The six men and six women jury in the money laundering trial of former U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay has reached their verdict after deliberating since Monday. The trial has been five years in the making and is intricately tied to federal and state politics.
Accused of “money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering” the jury ruled "GUILTY".
He could face life in prison; perhaps his dancing days are over. Let's hope this Turkey doesn't get pardoned!
National Journal:
After sweeping into power on Capitol Hill in the 1990s, the GOP lost it after many prominent lawmakers became involved in an array of shady dealings. Many were connected to lobbyist Jack Abramoff, who was convicted of bribing public officials in exchange for legislative favors.
Prosecutors said in opening statements that Tom DeLay took part in a scheme to illegally channel corporate money into Texas legislative races in order to strengthen his power and influence. Direct corporate contributions are illegal under the Texas Constitution. The trial stemmed from DeLay's successful effort at the beginning of the last decade to win control of the state legislature for the Republican Party. That gave the GOP an advantage in the decennial redrawing of the congressional map following the U.S. Census -- an advantage that Republicans still enjoy today.
DeLay's attorneys countered that no corporate money was given to Texas candidates and that the only thing the once-powerful but polarizing ex-lawmaker is guilty of is being a good politician. This in itself is tell-tale in how the Republican politician thinks.........The law does not apply to politicians.
DeLay and two political aides were accused of using $190,000 corporate money raised by DeLay's Texans for a Republican Majority to arrange for a swap of candidate-eligible money from the Republican National Committee. Travis County prosecutors contended that illegal money laundering occurred because it was a dollar-for-dollar swap and DeLay's aides gave RNC officials a list of candidates who were supposed to receive the donations.
Austin Chronicle reported:
On Monday prosecutor Beverly Mathews opened with a detailed recounting of the steps in DeLay's alleged conspiracy to launder the corporate money, replaying sections of DeLay's 2005 taped admission that he knew of the exchange in advance, as well as his statement to Statesman reporter Laylin Copelin last week that he "could have stopped" the exchange before it occurred. That seemed to contradict DeGuerin's insistence that DeLay had very little to do with TRMPAC, and both Mathews and Assistant District Attorney Gary Cobb cited evidence from DeLay's calendars that reflected direct involvement in TRMPAC meetings, including at the time of the exchange. Moreover, asked Math ews, "Do you think it's just a coincidence that virtually every corporation that contributed to TRMPAC got a meeting with Tom DeLay?"
In closing, DeGuerin reiterated his refrain that the two contributing streams were "not the same money," holding up to the jury an apple and an orange and insisting that an orange given to one person is not the same as an apple that person passes to another. "I believe it was lawful," he said in comparing the money swap, "because it's not the same money."
Responding to DeGuerin's insistence that "no corporate money went to candidates in Tex as," Cobb responded acerbically, "because it was laundered." His closing was blistering, comparing DeLay to common "street criminals" who commit crimes by proxy while obscuring the evidence, and pointing to detailed calendars (produced by the defense only late in the trial) that confirm DeLay's meetings with TRMPAC principals. Cobb rejected DeGuerin's claim that the charges were political – "We prosecute Democrats as well as Repub lic ans," he said – and argued that the money-laundering was caught only because of a one-time requirement that PACs report their corporate contributions to the Internal Reve nue Service. "One thing we learned from Al Capone and the Untouchables," said Cobb, "is that you don't mess with the IRS."
While waiting for the Austin Jury to rule Tom played the Jesus card.
Tom DeLay said he is being reassured by friends with daily Bible verses. Today’s is Romans 8:28 which DeLay says talks about, “No matter what your trials or tribulations are, everything is for the good for those chosen by the Lord.
“No demons, nor angels, nor district attorneys can keep you separated from the love of Jesus Christ.”
I looked it up, and Roman 8:28 shockingly doesn’t even mention DA’s. The Bible does, however, mention money changers. Yep – money changers. Matthew 21:12, Mark 11:15, and John 2:15. Den of thieves, I believe Sweet Jesus said.
National Journal reported:
DeLay made several appearances in the courtroom, quoting from the Bible and joking that he trusted the liberal members of the jury to acquit him because they are more "empathetic," according to the Houston Chronicle.
...
First elected to Congress in 1984, DeLay became the House majority whip after Republicans won control of the lower chamber in the 1994 elections. The former pest exterminator earned the nickname “The Hammer” because of the aggressive way he wielded his influence within the House Republican Conference to pass GOP legislative priorities even in years when the party had only a slim majority.
DeLay, who became House majority leader after a fellow Texan, Dick Armey, retired from the position in 2003, extended his "Hammer" influence well beyond the Capitol. He insisted that companies hire Republican lobbyists if they wanted to have a place at the legislative negotiating table, and directed the 2003 effort to redraw Texas's congressional district boundaries in the state's legislature, where he served before entering Congress.
Aides John Colyandro and Jim Ellis also are charged in the case, but are being tried separately.