If you haven't been watching the news you might not have heard about former Majority Leader Tom DeLay's legal problems. It seems as if a county district attorney in Texas has it out for 'ol Tom:
Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle acknowledged that prosecutors presented their case to three grand juries - not just the two they had discussed - and one grand jury refused to indict DeLay.
That's three - count 'em - three grand juries. To summarize: Ronnie Early went to grand jury #1. After six months they indicted DeLay on a conspiracy charge, then their term was over. Ronnie then went to grand jury #2 on their last day - they refused to indict DeLay on anything (in most states, when a grand jury fails to indict, you're finished - you can't go to another grad jury. It's a kind of "double jeopardy" thing...) Then Ronnie went to grand jury #3 on their first day, and they indicted DeLay on counts of money laundering.
In addition, the problems here are numerous. Problem #1 is that the campaign finance law that DeLay was indicted for conspiring to ignore was not in place until 2003; the particular transfer of funds he took part of occurred in 2002. Problem #2 is that the statute of limitations on conspiracy in Texas is 15 months. This is why Ronnie went on a grand jury shopping spree - the first indictment meant nothing - other than Delay had to step down as majority leader (which I assume was the idea.)
This is the most shady version of law-mongering to politically attack someone I have ever heard of.
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Friends of both people are calling this a "showdown" (at high noon in the OK corral?) and even friends of Earle are predicting he'll lose on every count. Earle deLayed his retirement for a year to pursue this case and there's nothing there, but he can't let go after making a national scene out of things.
Hmmm...prediction: will the NYT, LA Times, WaPo vindicate DeLay and admit he was harassed or claim he was declared innocent on 'legal technicalities'?
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