Ex-House Leader DeLay Found Guilty in Texas Case
By JAMES C. McKINLEY Jr.
NYT
AUSTIN – Tom DeLay, one of the most powerful and divisive Republican lawmakers to ever come out of Texas, was convicted Monday of money laundering charges in a state trial, five years after his indictment here forced him to resign as majority leader in the House of Representatives.
After 19 hours of deliberation, a jury of six men and six women decided that Mr. Delay was guilty of one charge of money laundering and one charge of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
As the verdict was read, Mr. DeLay, who is 63, sat stone-faced at the defense table. Then he rose, turned, smiled and hugged his wife and then his weeping daughter in the first row of spectators. He faces between five and 99 years in prison, though the judge may choose probation.
A few minutes later, Mr. Delay said outside the door of the courtroom that he would appeal the decision. He called the prosecution a political vendetta by Democrats in the local district attorney’s office, and revenge for his role in orchestrating the 2003 redrawing of congressional districts to elect more Republicans.
(More here.)
NYT
AUSTIN – Tom DeLay, one of the most powerful and divisive Republican lawmakers to ever come out of Texas, was convicted Monday of money laundering charges in a state trial, five years after his indictment here forced him to resign as majority leader in the House of Representatives.
After 19 hours of deliberation, a jury of six men and six women decided that Mr. Delay was guilty of one charge of money laundering and one charge of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
As the verdict was read, Mr. DeLay, who is 63, sat stone-faced at the defense table. Then he rose, turned, smiled and hugged his wife and then his weeping daughter in the first row of spectators. He faces between five and 99 years in prison, though the judge may choose probation.
A few minutes later, Mr. Delay said outside the door of the courtroom that he would appeal the decision. He called the prosecution a political vendetta by Democrats in the local district attorney’s office, and revenge for his role in orchestrating the 2003 redrawing of congressional districts to elect more Republicans.
(More here.)
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