Posted on 03/09/2003 6:46:55 AM PST by Theodore R.
Morales facing another big fight with federal indictment Associated Press
AUSTIN (AP) — Whether it's a state election, a multibillion-dollar tobacco lawsuit or a ruling knocking down affirmative action that agitates his Democratic Party, Dan Morales is no stranger to a fight.
The tenacious former attorney general wins some, loses some.
Now Morales faces what may be his biggest battle: defending himself against federal charges of fraud, conspiracy and filing a false tax return alleged in a 12-count indictment Thursday. The man who last year hoped to occupy the governor's mansion could end up in prison, if he is convicted.
Morales seemed unfazed Friday after appearing before a federal magistrate and as he declared his innocence outside the courthouse, in his usual talkative fashion.
"Every single allegation of wrongdoing included in this indictment is false. Every single allegation of wrongdoing in this indictment is untrue," Morales said.
A few minutes later, he hopped into a friend's gold Lexus, saying he was off to eat a cheeseburger for lunch.
With an arsenal of big-name defense attorneys, Morales is digging in for a fight that's been building for almost five years, since the state reached a $17 billion settlement with the tobacco industry while he was attorney general in 1998.
Morales and Houston lawyer Marc Murr are accused of trying to obtain hundreds of millions of dollars for Murr in legal fees resulting from the state settlement. The indictment also alleges that Morales made personal purchases, including a $775,000 house in west Travis County, with campaign contributions and that he lied on a loan application.
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