DeLay indicted on money laundering charge

[sonias]

Different grand jury different charge. Where there's smoke there must be fire.

http://www.statesman.com/news/content/gen/ap/TX_DeLay_Indictment.html
AUSTIN — A Texas grand jury on Monday indicted U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay on a new charge of money laundering.

A different grand jury whose term ended last week indicted him on a conspiracy charge, forcing DeLay to temporarily step down as House majority leader.

Pile it on!
Sonia

[hiley]

1. wonderful

news isn't it!

[mourningdove92]

2. Holy Cow! I wonder which Grand Jury and who was

the prosecutor. The article is not giving much in the way of info.

[babylonsister]

3. I'm so behind the curve I didn't know there was

another grand jury convened! Oh, happy day, da bugman's goin' down!

[brokensymmetry]

4. Brings a smile to my face!

:) :7 :evilgrin: :party: :bounce: :toast:

Let's hope he takes the while * agenda down with him.

[rocktivity]

5. CUE THE VONAGE THEME!

Is there anything else he might be charged with?

:woohoo:
rocknation

[CitySky]

6. (rubbing eyes)

huh??? I'm not seeing double??? THIS IS REALLY HAPPENING?

OH HAPPY DAY!

[TexasThoughtCriminal]

7. Git yer program!

I swear, we need a program to keep up with all the repuke indictments, arrests, investigations - and soon - convictions!!

[thereismore]

Randi implied it was the same grand jury. delay's lawyers tried to

get the case dismissed (conspiracy not part of the election code), so they slapped him with laundering (that's a criminal offense, not just election code violation). I don't know what's true, but it could be that the first indictment is no longer in effect.

[sonias]

14. Nope not the same grand jury, 1st indictment also stands

His lawyers did try to get the conspiracy indictment dismissed but the judge who is assigned to the case is on vacation. Too bad bugman.

The money laundering charge was the first action from a new Travis County grand jury, which started their term Monday. It came just hours after DeLay's attorneys filed a motion to dismiss the case.

Oh I wish I could serve on one of these grand juries! But that's exactly why his lawyers are also trying to get a venue change. You know there's just too much democracy in Travis county for the hammer to get a fair trail.

:evilgrin:

Sonia

[Catherine Vincent]

8. Great news!

I rarely drink but I think I will have one tonight on Delay's behalf!

[Lisa0825]

9. poor tommy boy....

:bounce: :toast: :party: :hippie: :evilgrin: :smoke: :beer: :thumbsup: :kick: :headbang: :woohoo: :applause:

That deserves a smilie party!LOL

[tridim]

10. Doesn't this implicate the RNC as well?

I would think the organization who actually did the laundering would be equally guilty as the person who initiated the laundering.

[Check12]

11. Someone came up with a great new nickname for Delay

The Hamper!!!

Ohh that dirty laundry really stinks!

Haaa!!!!!!!!

[Lefty48197]

12. "I request that you immediately agree to dismiss the indictment ..."

"The judge that will preside in DeLay's case is out of the country on vacation and couldn't rule on the motion. Other state district judges declined to rule on the motion in his place..." - Oh Darn!

"George Dix, a professor at the University of Texas law school who is an expert in criminal law and procedure, said he doesn't believe changes made to the Texas election code by the 2003 legislature have any effect on the conspiracy charge.

'The penal code's conspiracy charge allows for the charge if the defendants allegedly conspired to commit any felony, including an election code felony.

Just because the election code was "silent" on the penal code provision until 2003, it doesn't mean it wasn't a valid charge before 2003", Dix said."

[WolverineDG]

13. wow

just :wow:

::looking up to see where the other shoe is::

dg

[PDittie]

15. He's sweating bullets...err, make that

bugs:

[Catherine Vincent]

16. LOL! Ewwwww.

The real Tom Delay. Good job PDittie!

[sonias]

17. Great picture

Don't you think this really could happen in court if he blew his lid. You just have to know he's infected to the core.

:evilgrin:

Sonia

[sonias]

18. Belt and suspenders indictment

I've read a lot of stories where DeGuerin is taking the tactic of trying to play the second and third indictments as keystone kops screw up on Earle's part. And of course our local rag here in Austin is doing its part to help there. Fuck the Statesman.

Anyhow, I've been able to pick up at least two good quotes from other sources that add another perspective. One is from the Houston Chronicle this morning

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/topstory/3380953
New grand jury adds charges against DeLay
'Belt and suspenders' (part toward the bottom)
Austin attorney Buck Wood, who represents losing Democratic candidates in a civil suit against corporations that contributed to TRMPAC, called the new charges a "belt and suspenders indictment. It means you don't take any chances."

Wood agreed with Dix that the conspiracy charge already was covered by the penal code in 2002 but also noted that all nine members of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, which would review any convictions, are Republicans.

"With the Court of Criminal Appeals, it is probably not a bad idea to go ahead and have all your bases covered," Wood said.

The second from the Washington Post:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/03/AR2005100300190.html
DeLay Is Indicted on Two New Charges
But a source close to the investigation, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he lacks authority to speak publicly, responded by noting that Earle told reporters last week his investigation was continuing, and asserting that Earle had intended to bring these charges even before the challenge raised by DeLay's lawyers.

And the NYTimes has some interesting information on a DoJ request to interview Margaret Thatcher about DeLay/Abramoff visit.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/04/politics/04delay.html?hp&ex=1128484800&en=8ff16cde54407f43&ei=5094&partner=homepage
Second Indictment Issued Against DeLay
The new indictment was issued as Bush administration officials confirmed news reports in London that the Justice Department had asked the British police to question former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher about the circumstances of her meeting in 2000 with Mr. DeLay during a trip to Britain organized by the Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

The interview request was the first publicly disclosed evidence from the Justice Department that Mr. DeLay was under scrutiny in the department's wide-ranging corruption investigation of Mr. Abramoff.

I say DeLay still has a whole lot of explaining to do. Can't wait till he has to testify under oath.

Sonia