October 15, 2005
SIMILAR?:
DeLay's prosecutors lack a key document:
They don't have list of candidates at the heart of the laundering case, just a 'similar' one (R.G. RATCLIFFE, 10/14/05, Houston Chronicle )
Travis County prosecutors admitted Friday they lack physical proof of a list of Republican candidates that is at the heart of money-laundering indictments against U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay and two of his associates.The list is key to prosecutors being able to prove that corporate money that could not be legally spent on Texas candidates was specifically exchanged at the national level for donations that legally could be spent on Republican candidates for the Texas House.
Indictments against DeLay, Jim Ellis and John Colyandro state that Ellis gave "a document that contained the names of several candidates for the Texas House" to a Republican National Committee official in 2002 in a scheme to swap $190,000 in restricted corporate money for the same amount of money from individuals that could be legally used by Texas candidates.
But prosecutors said Friday in court that they only had a "similar" list and not the one allegedly received by then-RNC Deputy Director Terry Nelson. Late in the day, they released a list of 17 Republican candidates, but only seven are alleged to have received money in the scheme.
It takes a superhuman effort to make Tom DeLay into a sympathetic figure, but Ronnie Earle appears to have been brought up in Smallville. Posted by Orrin Judd at October 15, 2005 3:51 PM
Why don't they have the list? Surely they could get a copy from Mary Mapes.
Posted by: some random person at October 15, 2005 4:41 PMLord High Prosecutioner:
As some day it may happen that a victim must be found,
I've got a little list--I've got a little list
Of society offenders who might well be underground
Chorus:
He's got 'em on the list--he's got 'em on the list;
And they'll none of 'em be missed--they'll none of 'em be miss'd!
HD,
Or perhaps:
The Inquisition (what a show)
The Inquistion (here we go)
We know you're wishin' that we'd go away.
But the Inquisition's here and it's here to stay!
Maybe Ronnie Jerk should check that infamous KINKO'S?
Posted by: obc at October 15, 2005 8:26 PMRonnie Earle turned Jim Mattox into a sympathetic figure, and Mattox at the time was the most feared and disliked politician in the state as Attorney General seeking to run for governor against the (slightly) more liberal Ann Richards. He's also botched the Bob Bullock and Kay Bailey Hutchison prosecution cases, so what he's doing with DeLay right now is just old hat.
Posted by: John at October 15, 2005 9:19 PMI just read DeLay's motion to quash the indictment (along with a letter to Ronnie Earle from Dick DeGuerin) at PowerLine. Interesting. But the post concluded that the judge hearing the motion is a MoveOn.org supporter. In Texas? Even for Austin, that seems a bit fringe.
Posted by: ratbert at October 17, 2005 11:29 PM