire process."

Responding to the indictment, Democratic House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of California said, "The criminal indictment of Majority Leader Tom Delay is the latest example that Republicans in Congress are plagued by a culture of corruption at the expense of the American people."

Madden pointed out Earle himself had acknowledged publicly that DeLay was not a target of his investigation.

"However, as with many of Ronnie Earle's previous partisan investigations, Ronnie Earle refused to let the facts or the law get in the way of his partisan desire to indict a political foe," Madden said.

"This purely political investigation has been marked by illegal grand jury leaks, a fundraising speech by Ronnie Earle for Texas Democrats that inappropriately focused on the investigation, misuse of his office for partisan purposes, and extortion of money for Earle's pet projects from corporations in exchange for dismissing indictments he brought against them."

Madden said Earle's "previous misuse of his office has resulted in failed prosecutions and we trust his partisan grandstanding will strike out again, as it should."

DeLay's spokesman noted Earle's 1994 indictment against Republican Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison was quickly dismissed and his charges in the 1980s against former Attorney General Jim Mattox, another political foe, "fell apart at trial."

Earle began the probe in 2002, after the Democrat Party lost the Texas state legislature to Republicans, Madden argued.

"For three years and through numerous grand juries, Ronnie Earle has tried to manufacture charges against Republicans involved in winning those elections using arcane statutes never before utilized in a case in the state," he said. "This indictment is nothing more than prosecutorial retribution by a partisan Democrat."

The Houston Chronicle reported in May that Earle was the featured speaker at a Democratic fund-raiser where he likened DeLay to a bully and spoke about political corruption and his investigation.

"This case is not just about Tom DeLay. If it isn't this Tom DeLay, it'll be another one, just like one bully replaces the one before," Earle said. "This is a structural problem involving the combination of money and power."

Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean derided DeLay in a May speech to Massachusetts Democrats.

"I think Tom DeLay ought to go back to Houston where he can serve his jail sentence," he said.


http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/artic ... E_ID=46562

Here is some of the crony relationship between Delay and Master Lobbyist Jack(me)Abramoff. This has to be read to get the picture of who is involved and how long this has been going on. Read here.

http://slate.msn.com/id/2116389/

Then there is this article implicating Abramoff in some sleazy doings, possibly murder. This guy is tied right to bush, delay, and the israeli lobby, and of course in a roundabout way jorge. This is the character of those Who lead us.

Read it and weep. For joy!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 00980.html