Judge sentences Tom DeLay to 3 years in prison

Wash Post ^ | January 10, 2011 | JUAN A. LOZANO

[Hawk720]

judge has ordered U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay to serve three years in prison 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.

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

[Eric in the Ozarks]

A political prisoner if there ever was one.

[Just mythoughts]

WEll thank you lord McCain and prince Fiengold... Imagine if an investigation were ever conducted into liberal campaigns.... Dear LORD prayers up for Mr. DeLay.

[MaxMax]

Didn't the RATs change the law to fit the crime for a conviction?

[alstewartfan]

So, WE are supposed to tone down OUR rhetoric when “stench from the bench” political hacks hand down unjust decisions such as this? Delay did not steal ONE PENNY. I hold judges like this in contempt of the Constitution! Bob

[Democrat_media]

If democrats can do this injustice to Delay then they can do it to any of us. Freedom must be protected.

The conservative justices appointed by the Republican Congress stuck down McCain-Feingold and all similar laws passed in the last 100 years.So Democrats are putting Delay in prison because of a made up lies based on laws that have been repealed.

[re_nortex]

A political prisoner if there ever was one.

This is a travesty of justice.

Amnesty International will doubtlessly be quick on the case to ensure that Tom DeLay isn't imprisoned. /s

[Democrat_media]

If democrats can do this injustice to Delay then they can do it to any of us. Freedom must be protected.

The conservative justices appointed by the Republican Congress stuck down McCain-Feingold and all similar laws passed in the last 100 years.So Democrats are putting Delay in prison because of made up lies based on laws that have been repealed.

[trumandogz]

Tom DeLay has nothing to worry about since the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals is comprised entirely of Republicans. With that being the case, the appeals court will overturn the verdict.

[Scanian]

Sentenced right after a weekend’s worth of slander against “right wing extremists” and “provocateurs.”

Maybe DeLay should argue that the court was unfairly influenced by all the anti-conservative and anti-GOP rants.

Too much “vitriol” to get a fair sentence, ya know?

[wendy1946]

This is asking for a civil war.

[mewykwistmas]

and 10 years probation after jail. So he will be around 76 when his probation runs out. Definitely not a slap in the wrist.

[RKV]

De Lay convicted and Rangel walks. Disgusting.

[Rational Thought]

Can the Governor of Texas issue a pardon for this?

[ColdOne]

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE7095IR20110110

Ex-House leader DeLay gets 5-year prison term

I wonder which it is 3 or 5 years...

[BerryDingle]

Meanwhile, Charlie Rangel, Maxine Waters, and William Jefferson are laughing all the way to the bank.

[Just mythoughts]

I truly believe there are some people on this earth that only Heaven will dish out perfect ‘justice’. I have just spent a weekend watching/reading the heathen rage. But I still ask a prayer of protection while Mr. DeLay endures his private persecution.

[Raycpa]

Two issues come to my mind:

Is this what congress had in mind with the money laundering statutes?

Isn’t this an end run around the constitution which left the discipline of congress members for acts related to their office up to the respective congressional body?

[brityank]

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.

Looks just like United Appeal and how they juggle their funding. They claim you can specify where your contributions go; in reality they use them to offset the portion of the pot they had determined for that group, freeing up funds for their own pet projects.

Freakin' railroad job!

[greyfoxx39]