You guys are so smart!!!!!!!! Someone said this was the case weeks ago

[CatWoman]

DeLay Offered Deal Before Indictment

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A Texas prosecutor offered Rep. Tom DeLay a deal to plead guilty to a misdemeanor and save his job as majority leader, but DeLay chose to fight felony charges instead, the congressman's attorney said Monday.

Dick DeGuerin, DeLay's lawyer, described the offer in a letter to the prosecutor as he filed motions in Austin to dismiss felony indictments and - barring dismissal of the case - to seek a speedy trial.

Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle had no immediate comment.

DeLay, R-Texas, has been indicted on conspiracy and money laundering charges in a Texas campaign finance investigation, both felonies. He was obligated to step aside - at least temporarily - under House Republican rules.

"Before the first indictment you tried to coerce a guilty plea from Tom DeLay for a misdemeanor, stating the alternative was indictment for a felony which would require his stepping down as majority leader of the United States House of Representatives," DeGuerin wrote Earle.

"He turned you down flat so you had him indicted, in spite of advice from others in your office that Tom DeLay had not committed any crime," the lawyer wrote.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/D/DELAY_INDICTMENT?SITE=NYNYD&SECTION=POLITICS&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

[orpupilofnature57]

1. I swear this is the last clean " Think Tank " left in the country , Fuck..

MSM, Information not entertainment.

[LittleClarkie]

2. Is Earle getting smeared, or does he have a good case?

Some of the Repubs around me insist that Earle is trying to make a name for himself on a weak case.

I wish I knew more about Earle, but I sure ain't takin' no freeper's word for his character.

[EST]

10. You can be sure Mr. Earle is no rank beginner.

Nor is he one to underestimate the opposition. Ronnie Earle has a record of opposing corruption; he's against evil and when the people he's indicted escaped punishment, it wasn't because they were clean nor were they marked for political retribution. He seems to be the rare Mr. Clean.

[shance]

11. Who wouldn't have a steel shut case against Delay. As if that would be

that difficult.

The man lies quicker than he could ever think of telling the truth.

[Beetwasher]

3. Aww, Shucks, Thanks Sweetie

That was what I said, though I wasn't the only one...

I still think he's full of shit, I think he actually agreed to the deal to plea to the lesser charge of conspiracy, and then tried to double cross Earle by trying to get the case dismissed immediately AND by talking smack about the prosecutor, that's why Earl hit 'em w/ the money laundering a mere couple days later. I think it was only in his fevered imagination that he refused the deal, or maybe, in his warped, criminal mind, double crossing Earl and going back on the deal was his "way" of refusing it.

[CatWoman]

5. *smooch*

:D

[RC]

8. Spelling Police citation:

It is Earle, not Earl. :hi:

[Beetwasher]

9. Bah!

I spelled it right once! Nitpicker!

[bbernardini]

4. "I am so smart! S-M-R-T!"

Hello, Homer Simpson, we salute you!

[CatWoman]

6. LOL

I remember that episode :D

[reprehensor]

7. Book 'em, Danno.