DeLay's Pac: funneled "massive amounts of
secret corporate wealth"
Yahoo News/AP
By LARRY MARGASAK
Associated Press Writer
Wed Sep 28, 4:13 AM ET
WASHINGTON - The Texas grand jury investigating House Majority Leader Tom
DeLay's state political organization was completing its term Wednesday after
demonstrating a recent interest in conspiracy charges that could bring more
indictments.
Lawyers with knowledge of the case said the DeLay defense team was concerned
that the Travis County grand jury might consider counts of conspiracy to
violate the state election code.
Their concern was triggered when similar charges were handed down two weeks
ago in an expanded indictment against two DeLay political associates. The
associates were accused of conspiring to violate the state election code by
using corporate donations for illegal purposes.
House GOP rules require any member of the elected leadership to step down
temporarily if indicted, and it would be up to the rank and file to select an
interim replacement. Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., could make a
recommendation, whether choosing to elevate another member of the leadership or
tapping an alternative to reduce the possibility of a struggle if DeLay were
cleared and then sought to reclaim his post.
The Associated Press spoke to several lawyers familiar with the case, all of
whom requested anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly.
DeLay, R-Texas, said Tuesday that prosecutors have interviewed him. He has
insisted he committed no crimes and says Travis County District Attorney Ronnie
Earle, a Democrat, was pursuing the case for political reasons.
Before the recent conspiracy counts, the investigation was more narrowly
focused on the state election code. By expanding the charges to include
conspiracy, prosecutors made it possible for the grand jury to bring charges
against DeLay. Otherwise, the grand jury would have lacked jurisdiction under
state laws.
Asked Tuesday what he had heard of any late developments, DeLay said
Tuesday, "Not a word."
He also said he earlier "had an interview" with prosecutors, adding,
"everybody knows that."
The 11-term congressman has served as No. 2 in the House GOP leadership for
three years, credited with maintaining iron discipline within the party and
keeping Republicans in control of the chamber. He has retained the loyalty of
most party members despite running into ethical problems last year. In a rare
rebuke of a House leader, the House ethics committee admonished DeLay three
times for pressuring a fellow congressman, involving the Federal Aviation
Administration in a political dispute and discussing energy legislation with
lobbyists at a golf outing.
The grand jury's finale coincides with a wide swath of political trouble for
the GOP. Ethical questions have been raised about stock sales by the Republican
leader of the Senate, Bill Frist, R-Tenn. AndnPresident Bush, an uneasy ally of
DeLay, faces the lowest approval ratings of his presidency.
The Texas grand jury has charged that corporate donations given to Texans
for a Republican Majority Political Action Committee — formed by DeLay
— were used to support state candidates in violation of state law. Texas
law prohibits corporate money to be used to advocate the election or defeat of
candidates; it is allowed only for administrative expenses.
Once DeLay helped Republicans win control of the state Legislature in 2002,
the majority leader engineered a Republican redistricting plan that helped give
the state's U.S. House delegation a 21-11 majority in the current Congress. The
effort helped Republicans increase their House margin by five seats this
year.
Three of DeLay's political associates, the PAC itself, several corporate
donors and a Texas business organization have been indicted, while DeLay has
not.
On Sept. 13, the grand jury re-indicted two of the associates, Jim Ellis and
John Colyandro. The new charges included the criminal conspiracy counts.
The legal sources said that if the case had remained solely under the state
election code, DeLay could only be indicted in his home county, Fort Bend.
The grand jury has charged that Texans for a Republican Majority and the
Texas Association of Business worked together to circumvent the election code
and funnel "massive amounts of secret corporate wealth" into campaigns, said
Earle, the Travis County prosecutor.
Ellis heads DeLay's national political committee, Americans for a Republican
Majority. Colyandro is former executive director of Texans for a Republican
Majority. They had been indicted previously on charges of laundering $190,000
in corporate donations.
The conspiracy counts against Ellis and Colyandro could bring a punishment
of 180 days to 2 years and a fine of up to $10,000.
|