Breaking News: Ex-House leader DeLay convicted of money laundering!

Ex-House leader DeLay convicted of money laundering

(Reuters) - Former Republican House majority leader Tom DeLay was found guilty of laundering money on Wednesday, local media reported.

The web site for the Austin American-Statesman reported that DeLay, nicknamed "The Hammer" for his iron control of the Republican caucus in Congress, was accused of conspiring to funnel $190,000 in campaign donations for Republican candidates to the Texas legislature in the 2002 elections.

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The news report I listened to says that the jury is recommending "Life." It's about damn time that a crooked politician actually gets a meaningful sentence!

Good, another crook out of Washington circles, another crook off our streets. This is what I mean when i say corrupt interests corrupt the power government assumes for itself...The money is just too good for many.

I know right? Didn't Delay predict the jury would never convict him? Don't mess with Texas!

It's good - but as yet only small fry compared to other crimes going on in that cess pit. But at least another one bites the dust, thank goodness.

reply to post by SunshineLaws


DeLay is a smug, arrogant little worm.

He and all like him should be dealt with similarly.

More details are coming in:

Republican ex-House leader guilty of money laundering

AUSTIN, Texas — A jury in Texas has convicted former U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay on charges he illegally funneled corporate money to Texas candidates in 2002. Delay was once one of the most powerful Republicans in Congress. He now faces up to life in prison.

Jurors in Austin deliberated for 19 hours before returning guilty verdicts on Wednesday on charges of money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Prosecutors say the former Houston-area congressman used his political action committee to illegally channel $190,000 in corporate donations into Texas legislative races through a money swap.

DeLay and his attorneys maintained no corporate funds went to Texas candidates and the money swap was legal.

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Money swap? Is that what the cool criminals are calling it these days?

Got an email about an hour ago, this news has made my day, Thanksgiving and the whole weekend, hope he rots in jail for the rest of his life.

Too bad they just caught one of them. There are a lot of others laundering kickbacks, donations and lobby money.

Pretty much every senator and state rep ever voted into office.

With a few exceptions but I'd put it at 95% or higher.

One small consolation is that Bush can't commute his sentence like he did for Scooter Libby. I hope "The Hammer" get hammered, and not in a good way.

Why do I get the feeling that he only got convicted because he laundered money for some entity that just wasn't on the list of approved criminals?...like the competition for the approved crimenails, and he was sent down the river for not what he done, what but who he done it for?

...well, i'm not gonna get excited about it... afterall, he could have one of those oh so very convenient heart attacks like ken lay did and spend the rest of his days sunning his ugly self on a beautiful island somewhere in the carribean...

Justice served...I hope! Even without knowing the details of his history, you know how sometimes you can just tell if someone is a jackass, lying 2 facer just by their tone, body language and facial expressions? Well this guy conveys all of this, imo.

DeLay has chosen to have Senior Judge Pat Priest sentence him.

Chose? Hmm, well that's a new one on me I guess.

He faces five years to life in prison on the money laundering charge and two to 20 years on the conspiracy charge. He also would be eligible for probation.

Dang 5 to life? Crazy, but I am guessing he will do the minimum on each for a total of 3 to 5 maybe? What do you think?

Pardon the subtle digression, but the movie about Jack Abramoff came out with Kevin Spacey playing Abramoff and Delay's part is included in the movie. You may be right about him being a scapegoat. 3 to 5 so he can get out and cash in on his offshore taxfree money, yea he'd take the hit.

Abramoff Movie

spec

Meh...even if he somehow gets prison time he'll be pardoned by the next Republican President. He, just like anyone else with power and wealth, will get a slap on the hand compared to what the average schmuck like me would get.

Tom Delay's initial comments are trickling through the blogo-sphere. Guess what? He is shocked! Shocked I tell you!

Before a hushed courtroom, DeLay stood silently as the judge read “guilty” to both charges. After the judge dismissed the jury, he turned and kissed and hugged his wife, who was sitting on the front row. His daughter began to cry.

“It’s okay,” he told them, a somber look on his face.

“I praise the Lord for what’s going on,” he told reporters outside the courtroom a few moments later. “I’m not going to blame anybody.”

He called the prosecution an “abuse of power” and a “miscarriage of justice.”

He complained that the “criminalization of politics undermines our system.”

“I’m very disappointed,” he said. “It is what it is. Maybe we can get it before people who understand the law.”

DeGuerin decried the verdicts as “a terrible miscarriage of justice.”

“To say I’m shocked is an understatement,” he said, promising to appeal the conviction. He and DeLay hinted that they hope the conviction will be overturned on appeal.

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So he praised the Lord, said he wasn't going to blame anyone and then passive-aggressively blamed the jury? There is a lot more information of the events of the day and comments from the prosecution. Interesting read if you are curious.

Delay doing the perp walk would wonderful to see.Being the piece of crap that he is I can see him offer up anyone he can think of if he gets life unless he has a Ken Lay heart attack.

I'd like to see that a-hole marched out in the orange jumpsuit, leg and arm shackles doing the criminal 2 step. He is such a dirty bastard and hopefully justice prevails. He blames the justice system after saying he won't blame anyone.


Sorry Tommy! You rolled the dice too many times. I'll let Kenny Rogers do the rest.

Tom DeLay's sentencing will not be until December. Plus there is a possibility that he may only get probation.

Judge has many options in sentencing DeLay

Before DeLay's inevitable appeal, which his lawyers predict will be a far friendlier process than his trial, he faces sentencing next month from Senior Judge Pat Priest. While technically the money laundering charge carries a punishment of up to life in prison, the judge has wide latitude and could end up just giving him probation.

"It is absolutely impossible he would get anywhere near life," said Philip Hilder, a Houston criminal defense attorney and former federal prosecutor. "It would be a period of a few years, if he gets prison."

Barry Pollack, a Washington-based lawyer who represents clients in white-collar and government corruption cases, said the judge may not feel the need to throw the book at DeLay, figuring the conviction itself is severe punishment for someone who once ascended to the No. 2 post in the House of Representatives.

For example, as a convicted felon, DeLay won't be able to run again for public office or even be able to cast a vote until he completes his sentence.

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I don't believe that the conviction is punishment enough. If they only hit DeLay with probation, where is the deterrent toward ending corruption in Government? This goes against the tenant of all men treated equally under the law. What a bunch of "expletive deleted."