DeLay trial to look at 2003 Texas redistricting

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

DeLay trial to look at 2003 Texas redistricting
By Juan A. Lozano, Associated Press – 21 mins ago

AUSTIN, Texas – The 2003 congressional redistricting fight in Texas was expected to be one of the last things prosecutors focused on in the Tom DeLay money laundering trial before wrapping up their case against the former U.S. House majority leader.

DeLay is accused of using his political action committee to illegally funnel $190,000 in corporate funds into Texas legislative races in 2002. Prosecutors claim the redistricting effort was the primary motive for the alleged scheme.

Prosecutors allege the $190,000 helped Republicans take control of the Texas House in 2002. That majority allowed the GOP to push through a Delay-engineered congressional redistricting plan that sent more Texas Republicans to Congress in 2004, and strengthened DeLay's political power, prosecutors said.

Senior Judge Pat Priest said he is allowing testimony that puts the redistricting effort into historical context but doesn't comment on the politics behind it. One to two were to testify on Tuesday about the effort.




Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101116/ap_on_re_us/us_delay_trial

[rasputin1952]

1. Wow...heck of a possible sentence...

"The former Houston-area congressman is charged with money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering. He faces up to life in prison if convicted."

I'm all for DeLay going to prison, but when murders and rapists don't get sentences that long, it makes me wonder about what the sentencing guidelines are.

[sofa king]

9. Manipulating the proper representation of the people should be among the highest of crimes.

If DeLay gets away with a hand-slap, which he will, it will only encourage others to do it again in a couple short years.

But people fought and died to guarantee our right to vote, and Tom DeLay messed with that, so yes he should be put away forever.

[rasputin1952]

10. Don't get me wrong...

I despise DeLay, as far as I'm concerned he's a traitor...life in prison would be fine by me, I don't think he'd last that long in prison anyway.

[pacalo]

2. It's going to be tricky explaining the history of the redistricting scheme

when the judge allows no comments about the politics behind it.

Will the prosecutor be able to show evidence that the Democrats had to resort to getting out of town in a stealthily manner in protest of being forced to vote for the rigged plan? I hope so.

[Judi Lynn]

3. Thanks for reminding DU'ers of that. Had totally forgotten. Unbelievable moment in history.

Here's a reference from Salon to further remind people:

Thursday, May 15, 2003 16:21 ET
Democrats stage a Lone Star revolt
As former Houston bug man Tom DeLay and the Texas Republicans use nasty tricks to consolidate their power, the Democrats are fighting fire with fire.
By Andrew Nelson

ALPINE, Texas -- As U.S. Special Forces scour Iraq for Baath Party poohbahs, Lone Star State Republicans are gunning for their own political outlaws. They've even published a card deck illustrated with the portraits of the evildoers.

Their quarry? Fugitive Democratic legislators, without whom the Republicans can't rule Texas. The Dems are on the lam in order to derail a congressional redistricting plan widely credited to U.S. House Majority Leader Tom "The Hammer" DeLay, the former Houston exterminator who's now one of the most powerful and relentless politicians in Washington.

Hogtied for the moment, and still well short of victory, angry Republican legislators have taken to calling their colleagues the "Chicken D's" for leaving Austin. New GOP Gov. Rick Perry unsuccessfully dispatched state troopers to find the wayward pols, arrest them, and drag them back across the border. DeLay, calling the Democrats "cowards," investigated putting federal agents on their tails. If so, FBI agents would stop hunting al-Qaida and instead try to smoke out security threats hailing from San Antonio, Fort Worth and El Paso, instead.

~snip~
DeLay waded into the dust-up on Tuesday. The irritated majority leader ordered staffers to see whether the FBI might be brought in to arrest the absent Democrats.

More:
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2003/05/15/texas

[pacalo]

8. Oh, I hope the prosecution gets him convicted. It's the bullies who are cowards.

I do wonder if the Citizens' United decision may factor into the trial. I haven't read it, so now may be a good time to do it. :)

[progressoid]

4. "funnel $190,000 in corporate funds into Texas legislative races..."

Don't worry GOP, soon the Supreme Court will legalize that too.

[hughee99]

7. Perhaps it will be a bipartisan effort...

Rep. Tierney could take up the cause as his wife has recently plead guilty to money laundering, and is scheduled to be sentenced next year.

[Old Codger]

5. I don't

Really care how long he is in prison, hopefully quite a while though... Need to send a serious message with this trial.... But it's main focus should really be pointing out how seriously we need to re-vamp election financing.. Big money has way too much influence....

[NBachers]

6. Just in time for the new redistricting atrocities coming right up