Tom DeLay inches toward trial

[sonias]

AAS 8/21/10
Tom DeLay's legal odyssey inches toward trial
Pretrial hearing to decide where trial should be held and who will be tried first.


Tom DeLay will return to a Travis County courtroom Tuesday, five years after being charged with laundering corporate money to influence the 2002 legislative elections in Texas.

Describing the legal odyssey of the former U.S. House majority leader is like trying to explain the plot twists of the TV series "Lost." However, Tuesday's pretrial hearing, which will address when and where a trial might occur or whether prosecutors abused the grand jury system, might be the beginning of the final episode.

Eight years after the elections, why bother?

DeLay is no longer "The Hammer," the tenacious leader who directed the redrawing of Texas' congressional districts to ensure a GOP majority and his hold on power. He's out of Congress, where the majority has turned over once and might change again this fall. His nemesis, prosecutor Ronnie Earle, a Democrat, is retired after his quest to become lieutenant governor failed this spring.

But a trial, if it comes to that, at least might finally answer the question: Did DeLay scheme to steal an election, or did Earle concoct a criminal case to end DeLay's political career?

During the 2002 elections, DeLay and his co-defendants used a political committee, Texans for a Republican Majority, to raise and spend $600,000 in corporate money, mostly from lobbyists and companies with interests before Congress.

The Hammer belongs in the slammer! (quote credit to Melanie Sloan from CREW. The name DeLay, makes me want to :puke: No matter what he does. He will always be a vile, disgusting, corrupt bastard!

[sonias]

1. Tom DeLay: Still Friends With Jack Abramoff

Talking Points Memo 8/20/10
Tom DeLay: Still Friends With Jack Abramoff (VIDEO)

In a lengthy interview with ABC News' Brian Ross, former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay says he's still good friends with lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

"Jack Abramoff is still a friend of mine," DeLay said. He said he last talked to Abramoff about a month ago, when the lobbyist got out of jail. What did they talk about? "None of your business," DeLay said.

DeLay appeared on ABC after the Justice Department told DeLay it would not pursue charges against him.

DeLay was being investigated over his ties to Abramoff, who was convicted on a slew of corruption charges. DeLay's former chief of staff, Ed Buckham, allegedly set up a grassroots organization and a lobbying firm that, in practice, operated as a way to take thousands from lobbyists in exchange for access to DeLay. Abramoff was one of Buckham's first, and biggest, clients.

"Many other lobbyists are friends of mine," DeLay told Ross.

What DeLay really means: "Many other criminals are friends of mine... because criminals like to hang out with other criminals". :shrug:

[kjackson227]

9. Do we really think that DeLay will go down for his corruptness?

Sadly, I don't.

[NoPasaran]

2. They should add more charges

Relating to his time on Dancing With The Stars

[white cloud]

3. Corruption is rampant

Need to bring back speedy trails and Saturday public hangings for corrupt Political Officials.

[sonias]

5. "hangings for corrupt Political Officials"

:rofl:

Oh white cloud, you need to cut back on your coffee this morning.

:hi:

[sonias]

4. Ha Ha

He is such a quitter, he knew he was going to lose - big time. So he just slithered off the stage.


You know those criminal dancing skills would have made him so popular in jail too!

[sonias]

6. Earle may appear in DeLay hearing

AAS 8/24/10
Earle may appear in DeLay hearing
Former Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle may testify this afternoon in the Tom DeLay pre-trial hearing.

DeLay’s lawyer, Dick DeGuerin, said he requested that Earle appear to answer defense charges of proseuctor misconduct.

Senior Judge Pat Priest has not ruled whether Earle will be called, but he indicated the courtroom will be closed if secret grand jury testimony is discussed.

Priest says he would close the courtroom this afternoon as he considers whether Travis County prosecutors abused the grand jury system five years ago to indict Tom DeLay on money laundering charges.

What crap. Dick DeGuerin is just playing the slight of hand with the judge, trying to deflect from the criminal DeLay is. :grr:

[Beststash]

7. Delay going to jail

would be such a boost to those of us that have become so cynical of our justice system. I can't believe we will ever hold our public officals responsible for their actions.

Peace

[sonias]

8. I wish

It would be the first real justice we've seen in a long, long time.

AAS 8/24/10
DeLay headed to trial


After five years, Tom DeLay is headed to trial on money laundering charges, his lawyer said Tuesday, as the first day of the pre-trial hearings concluded.

DeLay returns Wednesday to find out when and where he will be tried.

"It’s just when and where," said Dick DeGuerin, DeLay’s lawyer, about Wednesday’s pre-trial agenda for the former U.S. House majority leader.

DeLay is charged with laundering corporate money into campaign donations during the 2002 elections. His co-defendants, Jim Ellis and John Colyandro, are charged with making unlawful political donations.

While Delay’s lawyer predicted his client is headed to trial, the fate of the other two remains in doubt. The lawyers for both sides spent most of the afternoon behind closed doors arguing about allegations of misconduct by prosecutors.

When will he ever see a jail cell he so rightly deserves!

[white cloud]

10. Just the way I feel. They set the example

"Need to bring back speedy trails and Saturday public hangings for corrupt Political Officials."


Just like a sorry football coach will have a sorry team.

Saturday Court house lawn hangings will take care of career political criminals and eliminate repeat offenders also.

[sonias]

11. "Saturday Court house lawn hangings"

You are too funny, white cloud!

:rofl::rofl::rofl:

[sonias]

12. DeLay not popular in Austin, pollster testifies

Postcards from the Lege blog AAS 8/24/10
DeLay not popular in Austin, pollster testifies

A significant portion of Travis County voters believe Tom DeLay is guilty of money laundering, a pollster testified today as part of DeLay’s efforts to move his trial outside Austin.

Austin pollster Mark del Signore analyzed a telephone survey of 400 registered voters from Aug. 21 through Aug. 23.

Forty percent of those surveyed said they believe the former U.S. House majority leader is guilty of money laundering, while 16 percent said they think he’s not guilty. The remainder did not answer the question or said there are unsure.

(snip)

The pollster said DeLay has unusually high name identification, close to President Obama and former President George W. Bush. His negatives also are almost as high as those two leaders.

Not popular in Austin, no shit. Anyone could have told you that without spending a dime on a poll.

I also call bullshit on Obama's negatives in Austin. I can believe G.W. and DeLay are equally hated, but I won't believe that Obama is in the "hate him mix" in Austin, TX. :shrug:

[sonias]

13. DeLay trial set for Travis County - Oct 2010

AAS 8/25/10
DeLay trial set for Travis County
Judge rules that former House majority leader can get a fair hearing in Austin; case to begin in October.

After weighing evidence that Tom DeLay could not get a fair trial in Travis County, Senior District Judge Pat Priest recalled a horrific, violent crime in 1975 that had to be moved from his hometown of San Antonio.

"This is not that kind of case," Priest said Wednesday from the bench. "I know there's negative feeling about Tom DeLay — and it's strong." But with the proper precautions, Priest said, "We can give Mr. Delay a fair trial in Travis County."

With that, Priest set a trial date for Oct. 26, after striking down all of DeLay's motions to have his indictment dismissed, including allegations of prosecutorial misconduct.

DeLay, who faces money laundering and conspiracy charges, said he was "very disappointed" but ready to tell his side to a jury.

I would love to be a juror for his trial. Pick me, please!

:rofl::rofl::rofl:

[hobbit709]

14. Me too.

[hobbit709]

15. JuanitaJean is having way too much fun with this.