White_Male_Canada
06-27-2007, 08:19 PM
Associated Press
25 minutes ago
AUSTIN, Texas - The state's highest criminal court on Wednesday refused to reinstate a dropped conspiracy charge against former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay.
Two charges — money laundering and conspiring to launder money — remain against the former congressman. He resigned last year amid allegations that he violated campaign finance laws to funnel $190,000 in corporate contributions to Republicans in the state's 2002 legislative elections.
The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals ruled 5-4 against reinstating a count of conspiracy to violate the state's election code.
A state district judge threw out that charge in December 2005 after defense lawyers argued that the law DeLay was accused of violating didn't take effect until 2003. A regional appeals court upheld the judge's decision.
DeLay's attorney, Dick DeGuerin, said he was pleased with Wednesday's ruling but sorry that it took so long.
"Ronnie Earle indicted Tom DeLay for a crime that didn't exist, wasn't on the books," DeGuerin said.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070627/ap_on_re_us/delay_indictment
25 minutes ago
AUSTIN, Texas - The state's highest criminal court on Wednesday refused to reinstate a dropped conspiracy charge against former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay.
Two charges — money laundering and conspiring to launder money — remain against the former congressman. He resigned last year amid allegations that he violated campaign finance laws to funnel $190,000 in corporate contributions to Republicans in the state's 2002 legislative elections.
The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals ruled 5-4 against reinstating a count of conspiracy to violate the state's election code.
A state district judge threw out that charge in December 2005 after defense lawyers argued that the law DeLay was accused of violating didn't take effect until 2003. A regional appeals court upheld the judge's decision.
DeLay's attorney, Dick DeGuerin, said he was pleased with Wednesday's ruling but sorry that it took so long.
"Ronnie Earle indicted Tom DeLay for a crime that didn't exist, wasn't on the books," DeGuerin said.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070627/ap_on_re_us/delay_indictment