Put the Hammer in the Slammer!

[Catherine Vincent]

Testimony ends in DeLay's money-laundering trial
By R.G. RATCLIFFE
AUSTIN BUREAU
Nov. 18, 2010, 3:48PM

AUSTIN – Testimony has ended in the political money laundering trial of former U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay.

"That, ladies and gentlemen, is the evidence in the case," visiting state district Judge Pat Priest told the jury.

Closing statements are scheduled for Monday.

DeLay's defense team on Thursday sought to distance him from a meeting on his calendar that was attended by a political aide involved in an alleged political money laundering scheme in 2002.

Two former House aides testified that they did not believe DeLay attended a Sept. 11, 2002, meeting and that it was only on his schedule for informational purposes.

DeLay's defense has been trying to contend that he did not learn about a Sept. 13, 2002, corporate money swap of $190,000 until political aide Jim Ellis told him about it on Oct. 2.

Defense lawyer Dick DeGuerin on Wednesday introduced DeLay's personal schedules to show he did not meet with Ellis during the crucial time period.

But Travis County prosecutors seized on a Sept. 11 meeting on the schedule that showed Ellis in attendance. The meeting was set for 1-2:30 p.m. Documents showed that at 11:58 a.m. Ellis' office received a Federal Express package that contained the blank check used in the transaction

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7300944.html

[veganlush]

1. K&R n/t.

[napi21]

2. Oh how I will party if he goes to prison! He's worse tan Shrub

with his arrogance and seething with the "I can get away with anything" gene! I HOPE,, I HOPE, I HOPE!!!!!

[BrklynLiberal]

3. Few are more deserving of a nice long prison sentence.

I hope it is not in one of those country club prisons.

[toddwv]

4. Did he testify?

I would love to see a perjury charge tacked on because it sounds like his defense is trying to play a little Texas Two-Step. DeLay going to prison would be sweet, having perjury charges tacked on would be pretty sweet.