Republican fund-raising leads
to indictments of 3 DeLay aides
From the Houston Chronicle:
A Travis County grand jury today returned 32 indictments related to Republican political fund-raising activity in 2002, including charges against three top aides to U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay.
The grand jury returned indictments against DeLay political aide Jim Ellis and fund-raiser Warren RoBold and John Colyandro, who was executive director of DeLay's political action committee Texans for a Republican Majority. Colyandro faces 14 charges, RoBold was named in nine charges, and Ellis was named in one.
Colyandro and Ellis were indicted once each on a charge of felony money laundering.
They are accused of taking $190,000 in corporate money raised by the political action committee and giving it to the Republican National State Elections Committee. That committee in turn gave a like amount of legal donations to seven Texas House candidates.
The grand jury also returned indictments against corporate donors Sears Roebuck and Co., Westar Energy Inc., the Williams Cos., Questerra Corp., Diversified Collection Services, Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Bacardi U.S.A. and the Alliance for Quality Nursing Home Care.
Click here for the rest.
What was it that the mob informer in Godfather II laughingly called the figure head mobsters insulating Michael Corleone from prosecution? "Buffers," I think it was.
It looks like they managed to get the goods on some of Don DeLay's "buffers," not to mention some of his sleazy corporate accomplices. But has the Lizard King really gotten off scot-free? Maybe from the Travis County District Attorney, but there's another investigation going on, and they're about to decide whether to take it to the next level.
From the AP via the Houston Chronicle:
Ethics committee ends fact-finding in DeLay case
House ethics committee leaders said Monday they soon will present the panel with information on Majority Leader Tom DeLay's conduct and recommend whether to undertake a full investigation.
And
Two allegations directly involve use of DeLay's congressional office.
One accuses the Texas Republican of soliciting corporate contributions in return for help on legislation. A second contends he improperly used his staff to contact U.S. aviation authorities and ask them to track down Texas Democratic legislators who had fled the state while trying to thwart a DeLay-backed redistricting plan.
The third allegation accuses DeLay of using his political action committees to distribute money from corporations to Texas legislative candidates in violation of state law.
DeLay has replied to the committee, but has not released his response publicly.
Click here for the rest.
Here's hoping they do the right thing.
to indictments of 3 DeLay aides
From the Houston Chronicle:
A Travis County grand jury today returned 32 indictments related to Republican political fund-raising activity in 2002, including charges against three top aides to U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay.
The grand jury returned indictments against DeLay political aide Jim Ellis and fund-raiser Warren RoBold and John Colyandro, who was executive director of DeLay's political action committee Texans for a Republican Majority. Colyandro faces 14 charges, RoBold was named in nine charges, and Ellis was named in one.
Colyandro and Ellis were indicted once each on a charge of felony money laundering.
They are accused of taking $190,000 in corporate money raised by the political action committee and giving it to the Republican National State Elections Committee. That committee in turn gave a like amount of legal donations to seven Texas House candidates.
The grand jury also returned indictments against corporate donors Sears Roebuck and Co., Westar Energy Inc., the Williams Cos., Questerra Corp., Diversified Collection Services, Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Bacardi U.S.A. and the Alliance for Quality Nursing Home Care.
Click here for the rest.
What was it that the mob informer in Godfather II laughingly called the figure head mobsters insulating Michael Corleone from prosecution? "Buffers," I think it was.
It looks like they managed to get the goods on some of Don DeLay's "buffers," not to mention some of his sleazy corporate accomplices. But has the Lizard King really gotten off scot-free? Maybe from the Travis County District Attorney, but there's another investigation going on, and they're about to decide whether to take it to the next level.
From the AP via the Houston Chronicle:
Ethics committee ends fact-finding in DeLay case
House ethics committee leaders said Monday they soon will present the panel with information on Majority Leader Tom DeLay's conduct and recommend whether to undertake a full investigation.
And
Two allegations directly involve use of DeLay's congressional office.
One accuses the Texas Republican of soliciting corporate contributions in return for help on legislation. A second contends he improperly used his staff to contact U.S. aviation authorities and ask them to track down Texas Democratic legislators who had fled the state while trying to thwart a DeLay-backed redistricting plan.
The third allegation accuses DeLay of using his political action committees to distribute money from corporations to Texas legislative candidates in violation of state law.
DeLay has replied to the committee, but has not released his response publicly.
Click here for the rest.
Here's hoping they do the right thing.
House Majority Leader DeLay
He sure does look like a lizard, don't he?
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
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