Texas Court Backs Decision Reversing DeLay's Convictions
Siding with a decision made a year ago by a lower appeals court, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals on Wednesday refused to reinstate money-laundering convictions against former U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay.
In an 8-1 decision, the state's highest criminal court backed a Texas 3rd Court of Appeals decision that reversed DeLay's 2011 convictions on money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The court had ruled there was not enough evidence to prove that DeLay’s actions were criminal.
"We agree with the court of appeals that, as a matter of law, the State failed to prove facts to establish that the appellant committed either the object offense of money laundering or the inchoate offense of conspiracy to commit the same," the criminal appeals court ruled.
The Travis County district attorney’s office accused DeLay of funneling corporate contributions to candidates in key Texas legislative races, in violation of state law that forbids corporate money from state political races. He was convicted of conspiring with two aides, John Colyandro and Jim Ellis, to transfer corporate contributions raised by the former congressman's political action committee, Texans for a Republican Majority PAC, also known as TRMPAC, through the Republican National Committee.
DeLay was convicted and sentenced to three years in prison but had been free on bail as he appealed the ruling. He has decried his prosecution as the “criminalization of politics.”More Texas Tribune
