Appeals court says money-laundering law applies in case involving DeLay associates

[Ian David]

Source: The Statesman

By Chuck Lindell | Wednesday, April 28, 2010, 11:15 AM

The Austin appeals court erred in deciding that the state’s money-laundering statute - used to prosecute associates of former U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay - did not apply to transfers made via checks, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals ruled today.

The court’s 9-0 decision also upheld the state’s election laws prohibiting corporations from making political contributions to candidates. DeLay’s associates - John Colyandro and Jim Ellis - had challenged the law as an unconstitutional infringement on First Amendment rights.

In 2002, the Public Integrity Section of the Travis County District charged Colyandro - working on behalf of Texans for a Republican Majority PAC - with accepting political contributions from corporations.

Colyandro and Ellis also were charged with money laundering by transferring $190,000 in corporate contributions to the Republican National Committee by a check, with a similar amount later returned to the state organization.



Read more: http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/courts/entries/2010/04/28/appeals_court_says_moneylaunde.html

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Hat-tip to: http://twitter.com/jazgar/status/13028029773


See also:

Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Rejects DeLay Associates' Appeal
by: Matt Glazer
Wed Apr 28, 2010 at 01:01 PM CDT

<snip>

The men asked the trial court to dismiss the charges, arguing the money-laundering statute was unconstitutionally vague if it were interpreted to apply to transactions involving something other than cash, including checks.

Texans for Public Justice chimed in, releasing the following e-mail moments after the decision was made.

Texas' highest criminal court today unanimously rejected arguments by co-indicted associates of Tom DeLay that the state money laundering statutes do not apply to checks. DeLay aides John Colyandro and Jim Ellis were seeking to dismiss felony money-laundering indictments. A ruling in their favor likely would have resulted in the dismissal of Tom DeLay's indictment as well. Instead, the trial court will now proceed with the case against all three defendants.

<snip>

For the national readers, this was one of the last remaining roadblocks in the DeLay trials. This case is now nearly a decade old, so it will be interesting to see what happens next.

More:
http://www.burntorangereport.com/diary/10305/texas-court-of-criminal-appeals-rejects-delay-associates-appeal

[mikelgb]

1. an oldie but a goodie:

[Ian David]

2. LOL n/t

[tomm2thumbs]

3. let's see him dance his way out of this one

[Lone_Star_Dem]

4. They're all three going to raise constitutional issues in a federal court now

This isn't over yet. :(

[Liberation Angel]

5. Wait til the money laundering involving Mitt Romney's main financial guy comes out: Indian Casinos

This stuff is under the radar right now but it will come out. The lobbyist behind Romney is a Bush operative who ran the Native gaming concession/lobbying ops. Donations, offshore banks (the Maldives or Marianas.) Asian Banking ops also controlling casinos, all sorts of juicy stuff will come out.

Keep aware that after 9-11 Bush allowed corporations with Homeland security contracts to put their money into offshore tax havens (Clinton had shut them down) This makes covert and deadly political/military ops possible globally with money from drugs, human sex trafficking, illegal nuclear waste disposal - and online casinos make all this efficiently conducted with a cell phone.

Creeps me out even talking about it.

But you may have heard it here first.

Romney's guy (the lobbyist he flipped out about in 2008) is the one to watch. He's a Bushbot and knows where all the bodies are. Romney is their pawn.

[keopeli]

6. Name, link, anything? It's such an interesting story, but give us more than "Romney's guy", please..

[Liberation Angel]

8. You can start here (link) for more on the Romney/Bush connection

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/fact-checker/2008/01/lobbyists_for_mitt.html

Google Romney Lobbyist for more

or

Romney

Lobbyist
"Indian Gaming"

This is interesting too:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:RAUEaV_Vr7kJ:www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3D-YbCiULDBLo%26feature%3Dyoutube_gdata+romney+lobbyist+%22indian+gaming%22&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=safari

[Ian David]

10. Let me know if/when "Ignored" delivers. n/t

[WhiteTara]

7. details please

along with a link or two. I want to know more!

[1955doubledie]

9. k&r

nt