Revisiting Tom DeLay
Weird. Right after I posted about the latest in the topsy-turvy runoff race to replace Ronnie Earle, I saw a piece on The Huffington Post called "Whatever happened to Tom DeLay?"
Retiring Travis County DA Ronnie Earle famously prosecuted former House Majority Leader DeLay for his involvement in TRMPAC... but if you've already forgotten, this piece looks back, and looks ahead. Excerpted:
DeLay asked for a quick trial. But he hasn't gotten one, in part because of appeals. Texas courts threw out the charge that he and two associates conspired to violate state election law. But the courts are still considering appeals from the other two indicted with him for money laundering. The next decision on their appeals will almost certainly affect his case, and could be appealed further.Questions about the DeLay case have certainly come up in the runoff race, and both ladies running to replace Earle have said they will not dismiss the case.And even if they ultimately lose those appeals, the courts will then have to rule on motions by DeLay and the others accusing DA Earle of misconduct and asking for a change of venue from Austin, where, a defense lawyer says, people hate DeLay and other Republicans.
The time-consuming appeals process makes it unlikely that DeLay's case will come to trial this year. So it's likely that he will outlast his accuser, since the 65-year-old Earle has announced he'll step down next January after 32 years on the job. His successor will be one of his assistant DAs who's been on DeLay's case for a long time. But whether that successor will pursue DeLay as vigorously as Earle has, remains to be seen.
P.S. Too bad you can't pick your own nicknames. I, too, would like to be called "The Hammer". But it just doesn't stick.
"Whatever happened to Tom DeLay?"
Ronnie's Earle goal from the get-go was political, and that is proven by the fact that he (in defiance of ethical standards) spoke of hisintention to indict Delay in front of a partisan Democrat gathering a long time before it was returned. In fact, he screwed up the indictment and had to convene another grand jury to 'fix' the indictment. and then ...
"Texas courts threw out the charge that he and two associates conspired to violate state election law."
... well that is because Earle charged Delay with violation of a law that didnt even exist in 2002, in defiance of our Constitutional ex post facto rights.
So a partisan DA brings a weak case for political purposes, and in similar cases has let defendants 'get off' by givingdonations to earle's favorite causes. The goal from the get-go was to destroy Delay's career. Mission accomplished even if in the end a jury finds Earle's accusations worthless.
Maybe the successor DA will do the right thing and quietly drop the case.
Did you ever watch the TV show Sports Night? Isaac Jaffe (the managing editor of the fictional SportsCenter-like TV show), had this whole scene where he talked about how he wished he could be called "the Hammer," but he couldn't, because Hank Aaron already had the nickname. And b/c you can't give yourself a nickname.
/most random Political Junkie comment ever?
Funny you mention that. I actually meant to make a reference to that scene in Sports Night, knowing that only a few people would get it because it's kind of an obscure moment.