Craddick took donation for TRMPAC (Texas)

[Judi Lynn]

Sept. 23, 2004, 1:19AM

Craddick took donation for TRMPAC
To have violated a campaign law, he would have had to have known the check was illegal
By R.G. RATCLIFFE
Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle Austin Bureau

Associated Press


CAUGHT IN MIDDLE?: Texas House Speaker Tom Craddick says he simply delivered a check from a health alliance to TRMPAC, and did nothing wrong.


AUSTIN - Texas House Speaker Tom Craddick personally received a corporate donation in 2002 for Texans for a Republican Majority that is the subject of an indictment returned this week by a Travis County grand jury.

A lawyer for Mariner Health Care Inc. confirmed Wednesday that company CEO Chris Winkle gave Craddick a $100,000 check for TRMPAC in October 2002 on behalf of The Alliance for Quality Nursing Home Care Corp. of Boston. Craddick said he did nothing wrong in accepting the check for TRMPAC.
"I don't even know if I looked at it, to be truthful," Craddick said at a Midland news conference.

The grand jury indicted the alliance Tuesday on a third-degree felony count of making an illegal corporate donation in a Texas political campaign. The panel also indicted TRMPAC Executive Director John Colyandro on a felony charge of accepting an illegal donation from the alliance.

TRMPAC was founded by U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Sugar Land.
(snip/...)

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/metropolitan/2810214
(Free registration required)

[Eye and Monkey]

1. Is there a link to Poppy Bush?

The Alliance for Quality Nursing Home Care includes Beverly Enterprises - a corporation in which Poppy Bush is heavily invested, I believe.

Alliance for Quality Nursing Home Care
http://www.qualityfirstnursinghomes.com/pledge.html

[clydefrand]

2. "I don't even know if I looked at it, to be truthful," Craddick said at a

Oh, sure he didn't!! Who believes that lie??

[GOPGoindown]

4. That's a Good One

"I don't even know if I looked at it, to be truthful,"

A $100 grand check? He probably thought that by not looking at it, he wouldn't be doing anything illegal. Kind of like a little kid. Maybe he had his fingers crossed when he made that statement.

[punpirate]

10. Funny thing is that these days...

... a check for a hundred grand probably isn't that big a deal to a lot of politicians pushing money into their PACs.

The real horror of this is that it might not be that big a deal.

:wow:

[0007]

3. This makes me so happy. At least made my day.

Off the Kuff: Dewhurst calls Craddick an "Iranian cabdriver"

So it looks like Tom DeLay is looking around corners these days and soon won't be soon enough.

'Tis amazing how these guy pass the buck.

"Craddick's attorney, Roy Minton of Austin, said it is difficult to believe a corporation could know whether its money was going to legal administrative expenses or illegal campaign expenses.

He said Craddick also would have had no way of knowing how TRMPAC was spending the money.

"There's absolutely nothing wrong with a politician taking a check made out to a PAC and giving it to the PAC," Minton said."


Maybe Tom can get a job operating a rickshaw

[Vogon_Glory]

5. They Call Such Couriers Bag-men, Don't They? eom

[DoYouEverWonder]

6. But god forbid a private citizen should what to talk to

someone in the Democratic party, and the repugs are screaming for an investigation.

[LynnTheDem]

7. The indicted are ratting out DeLay already!

EXCELLENT!

DeLay the liar
http://www.dailykos.com

[jayfish]

8. Gosh, I Wish Ignorance Of the Law Was A Valid Excuse...

for the rest of America.

Jay

[truthisfreedom]

9. the real question is, did anyone ever tell you not to look at the check?

did anyone ever tell you not to look at the check if you knew it might be illegal?

[struggle4progress]

11. kick

:kick: