Posted on 11/24/2010 3:18:25 PM PST by Non-Sequitur
For five years, the case against Tom DeLay for money laundering through his Texans for a Republican Majority PAC has been seemingly trapped in the Texas courts facing pre-trial appeals. On November 1, it finally made it to trial and today the verdict is in: guilty on both money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
The slightly-less-than-humble DeLay lost his majority leadership in Congress after the indictment came down, but he has maintained his claims that this case was politically motivated throughout the entire process right up to defense attorney Dick DeGuerin's closing arguments.
The jury clearly didn't buy his argument and now DeLay is potentially facing life in prison on money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering charges. DeLay is accused of channeling $190,000 in corporate money through his Texans for a Republican Majority PAC in 2002 to aid GOP candidates.
I only refer to a previous FR post which cites the Houston Chronicle
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7308872.html
If he did the crime, he should do the time.
I think .. I hope... how can DeGuerin appeal for less Draconian sentences?
I’d say I can’t believe these verdicts, but I live here.
I mean, what did Ken Lay get?
He tried to get a change of venue to El Paso, I believe, and was shot down.
Meanwhile, Wrangle walks away, to be ‘censured’.
This is bullshit!!!! Nothing but a political witch hunt.
after 11 years on Freeper, you don’t know who DeLay is? “Get im out of office”!?
I am tired of defending you. No sympathy for you Tabasco.
This was tried in Austin, the San Fransicko of Texas. He couldn’t get a fair trial among so many sniveling leftists.
Move the trial to another venue and he’ll be aquitted.
If only he had stolen and destroyed classified materials from the Library of Congress he could have gotten off with 3 years probation like Sandy Berger. But then, Tom is not a Democrat.
The article reveals that it was Texans For Public Justice which brought the complaint. Guess who fund them?
Soros.
And Rev. Charlie Rangel gets a severe talking-to.....
Justice’s hammer falls on “the Hammer.” Never liked DeLay. Didn’t follow the case. Not surprised at the outcome.
Basically yes. But again, when this occurred, even if he did know, there were no laws against it at the time. It is my understanding that part of campaign finance laws regarding this, were written and made law years later.
I dismiss the local crap and hope saner heads prevail at higher levels. BUT, any prosecution should include Democrats who are just as, or more, guilty.
This mirrors what I said. I have heard Delay explain this and there is NO WAY he is guilty of anything. Franky, investigate and prosecute the Democrats perpetrating this fraud.
Ummmm Tabasco? He hasn’t been IN office, for years now.
The jury of six men and six women consists of a Republican, six Democrats, two independent conservatives and three independent liberals, DeLay said...The forewoman, a Greenpeace activist named Katie Stotts, studied anthropology at Southwestern University in Georgetown. A full list of jurors is sealed...
Ex post facto - that is to say when a law is passed to criminalize a prior act, it's unconstitutional because of the prohibition of ex post facto in Art. I, Sec 10. I don't know the particulars of the relevant TX money laundering and campaign finance statutes, but to assert that he's being prosecuted with an ex post fact law, seems profoundly unlikely.
Houston PING
DeGuerin will doubtless have planted many seeds for appeal. Any competent defense attorney does, and he -was- top notch. Whether he still is or not I have no idea, but most litigators only have a peak for a few years. Still, he was very good indeed.
Anyway, deliberate grounds will have been introduced into the record, and thorough review of the written transcript usually yields something. As others have pointed out though, the standard for reversal is very high, as the trial court is always given great deference.
Reversals happen, but they are rare. Look for a significantly reduced sentence from the maximum possible. That usually serves to let out the steam from a gross injustice, and people accept the significant injustice with relief that is was not a total injustice.
Our criminal law system is very, very broken. Sometimes for the state, sometimes for the defendant. Depends on when, where and the charges. It does not protect victims, does not deter offenders, and does not preserve rights. It does churn a lot of money, political influence, and career enhancements however. My contempt for it verges on absolute. I am sick thinking about it, so shall sign off for the night, and think of things to give thanks for, and people to pray for, among them Mr. Tom DeLay.
Happy Thanksgiving to all. Watch and pray.
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