State appellate court sides with DeLay

[Avalux]

The State Third Court of Appeals handed U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay a victory this morning, affirming a trial judge's decision to throw out one of two felony indictments against him.

The Sugar Land Republican, who has announced he plans to retire from Congress, still faces money-laundering charges. But the appellate court said Judge Pat Priest was correct to dismiss an indictment accusing DeLay and two associates of conspiring to violate the state election laws.

Priest ruled last year that the state's conspiracy statute did not apply to the election code until Sept. 1, 2005 — long after DeLay was accused of laundering corporate money into political donations for the 2002 legislative elections.

DeLay's lawyer Dick DeGuerin said he expected prosecutors would appeal: "I wouldn't be surprised if Ronnie Earle (Travis County district attorney) didn't continue to drag this thing out."

http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/04/20delay.html

[partylessinOhio]

1. Disgusting news, but not unexpected.

It seems that all the crooks and liars are going to skate.

[Demit]

2. looks like DeLay gets grandfathered (godfathered?) in.

Oh, well. Don't think he can beat the other indictment. (Fingers crossed.) Even if he's convicted on only one charge, he'll still be a convicted felon. And it couldn't happen to a sleazier, snakier guy.

[rodeodance]

3. drats. gotta make this last one stick. Stick to it Earl

[meow2u3]

4. This was the ex post facto case

Unfortunately--and disgustingly--this was the right call.

What if it were one of our guys facing charges for something that wasn't a crime when he or she did it?

[truthisfreedom]

5. it's done its job. he is out. that's what Earl needed to accomplish.,.

get the corrupt mo-fo out.

[gratuitous]

6. Still leaves the money-laundering charge

And DeLay's still got a snootful of trouble waiting for him from his dealings with Mr. Abramoff.

[Tiggeroshii]

7. They'll appeal nt

[Judi Lynn]

8. More on charges against Delay:Appeals court backs ruling in DeLay case

April 20, 2006, 7:28AM
Appeals court backs ruling in DeLay case
Decision tosses some charges, but others are upheld


By R.G. RATCLIFFE
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle Austin Bureau

AUSTIN - A state appeals court Wednesday upheld a district judge's decision to throw out charges against U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay of conspiring to violate Texas election law, but the ruling only moved DeLay slightly closer to standing trial on other charges.

The Texas 3rd Court of Appeals upheld Senior District Judge Pat Priest's December ruling tossing out charges against DeLay that accused him of conspiracy to violate the state election code. The charges related to how a political committee he founded spent corporate money in the 2002 elections.

Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle is expected to appeal the case again to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, further postponing DeLay's attempts to get his case before a jury on separate money laundering charges. Earle's office said he is still studying the ruling before deciding whether to appeal further.

Earle had appealed Priest's ruling in December, halting the criminal proceedings against DeLay until the dispute over the judge's ruling is settled.
(snip/...)

http://chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/3806173.html