Republican mischief in Texas

[johnfunk]

In a continuing investigation, a grand jury indicts three of Tom DeLay's top fundraising associates and a handful of companies for money laundering and other felonies.
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By Jake Bernstein and Dave Mann

Sept. 22, 2004 /salon.com/ Tom DeLay's name did not appear anywhere in the 32 indictments returned by a Travis County, Texas, grand jury on Tuesday. But the reach of the U.S. House majority leader from Sugar Land seemed to be everywhere. Among the indicted were two of DeLay's top associates and a handful of his closest corporate allies.

The charges relate to a coordinated Republican campaign to influence state races in Texas in 2002. The effort, led in part by a DeLay-founded political action committee called Texans for a Republican Majority, funneled corporate money into key races that year. It has been illegal to use corporate money to influence the outcome of an election in Texas since 1907. Nonetheless, TRM raised about $600,000 from corporate donors to help 20 handpicked Republican candidates. Sixteen won their elections, transforming the Texas Legislature and ensuring the passage of DeLay's desired mid-decade congressional redistricting in 2003.

Two of those indicted, James Ellis and Warren Robold, are longtime DeLay associates. Ellis is charged with one count of money laundering. The Virginia-based consultant serves as executive director of DeLay's national PAC, Americans for a Republican Majority.

Continued here.

[Trajan]

1. I am delighted to know ....

That the rest of the free world is discovering what we already know: Tom Delay is political slime of the worst ilk ...

[Dover]

2. I wonder if they would call illegal activities by gangsters "mischief" ?

That is essentially what this headline does.

And I think that those who won elections with this illegal money ought to be relieved of their positions. Otherwise, it still pays to cheat.

And can Bush pardon them before leaving office?

[loathesomeshrub]

3. He can pardon any one he wants. That is why its best that no one be

indicted until after we win this election, so that they can all pay!!

[TahitiNut]

7. An indictment is NOT a prerequisite for a pardon.

It makes no difference when a person is indicted, or even whether they are, for a pardon to be granted. Some pResidential pardons are preemptive - they can cover "all activities" within a time period or in association with certain events. If and when Dimson is defeated, the holiday pardons list will be enough to gag a maggot.

[donkeyotay]

4. Not mischief: stealing an election is a republican crime

Writing ditties in the john is mischief. Stealing elections is crime. Why do so many people choke on putting the two words together? It's Republican crime. It's a corporate crime wave. It's the folks who are stealing your representative government, while distracting you with a bunch of hooey about how moral they are. They're con-men. Conservative crooks. Republican gangsters.

[yorgatron]

5. MISCHIEF???

:wtf: how about CRIMES? or ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES? or LAWBREAKING?

[TankLV]

6. No Big Deal - apparently.

So far no penalties and the fines - if any - will be extremely minor.

The only fair and just penalty would be to null and void the election - but that won't happen.

Any fines will be paid and the criminals will keep their new seats - with the added bonus of incombancy. Just the added (small) prudent price for an election.

Anything the justice system dishes out will not be a deterrent to this sort of thing, and, more importantly, now that they got caught and will get away with it, it will encourage more of the same.

I really believe the Democrats need to do this and then some - pay the fines and keep the seats we'll gain - that is the new way the game is played, after all, isn't it?!