View the full, original indictment document at The Smoking Gun. (More on Delay)
Chris Matthews (aka “Tweety”) calls it what it is: “Money laundering.”
Update [2005-9-28 15:44:26 by susanhu]: Read this excellent piece from ThinkProgress: “The Truth About Ronnie Earle.” It begins with, “EARLE HAS PROSECUTED FOUR TIMES AS MANY DEMOCRATS AS REPUBLICANS: “Over Earle’s 27-year tenure, his Public Integrity Unit has prosecuted 15 elected officials, including 12 Democrats.” [Los Angeles Times, 5/15/05] …” Read all. (Via The Daou Report)
I found the wording, before the Grand Jury Foreman’s signature, to be interesting.
so fucking happy.
Plus I just saw this over on Eschaton.
Here is the full Bloomberg article.
catnip did a diary about that last week. 🙂
I think that was before the SEC had ordered an official probe though, wasn’t it?
I have no idea how all that stuff works.
But what I do know is that having both the House majority leader and Senate majority leader in trouble for their crooked financial dealings has put a perma-smile on my face for the day 😀
I don’t know how all that stuff works either. I just hope they nail Frist to the wall.
Yeah baby! Lucky sevens!
I can’t stop smiling.
hehe christmas has come early this year !
is using the words “money laundering” over and over.
Do y’all think those words resonate with the average American? I hope so.
They have Tweety on this already? Jeez!
I don’t have television piped into my house, so who the hell is tweety.
Like you Booman, I am overwhelmed with joy that Tom “I never met a lobbyist dollar that did not have my name on it” Delay is finally indicted for corruption.
The two wingers I share cubicle space with merely stated the talking points of the koolaid drinkers, it is politically motivated as the DA is a Democrat. I just threw out that he has prosecuted more Dems than Repugs, but they only responded with the Dems are more corrupt then aren’t they. I never learned not to play with Koolaid drinkers. lmao
The Hardball host… Tweety… Though I am not sure why they call him that? lol
Tweety inspired me … see above.
Now I know who tweety is. lmao
should !@#$%& interesting
“I am not a crook”.
You are not old enough to have that particular flashback…lol!
Wanna bet? lol
I’ve got Happy Feet.
I had just put a link up for the documents a few minutes before this diary for PDFs of the documents In your last DeLay diary…
That is ok… I hate PDF file links! These Smoking Gun copies are much better. lol
I keep looking over at that Monkeyluv ad on the right and seeing Bush’s and DeLay’s faces.
James Walter Ellis is also named. Ellis is a Bush family name. Is he connected to BushCo?
I should have asked, Is this Ellis related to the Bush Crime Family?
There was also an Ellis who was a big voice in the Swift Boaters. I never could figure out if he was a Bush relative.
Then there’s the one who worked for Faux News and called the Florida count for cousin Georgie, thus deflecting attention from Gore.
My, they are a group of busy little bees.
I’ve been trying to figure this out, too. George H.W.’s sister Nancy married Alexander B. ELLIS Jr. and they had four kids — Nancy Walker ELLIS, Alexander ELLIS III, John Prescott ELLIS. and Josiah Wear ELLIS.
I believe it was this first-cousin John P. that was at Fox and called the election. I’m still trying to untangle the relationships but I haven’t found Jim W. on the tree yet.
and Ellis is Jebbie’s middle name, right?
Yep. And his son who was recently arrested as well.
From her site:
Washington, D.C. – House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi released the following statement today following the criminal indictment of House Majority Leader Tom DeLay by a Texas grand jury:
“The criminal indictment of Majority Leader Tom Delay is the latest example that Republicans in Congress are plagued by a culture of corruption at the expense of the American people.”
That’s the best she could do? C’mon.
The freepers respond.
Is about Earle convening new grand juries. I am not too clear on the rules and reasons for this. Is it just that there is a limited amount of time for which a GJ can be impaneled? Is there a good link, or more information available on a timeline and the reasons for convening new grand juries? I’d just like to be prepared for this line of argument.
Off to have a shower now.
Best answer I could find…
from http://www.udayton.edu/~grandjur/stategj/termgj.htm
“Alabama, Maine, Maryland, Nebraska, New York, Rhode Island, Tennessee and Texas still use the common law rule, and impanel grand juries which serve during the term of the court that impaneled them.”
I’m not sure what a term is in Texas, but it’s a year (Oct-June/July) for SCOTUS. I’ll check some more when I get a chance.
Check out this Nov 2004 CBS story:
The powerful GOP chieftain is unlikely to be indicted by a state grand jury probing alleged campaign finance violations in Texas, according to an official involved in the investigation.
“No, no, I really don’t think DeLay will be indicted,” the official told CBSNews.com. “And to be quite honest, [DeLay’s] lawyers know that.”
…
Nevertheless, the official familiar with investigation said investigators would have to establish that DeLay “acted to promote” the illegal activity, and that such evidence had not been forthcoming.
“To indict and prosecute someone, we have to be able to show not just that they were aware of something,” the official explained. “We have to show that they engaged in enough conduct to make them party to the offense.”
There were also jurisdictional hurdles, the official said.
“For a penal code offense [such as money laundering] we would have to find something done in Travis County, Texas, to be able to indict,” the officials said. “And [DeLay] wasn’t here very often.”
He wasn’t there very often? That was his defence?
just said “slush fund”
tom delay should be appearing soon
said “corrupt” is one of the worst things to be said of a politician – goes to the core of who a person is.
mentioned the GOP tagline about dem corruption. and now they’re mentioning frist’s stock boondoggle!
booyah, booyah, booyah!
That’s a meme picked up from a WaPo editorial piece today …
“Corruption As Usual,” by Anne Applebaum
Buchanan on Tweety’s show…”It’s the end of Delays Career.” LOVE IT.
One thing that REALLY HELPS is that he has no bluster. He’s quiet-spoken, rather like a mild-mannered, self-effacing preacher.
What’s up with CNN showing a split screen with DeLay on tape in front of some conservative bunch with CNN playing the audio of the applause for DeLay while the TX DA is speaking? That was bizarre.
Catnip, CNN has been ‘winger-ish this morning on this indictment. Boooo.
Then Candy Crowley follows up Earl’s press conf. with “you have a very outspoken prosecutor.”
Candy, you’re so full of … something.
“my heart goes out to tom delay and his family”
apparently, she was indicted as state treasurer by ronnie…and she still got elected?!?!?
wtf?!
delay indicted for distributing corporate money to candidates in the texas legislator in violation of texas law
“criminal conspiracy”
41 indictments…8 corporations and 4 individuals indicted
CNN cut him off for Candy Crowley’s analysis. grrr
Did you hear her excuse Delay because, after all, campaign laws are so complicated and “here we’re talking about STATE campaign laws.”
Well, Candy, I read the indictment, and it seems reallllly easy to even little ol’ me. You can’t take money from corporations for state races … and you can’t launder money from corporations through a front group that then gives the money to state candidates.
That’s pretty darn simple stuff, Candy.
You can send an e-mail too.
I wrote:
TO Candy Crowley:
I heard you partly excuse Delay because, after all, campaign laws are so complicated and “here we’re talking about STATE campaign laws.”
Well, Candy, I read the indictment, and it seems really easy to even little ol’ me. You can’t take money from corporations for state races … and you can’t launder money from corporations through a front group that then gives the money to state candidates.
That’s pretty darn simple stuff, Candy.
(And, frankly, we bloggers have been disappointed in the tone of the coverage by CNN this morning. The repeated references to Ronnie Earle as a partisan without any balanced reference to the clear violations of Texas state law, are most disappointing.)
campaign finance law we have — no corporate $$ to candidates? Did ya’ll hear Randi Rhodes going off on the CNN explanation with the CUPS?? Sorry, I missed that – NOT! How fucking stupid does CNN think we are?
“earle is a democratic DA, but he has also prosecuted democrats. we should mention that.”
“delay has been the spearhead in a movement…to give money to R candidates in the state.” gave republicans a majority in the house
“hard to overestimate delays’ role in TX and federal politics”
get off your ass
there’s more to come
Hey Ho
he’s got to go
and Cheney too
and Frist heave-ho!
The GOP
is toast is toast is toast is toast!
Ding dong DeLay is cooked
he’s a crook
And Abramoff
can’t get him off…
No-no! What crooked old souls!
Ding-Dong W,
We’re comin’ for you.
You know it’s true.
Your time is due.
Hey, ho!
It’s time to go
Pack your bags
With corporate cash
Your indicted ass
Is grass, is grass, is grass, is grass!
(with apogies to Arlen/Harburg)
shame on msnbc for pushing the earle/partisan nonsense – let them hear from us! i just heard “rogue prosecutor” – grrr!
delay is toast, innocent or not – no longer an effective leader
just said “earle is a vicious partisan”
Raw Story is running with this headline about Dreier: Gay Republican set to become House Majority Leader
DeLay is using every possible attack against Earle that Rove has ever fashioned for use against enemies.
PRICELESS!
But – Holy Depositions, Batman.
Since these corporations were named in the indictment corporate records – including computer (e.g., email) – can be demanded and contempt of court sentences can be handed down if they are not produced. I think, subject to correction, any further wrongdoing can trigger further indictments and spawn further investigations.
The whole Republican K-Street infrastructure is now capable of being cracked.
“blatant political partisanship…a rogue prosecuter is charging me…blahyblahblah”
“one of teh weakest most baseless indictments in the history of this country”
“coordinated, pre-meditated campaign of political retribution”
“earle abusing the power of his office to exact personal revenge” for the part i played in texas 2002
“it became clear the retibution for our success would be ferocious”
earle: “unabashed partisan zealot”
“has gone out of his way to give interviews from his office…on the days he actually comes to the office…in which he has singled me out for personal attacks”
“i will temporarily step aside as majority leader in order to win exoneration from these baseless charges…i have done nothing wrong, i have violated no law, no regulation…”
“i have done nothing unlawful, nothing illegal, and nothing, i might add, unprecedented”
: p
egggscellent! 🙂
I’m not Catnip but I play one with my cats …
That was VERY good! You type fast and well, Cedwyn.
but I thought it rocked Cedwyn! Stuck in cubicle hell, you have no idea how invaluable the quotes are to the Dilberts of the world.
Paz,
i’m on such an adrenaline rush, there’s no way in hell i’d remember any of it. i already don’t. but now it’s recorded in the internets for all posterity!
the Clintons.
Drudge has the statement released from DeLay’s office:
“These charges have no basis in the facts or the law. This is just another example of Ronnie Earle misusing his office for partisan vendettas. Despite the clearly political agenda of this prosecutor, Congressman DeLay has cooperated with officials throughout the entire process. Even in the last two weeks, Ronnie Earle himself had acknowledged publicly that Mr. DeLay was not a target of his investigation. However, as with many of Ronnie Earle’s previous partisan investigations, Ronnie Earle refused to let the facts or the law get in the way of his partisan desire to indict a political foe.
This purely political investigation has been marked by illegal grand jury leaks, a fundraising speech by Ronnie Earle for Texas Democrats that inappropriately focused on the investigation, misuse of his office for partisan purposes, and extortion of money for Earle’s pet projects from corporations in exchange for dismissing indictments he brought against them. Ronnie Earle’s previous misuse of his office has resulted in failed prosecutions and we trust his partisan grandstanding will strike out again, as it should.
Ronnie Earle’s 1994 indictment against Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison was quickly dismissed and his charges in the 1980s against former Attorney General Jim Mattox-another political foe of Earle-fell apart at trial.
We regret the people of Texas will once again have their taxpayer dollars wasted on Ronnie Earle’s pursuit of headlines and political paybacks. Ronnie Earle began this investigation in 2002, after the Democrat Party lost the Texas state legislature to Republicans. For three years and through numerous grand juries, Ronnie Earle has tried to manufacture charges against Republicans involved in winning those elections using arcane statutes never before utilized in a case in the state. This indictment is nothing more than prosecutorial retribution by a partisan Democrat.”
NOTE TO SELF:
It’s Dreier not Dryer or Drier.
David Dreier
David Dreier
David Dreier
David Dreier
David Dreier
David Dreier
David Dreier
David Dreier
David Dreier
Got it.
There’s a copy of the damned check in the indictment!! I can’t believe it — take THAT DeLay!
But it makes me even more annoyed at the news coverage. Having them intoning about how it’s only a charge and the evidence won’t come out until trial is a bit disingenuous to say the least when the indictment includes a copy of the check. At the very least the news should be detailing the case as outlined in the paperwork.
Attack Earle all you like, DeLay, but remember this: you were indicted by a grand jury, not Mr Earle. The grand jury weighed all of the evidence and brought down the indictment, not Mr Earle. The grand jury made this judgment, not Mr Earle. So, unless you’re willing to attack each and every member of that grand jury as viciously as you have continually attacked Mr Earle, I’d suggest you get off your high horse and get humble real quick. The callousness of the words you used against Mr Earle paint a picture of a man who is extremely defensive – not innocent as you claim to be, DeLay. Face it, you are toast.
I am very familiar with two of his lawyers, who are THE go-to guys for federal drug case defendants in Austin. Pay the fee up front, in cash, ‘cuz where you’re going, you won’t be earning any more of it! I’ll say this– the trial should be most popcorn-worthy!
we want a trial right away…we want a trial by the end of the year…Earle is trying to destroy DeLay…mark my words when we go to trial – if we even get to trial because a fair judge may throw this out, we will (?)…
meme: Tom DeLay did nothing wrong
according to CNN…coming up…
DELAY INDICTED
Great example of what goes around comes around.
Is it my imagination or are people not walking close to Delay? Check the look on the man’s face, the man behind and left of Delay.
from a native texan about delay’s carnival of corruption:
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2005/3/10/115834/310