DeLay's State PAC Indicted - So Far He's Off The Hook

Although Sen. Tom Delay (R-TX) was not named, the PAC that he founded, served on its board of advisers, and helped raise some of the corporate money at the core of the controversy. The Houston Chronicle is reporting the indictment names "Texans for a Republican Majority Political Action Committee" of two counts of illegally soliciting corporate money for political campaigns, and against "Texas Association of Business" which received the majority of the indictments issued on Thursday. TAB President Bill Hammond bragged in the organization's newsletter about giving control of the Texas House to Republicans by spending almost $2 million in corporate money to influence district elections. TAB and TRMPAC together spent about $2.3 million in corporate money in the 2002 elections. Texas election law prohibits the use of corporate or labor-union money to influence races for elective office. Many are wondering why, if DeLay was overseeing these operations he was not personally indicted. Well according to Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle, he might have indicted DeLay if the congressional leader had fallen under his jurisdiction. Because DeLay lives in Sugar Land, jurisdiction under Texas election law would fall to Fort Bend County District Attorney John Healey Jr. He did not say if he had referred the matter to DA John Healey (who was unavailable to comment), however he did make an assurance that he has refused to rule out possible legal action if other criminal actions are discovered. saying "No one's off the hook. The investigation is ongoing". The question now remains however, if the Republican controlled congress will have enough cajones to finally force DeLay to step down as Leader and conduct an honest bi-partisan investigation of his actions. Somehow I doubt it, and it will try to use the current controversy over the Katrina response to drown out any mention of it by saying "or focus has to remain on assisting the victims of this tragedy" let's just hope the Democratic members of the House will force the issue. MORE.....