Posted on 10/04/2005 5:46:05 PM PDT by Michael Goldsberry
"After two years of investigating and multiple grand juries, Travis County's Democrat, District Attorney Ronnie Earle, finally found 12 gullible, liberal Austinites to believe the garbage he has been spewing about our Congressman. Just as Earle attacked Sen. Hutchison in the early 1990's, he has now turned his attacks on Congr-essman DeLay," says Eric Thode, chairman of the Fort Bend County Republican Party.
Thode was reacting to last week's indictment of U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay of Sugar Land, who stepped down as House Majority Leader.
The Republican Party of Fort Bend County stands behind Congressman DeLay 100 percent and the Executive Committee proudly voted unanimously in favor of a resolution extending its support.
Asked in case DeLay is found guilty after trial, who is likely to succeed him among the Republicans and would Sugar Land Mayor David Wallace be among the aspirants, Thode said if ever DeLay is forced to resign, there are a lot of people in Harris County and Fort Bend County who will be willing to run for his seat and it will be a wide open race.
"It is not going to happen," he said, namely DeLay won't quit.
Nick Lampson who is seeking the Democratic Party nomination for DeLay's Congre-ssional Dist. 22 released a statement regarding the indictment.
Lampson's campaign manager Mike Malaise said "This is not simply a political matter. A grand jury of his fellow Texans indicted Tom DeLay on this very serious charge. The trial of Tom DeLay will show what the former Majority Leader has been doing instead of working for his district back home. Whether he is convicted or not, it will become clear to the voters of this district that he has not been working for them."
"Nick Lampson will continue campaigning as he has been doing. He will introduce himself to the voters of Southeast Texas and try to earn their vote. Congressman Lampson thinks it is not enough to be the anti-DeLay. He is working hard to show the voters of this district that he has a positive agenda with a record to be proud of and he is a positive alternative to Congressman DeLay," Malaise said.
Some legal analysis quoted in defense of DeLay suggest that there are problems with Earle's case because to contrive jurisdiction over DeLay, Earle charges that DeLay may have known about the transaction before it occurred, he was therefore part of a conspiracy. However, Earle's office has sworn testimony and other exculpatory evidence showing that DeLay did not have knowledge of the transaction.
Also, no corporation or labor organization was indicted in this conspiracy.
Neither Jim Ellis nor John Colyandro is a corporation or labor organization. No corporation or labor organization made a contribution during 60 days of an election.
The defense analysts says what constitutes a contribution under the Texas Election Code is not strictly defined. Corporations in Texas could have legally made contributions to the Republican National Committee during the period in question under Texas election law. There was no violation of the Texas Election Code. There was no conspiracy. The underlying transaction was legal. Had corporations sent money directly to the RNC, the transaction would be legal. How could anyone conspire to do indirectly what could legally have been done directly, analysts ask.
Don Bankston, former chairman of the Fort Bend County Democratic Party and campaign coordinator for the group Fort Bend Democrats says DeLay has had a long line of problems and "it shows that we need a new congressman. DeLay is an embarrassment to our county as his name reminds us all of abuse of power and corruption."
Bankston said more than the conspiracy charge, the state's failure to pass school finance bill and a property tax reform bill are directly attributable to the big corporations which donated heavily to DeLay's funds and those corporations want something in return, namely a veto of the bills passed.
"Politically DeLay is dead and he would have lost the election even without an indictment," Bankston said.
Bankston also felt that Fort Bend County District Attorney John Healey should have investigated DeLay for the alleged violation of the election code.
Sugar Land Mayor David Wallace said DeLay had been very helpful to Sugar Land and he has done several positive things.
"DeLay, the people of Sugar Land, the Travis County DA, all want this to get behind us soon," Wallace said. Asked if he was among the aspirants to DeLay's Congressional seat, if he is convicted, Wallace said he would not speculate on the outcome of the case.
On Friday, "United for DeLay" rally was held in support of DeLay at the Hess Club on Westheimer. Several Fort Bend area politicians were among those attending, along with congressional and state party leaders. "It was just uplifting, heart warming and humbling," DeLay said after the rally.
Reiterating that he had done nothing wrong, DeLay said on his quitting from the house leadership, "I lost just a title."
(Besides the Cronk!)
Until the DUmocrats indict Kerry, DiFi, Pelosi, Kennedy, Rangle and other criminals, their opinion falls upon deaf ears.
Now that Mark Levin is going after Ronnie Earle and the DCCC...this ought to be fun!!!
The Dems are on crack, if they think incompetent DA Earle has a case here against "Teflon Tom".
"Now that Mark Levin is going after Ronnie Earle and the DCCC...this ought to be fun!!!"
THANK GOD, MY PRAYER HAS BEEN ANSWERED. WE HAVE A LOT OF ATTORNEY'S AND SOME CONSERVATIVE MEDIA ON FREE REPUBLIC. PLEASE GET INVOLVED WITH THE DELAY CASE. RONNIE EARLE NEEDS TO BE SENT BACK TO THE FARM AND PUT IN CHARGE OF THE HOG LOT. HE HAS NO PLACE IN A COURTHOUSE.
WOW! That's fantastic news.
Hang him high,Mark! And then leave him for the buzzards! (Well, legally of course) ;)
My brother is one of the top criminal attorney's in Texas and he is a life-time conservative Democrat. Even he said Earle has no case here and bought himself a LOT of trouble over this DeLay indictments. My brother said today that one of Earle's top legal staff members quit yesterday over this mess.
He also said a number of very major Democratic "money cows" in Houston, are furious over this DeLay indictment and Earle's total incompetence.
Once this fiasco is over and DeLay goes back to work, I hope he turns some of his friends loose on this maggot Earle. I know DeLay has to know a couple career-enders who can help Earle get what he deserves. Like a job flippin' burgers.
Hey Homeboy,
Is my memory wrong, I seem to remember Don Bankston being under criminal charges at one time in Fort Bend County.
Check this out---
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1496486/posts
Howdy.
Nope, "Don Bankston" doesn't ring a bell.
Semper Fi
I saw his name in your posted article as a critic of Tom DeLay.
I am glad to read about the resignation. I heard it referenced on the radio yesterday, but just a quick blurb.
I wish we had a name.
... no wonder he's so memorable...
I don't know if you hear this, but check this reply by SuzyQue. Now, the NAACP is also after the Travis Co. DA.
here
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1496486/posts?page=171#171
and my answer
here
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1496486/posts?page=182#182
If someone does not post it, I'll call friends in local government and get it tomorrow.
Spell check won't find that.
You bet, I'm having a really good day now that things are coming home to roost in Travis County.
The Dems are manufacturing bogus attacks on key Republican leaders in a blatant attempt to undermine Bush, move him to the left, and win more seats in 2006.
Predictably, the Repubs, like a punch-drunk boxer, are standing in the ring, trying to ward off blows instead of landing ones of their own.
Like Rush says, "Everything leads to Travis County". I wish I still lived in Williamson, but Lago Vista is so much better. We have something like 70% Republicans here in our city.
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