Crime

Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay Gets 3 Years in Prison

Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay Gets 3 Years in PrisonAUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A judge ordered former U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay to serve three years in prison Monday for his role in a scheme to illegally funnel corporate money to Texas candidates in 2002.

The sentence comes after a jury in November convicted DeLay on charges of money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering. DeLay was once one of the most powerful men in U.S. politics, ascending to the No. 2 job in the House of Representatives.

Senior Judge Pat Priest sentenced him to the three-year term on the conspiracy charge. He also sentenced him to five years in prison on the money laundering charge but allowed DeLay to accept 10 years of probation instead of more prison time.

The former Houston-area congressman had faced up to life in prison. His attorneys asked for probation.

Senior Judge Pat Priest issued his ruling after a brief sentencing hearing on Monday in which former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert testified on DeLay’s behalf.

Prosecutors attempted to present only one witness at the hearing, Peter Cloeren, a Southeast Texas businessman who claimed DeLay had urged him in 1996 to evade campaign finance laws in a separate case. Prosecutors said the case was similar to the one DeLay was being sentenced for.

But not long after Cloeren began testifying, Senior Judge Pat Priest declined to hear the testimony, saying prosecutors couldn‘t prove the businessman’s claims beyond a reasonable doubt.

“You lose. I will not hear this testimony,” Priest said after agreeing with DeLay’s attorneys, who objected to the testimony, saying the former lawmaker was not criminally charged in the case. Cloeren pleaded guilty to directing illegal corporate money into the 1996 congressional campaign of an East Texas candidate.

DeLay’s attorneys had indicated they would have up to nine witnesses but decided to present only Hastert.

Hastert, an Illinois Republican who was House speaker from 1999 to 2006, testified that DeLay was not motivated by power but for a need to help others. Hastert talked about DeLay’s conservative and religious values, his efforts to provide tax relief for his constituents in Texas, his work helping foster children and the help he provided to the family of one of the police officers who was killed in a 1998 shooting at the U.S. Capitol in Washington.

“That’s the real Tom DeLay that a lot of people never got to see,” Hastert said.

Lead prosecutor Gary Cobb asked Hastert if one of DeLay’s religious and conservative values was taking acceptance for doing wrong. Hastert said he hasn’t personally heard DeLay take responsibility for the actions that resulted in his conviction.

DeLay’s lawyers have also submitted more than 30 character and support letters from friends and political leaders, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and eight current U.S. congressmen. Most of the letters ask for leniency in the sentencing.

DeLay was once one of the most powerful men in U.S. politics, holding the No. 2 job in the House of Representatives.

After a month-long trial in November, a jury determined that he conspired with two associates to use his Texas-based political action committee to send $190,000 in corporate money to an arm of the Washington-based Republican National Committee. The RNC then sent the same amount to seven Texas House candidates. Under Texas law, corporate money can’t go directly to political campaigns.

Prosecutors claim the money helped Republicans take control of the Texas House. That enabled the Republican majority to push through a Delay-engineered congressional redistricting plan that sent more Texas Republicans to Congress in 2004, strengthening DeLay’s political power.

DeLay contended the charges were politically motivated and the money swap in question was legal. DeGuerin says DeLay committed no crime and believes the convictions will be overturned on appeal.

Comments (80)

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  • rondo
    Posted on January 10, 2011 at 5:08pm

    IS TOM REALLY GUILTY;

    Can someone tell me if Tom is really guilty I am confused best I can tell from news articles is he didn’t do anything illegal if so why is he going to jail ????????????????????????

    Report Post »  
    • rojotx
      Posted on January 12, 2011 at 1:02am

      Rondo see Dale’s comment above. it was not illegal at the time!

      Report Post » rojotx  
  • GoingBeck
    Posted on January 10, 2011 at 4:59pm

    It is comforting to know that, contrary to what I previously thought,
    congressmen can indeed be prosecuted. Let’s bring as many up
    on charges as warrants.

    Report Post »  
    • ALMOSTLOST
      Posted on January 11, 2011 at 12:57am

      you are so right my friend! and i mean correct.now need for sides on this one

      Report Post »  
  • LVMerrily
    Posted on January 10, 2011 at 4:58pm

    Secret funneling money to political campaigns is illegal? . . . where is the investigation of TIDES FOUNDATION, MOVEON.ORG and George Soros and John Podesta? Are the donations to these front groups tax deductible?

    Report Post »  
  • snuss
    Posted on January 10, 2011 at 4:56pm

    I lived in a district were my wife and I could vote for Tom DeLay. We always thought he was a stand up man that represented us his constituents. Texas Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle led to the indictment of Tom DeLay in 2005. The first grand jury no billed meaning they threw it out. Texas Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle wouldn’t allow that and hand picked a grand jury that would give him the ruling he was after, Did I mention Texas Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle is a democrat.

    Tom DeLay was railroaded Texas Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle that never failed to charge anyone in political power that was a member of the Republican party.

    This whole thing stinks of politics at the lowest level.

    Report Post »  
    • casey m cummings
      Posted on January 10, 2011 at 9:16pm

      Snuss. I see it that way also. Kinda reminds me of the hair splitting that took place in the Scooter Libby fiasco.

      Report Post »  
  • 1minuteman
    Posted on January 10, 2011 at 4:46pm

    i have no proof but the amount of money obama had during his presidential run was an incredible amount. i saw on different websites that said he got alot of money from foreign countries and places like gaza strip (palestinians). then you get into the money he supposedly funneled to acorn and palestinians. again i cant proof it but then no one has investigated it yet. im hoping darrel issa of california gets half the investigations he wants and then things might get very interesting.

    Report Post » 1minuteman  
  • kryptonite
    Posted on January 10, 2011 at 4:44pm

    BOOGER,
    The princess lost her crown. \:D/

    Report Post »  
  • TheLascone
    Posted on January 10, 2011 at 4:39pm

    Sorry Tom ……

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/23630227@N06/5297694464/in/photostream/

    Report Post » TheLascone  
  • natstew
    Posted on January 10, 2011 at 4:31pm

    This is a miscarraige of justice at it’s worse!

    Report Post »  
  • red penny
    Posted on January 10, 2011 at 4:28pm

    Sounds like 3 years is a pretty stiff sentence.Don’t know all the details but if he is actually guilty and not a victim of political “gottcha” then he should do the time but much less than 3 years.This case and others should tell the powers that be that a severe change in campaign finance is needed.

    Report Post »  
  • Bullion Luminary
    Posted on January 10, 2011 at 4:13pm

    I guess he will be dancing his hot pants all the way down to the Federal Pin…What an idiot, have fun for 3 years.

    Report Post »  
  • msmumr
    Posted on January 10, 2011 at 4:12pm

    Convictions under the law where your political opponents have control of the prosecutor’s political future are inherently suspect, eg, Alaska’s Sen. Stevens, where the other party wanted a key senator removed, and couldn’t get it done in the ballot box. It’s cases like these that create“public disrespect” for the law.

    Report Post »  
  • scguitar
    Posted on January 10, 2011 at 4:06pm

    If this guy was only a democrat. He would be walking away clean

    Report Post »  
  • flagbearer
    Posted on January 10, 2011 at 4:05pm

    If he truly did this, then he broke the law and has consequences for his actions. With that said, I think this whole incident should bring light to the fact that we desperately need campaign finance reform. Until we get our politicians to do what should be done, we will see people of all parties guilty of “bending” or completely breaking laws. Campaigns are too costly, and as a result it 1) limits who can run only to extremely wealthy individuals and 2) promotes corruptness in government by having “strings” attached to any and all donations. Reform is needed.

    Report Post »  
    • APatriotFirst
      Posted on January 10, 2011 at 4:43pm

      Is hard to break a law that did not exist at the time of a so called crime being commited.

      Report Post »  
  • Liberty7
    Posted on January 10, 2011 at 4:02pm

    This is a prime example of the criminalization of politics. If my memory serves me well, I think the DA had to present his evidence to six different grand juries before he got an indictment. I hope, for the benefit of Democrats and Republicans, Delay wins his case on appeal.

    Report Post »  
  • Chalon Hutson
    Posted on January 10, 2011 at 4:01pm

    Oh my gosh, the what is this world coming to? ? Birds are falling out of the sky dead, politicians are actually being convicted of being corrupt; what next?

    Report Post » Chalon Hutson  
  • Retired USNCPO
    Posted on January 10, 2011 at 3:59pm

    I would like to see what happens on appeal. Hardly as undignified an action as Duke Cunningham’s bribery case, in fact it sounds more in line with what Maxine Waters did.

    Report Post »  
  • mr-macho-marine
    Posted on January 10, 2011 at 3:57pm

    Won’t do even a day !

    Report Post »  
    • Proud Navy Dad
      Posted on January 10, 2011 at 4:24pm

      Well said brother ! if it would had been us, they would have thrown away the key and pump daylight to the rest of us.

      Report Post » Proud Navy Dad  
  • LifeProject2012
    Posted on January 10, 2011 at 3:55pm

    Funny, Rangel will never see jail time – he funneled money to RANGEL!

    Report Post »  
    • cheezwhiz
      Posted on January 10, 2011 at 4:01pm

      OOooohhhh…now I get it , silly me
      Delay should have pocketed the money himself and then lied about it, as is the SOP .

      Report Post » cheezwhiz  
  • Dale
    Posted on January 10, 2011 at 3:55pm

    He MAY be guilty, but of breaking a law that didn’t exist before he did it. Hope that makes sense. How can someone be guilty of a crime that is not a crime when he supposedly broke the law.

    Report Post » Dale  
    • snowleopard3200 {cat folk art}
      Posted on January 10, 2011 at 4:00pm

      Aks the Progressives that, they want to, in the case of the wikileaks guy, make him guilty of a crime in a proposed bill that is not a law yet and grandfather the crime into it.

      Mind you, Assange should be tried, if grounds can be found, for conspiracy at the least.

      These DC Progressives will use any and all means, from city,county, state and federal, to bring down any and all enemies and opposition they can; especially when they hold themselves to be above any laws in their own right.

      Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • Alvin691
      Posted on January 10, 2011 at 4:21pm

      That is what I was asking Dale.

      Report Post »  
    • dcwu
      Posted on January 10, 2011 at 4:53pm

      The Constitution proscribes expostfacto law.

      U.S. Constitution’s Article 1 Section 9, C.3 states: ‘No Bill of Attainder or ex post facto Law shall be passed,’ and Section 10 says: ‘No State shall enter into any Treaty, Alliance, or Confederation; grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal; coin Money; emit Bills of Credit; make any Thing but gold and silver Coin a Tender in Payment of Debts; pass any Bill of Attainder, ex post facto Law. . . .’

      Report Post »  
    • rojotx
      Posted on January 12, 2011 at 1:00am

      Dale exactly, he did not do anything that was Illegal. But they used everything twisted procedure to find him guilty, except the Truth!

      Report Post » rojotx  
  • BiteMePETA
    Posted on January 10, 2011 at 3:55pm

    Of course he isn’t guilty idiots…. they made it up completely..,.. what he did wasn’t a crime.

    Report Post »  
  • BiteMePETA
    Posted on January 10, 2011 at 3:54pm

    Pretty sick…. The judge and prosecutors should be doing hard time…

    Report Post »  
  • cheezwhiz
    Posted on January 10, 2011 at 3:53pm

    Under Texas law, corporate money can’t go directly to political campaigns.
    ————

    So how do Democrats finance their campaigns in TX ?
    They must be doing something because they sure as heck won’t use their OWN money

    Report Post » cheezwhiz  
    • Xcori8r
      Posted on January 10, 2011 at 3:55pm

      I am absolutely shocked to hear that money gets funneled around in politics. What are we coming to?
      I don’t know the details, but it sure looks like selective justice to me.

      Report Post » Xcori8r  
    • MsMonsoon
      Posted on January 10, 2011 at 5:01pm

      Xcor: Read Andrew Young’s book, The Politician, about John Edwards and see how where money comes from and how it gets used. It sickened me!

      Report Post » MsMonsoon  
  • 912er
    Posted on January 10, 2011 at 3:50pm

    And he should have Rep. Frank, Sen. Dodd and Rep. Rangel as “cellies”.

    Report Post » 912er  
    • cheezwhiz
      Posted on January 10, 2011 at 3:58pm

      a jury determined that he conspired with two associates to use his Texas-based political action committee to send $190,000 in corporate money to an arm of the Washington-based Republican National Committee.
      ———-
      $ 190,000 , thats it ?
      Thats like Moochele‘s weekly lobster and handbag budget isn’t it , paid by US TAXPAYERS no less ?
      Or maybe just a single day’s take of a DC critter …

      Report Post » cheezwhiz  
    • booger71
      Posted on January 10, 2011 at 3:59pm

      And Harry Reid, Barbara Boxer, and Princess Nancy

      Report Post » booger71  
    • kryptonite
      Posted on January 10, 2011 at 4:28pm

      @CHEEZWHIZ
      Not to mention Obama’s vacations. I wonder, he went a lot to Kenya BEFORE he became president. Why hasn’t he been back since? Hmm.

      Report Post »  
    • cykonas
      Posted on January 10, 2011 at 5:00pm

      @Whiz, Booger &Kryptonite
      Right on guys! Our guy isn’t as bad as their people so we should get a pass! Yaaaaaaaababy! Need to know what the problem is with the “system”? Look in the mirror.

      DeLay has had his due process. He has been convicted and now sentenced. He will, and should, do his time. What do you 3 pinheads not understand? Do you think he ought get a pass because he’s on “your” side? Grow up kiddies. That’s not America.

      Report Post » cykonas  
    • RavenGlenn
      Posted on January 10, 2011 at 5:16pm

      Right…because they all said he shouldn’t do the time.

      Wait. That’s not what they said at all. They said that the Dems that commited equal or worse crimes should be in the cell NEXT to him. Not in his cell instead. Not a one of them said he should get a pass, they are just pointing out the hypocrisy of him getting the hammer dropped on him while the Dems that commited crimes got away nice and squeakly clean, even after being convicted.

      Report Post »  
    • cykonas
      Posted on January 10, 2011 at 5:27pm

      @Raven
      I know what they are saying. I know what they are doing. It’s call sniveling. The point, in case you missed it, is that Dodd, Frank, Reid, Pelosi, Boxer, or the Obamas have been CONVICTED of anything. I apologize, I didn’t mean to confuse you with the term due process. I thought all normal, adult Americans were familiar with the term.

      Blind yourself with the party labels and the hatred if that is what you want to do. But don‘t attempt to cloak yourself in the Constitution if you don’t understand even the largest, simplest, points of law contained therein.

      Report Post » cykonas  
  • Colonial Revolutionary
    Posted on January 10, 2011 at 3:49pm

    If he is guilty he is guilty and deserves what he gets.

    Report Post » Colonial Revolutionary  
    • bulldawg
      Posted on January 10, 2011 at 4:04pm

      He has been found guilty so now he must pay the piper, now lets see if justice will be served in the Maxine Waters, Barney Franks and John Kerry stimulus scheme in Mass.
      http://www.weeklyrepublic.com

      Report Post » bulldawg  
    • kryptonite
      Posted on January 10, 2011 at 4:22pm

      @BULLDAWG
      No can do: Black commie, gay progressive and corrupt liberal icon.

      If we could only put the Traitor on the stand…

      Report Post »  
    • boris_the_blade
      Posted on January 10, 2011 at 7:39pm

      Amen.

      Report Post » boris_the_blade  
    • TruthLover
      Posted on January 10, 2011 at 11:15pm

      Everybody ought to play by the rules. It’s no good if we hold the “other guys” to a standard we don’t hold our own people to.

      Report Post » TruthLover  
  • snowleopard3200 {cat folk art}
    Posted on January 10, 2011 at 3:49pm

    He has been convicted, and has set out to appeal the conviction; we shall see how the courts decide the issue. This is one case in which Blazer’s in Texas I would like to hear your oppinions on, as the laws of Texas are unfamiliar in most parts to me.

    http://www.artinphoenix.com/gallery/grimm

    Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • TX Progressive
      Posted on January 10, 2011 at 4:05pm

      Liberal in Texas very happy to see “The Hammer” get some time…

      Report Post »  
    • TXMD
      Posted on January 10, 2011 at 4:15pm

      The laws in Texas are very similar to the US Code. (We are not Louisiana). Generally speaking, our judges demand a fair trial (Congressman Ted Poe is a great example), observe the rules of evidence and procedure, and if found guilty one is given a just ruling. A very VIP was engaging in activity toat was a blasphemy to the public trust he held. He is a big boy and knew the consequences of such behavior. He chose to go down the wrong road. He violated the law. This is compounded by his violation of a public trust and his word to those who placed him in Washington to represent them. We did not place this man in Congress to defame the flag of the United States, the flag of Texas, the people of Texas, and our glorious history. Let’s turn to our heroic individuals from W. B. Travis, Sam Houston, and every mother’s son who served in the military in all of the wars in which Texas was involved. Let’s not waste our time on a man who defamed all of what we here in Texas stand for.

      Report Post » TXMD  
    • Alvin691
      Posted on January 10, 2011 at 4:19pm

      How many grand juries did they go though before they found one that would hear the case?

      Report Post »  
    • LVMerrily
      Posted on January 10, 2011 at 4:53pm

      What a farce. Charlie Rangle, Maxine Waters, etc. should be sitting in adjacent cells if his actions garnered this punishment – only their sentences would be 3X as long!

      Report Post »  
    • bolec slodkie
      Posted on January 10, 2011 at 4:55pm

      Why hasn‘t the State’s Attorney in Texas gone after Planned Parenthood. Any penny going to PP could be “redeirected” to the national orginization then funnled back to Texas for abortions. They laid out the legal trap. Why is does it only apply to Republicans?

      Report Post »  
    • happyboy
      Posted on January 10, 2011 at 5:15pm

      THE GOP MUST NOW GET EVEN. WE MUST FIND EVIDENCE OR CREATE IT TO HANG SOME DEMOCRAT WHO TOOK CASH TO VOTE FOR OBAMACARE.

      This outrage against Delay must be avanged.

       
    • Ellie
      Posted on January 10, 2011 at 6:05pm

      So the charge was money laundering in that he was trying to direct corporate money towards political campaigns. I assume this was done to prevent the appearance of violating campaign finance law (not generic money laundering of funds from a criminal enterprise).

      If so, was he in violation of McCain-Feingold (sp?) which has since been found to be unconstitutional?

      To continue to prosecute a person for the steps they took to get around an unconstitutional law is akin to prosecuting the operators of the underground railroad, after the civil war, for kidnapping blacks because they could no longer be charged with stealing slaves.

      Report Post » Ellie  
    • Ellie
      Posted on January 10, 2011 at 6:50pm

      Well, I did some checking and it looks like he was Money Laundering in violation of Texas campaign financing laws (not unconstitutional, yet). He will likely be done with prison and out before those laws are challenged.

      Report Post » Ellie  
    • ALMOSTLOST
      Posted on January 11, 2011 at 12:54am

      What dose the law matter?There all i repete all crooks!!!,,,,,,on both sides! I dont have the data but dose anyone know a politiction who ceme out poorer than before he/she was elected????? Didnt think so……….

      Report Post »  
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