BREAKING NEWS As a Surprise to No One … UPDATED
Breaking News:
HOUSTON -– A Texas Court of Appeals in Austin has overturned the conviction of former U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, attorney Brian Wice told KVUE sister station KHOU 11 News.
In documents released early Thursday, the court said the evidence in the case was “legally insufficient to sustain DeLay’s convictions.”
The court said all judgments against DeLay were reversed, and the former congressman was formally acquitted.
It was a 2 – 1 vote. The two Republicans voted with Tom. The one Democrat did not.
The State can request a review by the Court of Appeals.
Now I have to watch more of this crap.
And here’s the dissenting opinion.
Travis County District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg just issued this statement.
“Today, two judges sitting on the Third Court of Appeals reversed and acquitted former United States House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, who was convicted of felony offenses by a jury in November of 2010.
“We are concerned and disappointed that two judges substituted their assessment of the facts for that of 12 jurors who personally heard the testimony of over 40 witnesses over the course of several weeks and found that the evidence was sufficient and proved DeLay’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.”
“We strongly disagree with the opinion of Judges Goodwin and Gaultney that the evidence was insufficient. We are concerned and disappointed that two judges substituted their assessment of the facts for that of 12 jurors who personally heard the testimony of over 40 witnesses over the course of several weeks and found that the evidence was sufficient and proved DeLay’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
“We are preparing a response to this opinion and will ask the full Texas Court of Criminal Appeals to review the ruling.
I would like to add that I was sitting in the courtroom during the punishment phase of the trial and after hearing DeLay’s unsworn testimony, the judge said he, too, believed that DeLay was guilty.
Republicans are criminals and should be treated accordingly.
1Well my head is exploding and my blood pressure probably just jumped. They didn’t even give a good reason I guess. Just the good old boys network.
2“The State can request a review by the Court of Appeals.”
Yeah, but will they? Really?
3Well, at least maybe it will keep DeLay from running for office again. You think? Everyone needs to remember he started out as a bug exterminator and didn’t like to read.
4Tom DeLay was probably right back to his old money laundering ways as the acquittal was handed down by the Republican Texas Court of Appeals. The Texas GOP will undoubtedly feature him as a star speaker at their next state convention.
5I know lots of his Christian friends think he was railroaded. Huh.
6Don’t like the judge you have? Just buy another one!
7Does this mean ol’ Tom can now stop dancing with the stars and run for office in Texas again? OH JOY!
8a;ldkjfop09iurma
9me – hitting head on keyboard! I know this guy from my previous forays up to Capitol Hill on farm business! He had a special office in the Capitol as well as his own Congressional office in one of the House office buildings. His special office had like two outer offices you had to walk through to see him. Only ver few people did that. He had a reputation of being unhappy to see just about damn anybody. I think he is going to make a try to run again just like the crazy ex-sheriff from Ohio who didn’t win his attempt. Right now he should not be tap dancing to any victory tune. There are probably more than enough ugly surprises waiting to spring on him. Did someone say IRS?
Crap.
Now he’ll start talking in public again.
I need some aspirin already.
10Re: Lorraine in Spring.
11I’m sure DeLay will be interviewed on Faux News tonight.
Only took eight years and numerous appeals to get the votes he wanted. Wasn’t the exterminator a leading voice in limiting death row appelates to one appeal after conviction to expedite the rush nutjobs get when innocent people fry? Apply the same standards to this gross piece of garbage and fry his ass now,because you know he will be a repeat offender. Irony is the formwer bug eradficator’s initials are T D D instead of D D T. He’s pure poison in any form!
12@Angelo_Frank
Tonight? He’s probably already been on FoxSpews this am. Of course, I wouldn’t know since it’s blocked in my house.
13He cannot be retried and the money laundering case is over.
14I’ve had enough bad news, to last a while.
15This does not pass the smell test.
16Wonder how much that verdict cost Delay.
17And of course, he will be returning to politics right?
Or is he too toxic for the party that produces the likes of Louie, Raphael, John and Ricky?
No judicial activism here, nothing to see folks, move along…
18I’m with Diane. Perhaps his cost was punishment enough. Hope the guys with the money think he is as tainted as I think he is.
19With the exception of the (1) dissent. The justices on this court are all elected Republicans.
Is anybody surprised at the outcome?
20Slate Delay article:
http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/jurisprudence/2013/09/tom_delay_s_conviction_reversed_on_appeal.html
“In the eyes of the majority, the corporations supporting Tom DeLay did nothing wrong.”
21You don’t suppose the majority found what they were getting paid to find,do you? Naw,afterall money is free speech and if you can’t buy justice,what is this world coming to?
22I imagine the prosecution — that is, the Travis County District Attorney’s office — will take further action. Though I fear he Court of Criminal Appeals will also toss the conviction. I’ve always assumed they would. I had higher hopes for the Third District Court of Appeals, though.
If the conviction doesn’t stand, the Texas law on campaign contributions is meaningless.
23Double Jeopardy Clause bars further prosecution, including prosecution-initiated-appellate review, even if the acquittal resulted from patent judicial error.
NO. PD-0821-08, STATE OF TEXAS vs. ERNESTO MORENO, Appellee
And the DA who prosecuted Delay was Ronnie Earle. The DA who made the above statement was Rosemary Lehmberg, who should know better when it comes to double jeopardy.
24Bruce, the legal team at TWMDBS disagrees. The DA has a right to file a PDR. She can all ask for a Motion for Rehearing En Banc for the 3rd Court of Appeals. If the acquittal is reversed, that’s not double jeopardy. Also, then DeLay can file on other issues. The fat lady ain’t sang.
25What sanctimonious ba. . . Ah, bozos. And Delay, as well.
26After THIS and the gutting of the Voting Rights Act, anyone need another reason to start paying more attention to judicial elections? As in voting and volunteering?
27Folks this was a done deal after Citizens United. It’s pretty hard to conceive of laundering legal money. The limits that he circumvented are now unconstitutional.
28http://www.salon.com/2013/09/19/as_tom_delay_gets_off_a_democrat_sits_in_prison/
Just a friendly reminder…….
29The word “privilege” is derived from “private law.” Here we see it at work. Ordinary law for ordinary people; crony law for the rich and powerful.
30My blood pressure just went up a yard and a half. I will try to calm myself by hoping that judgment cost him a leg and an arm or two. Yet again, we see that money does indeed buy our current form of “justice.” Bah!
31What’s even worse is democratic ex governor of Ala. Don Siegelman who was falsly convicted and locked up immediately and sent to jail is still in jail.we are going to need to make some noise about this. Tom Delay needs to do time!
32I’d like to know why such sterling folks in Texas (being all godly and such) put up with these dratted thieves and whited sepulchers?
It’s downright discouraging to think that all someone has to do is to wave their supposed religion and get away with all the malfeasance that they do. Or, maybe I’m just jealous…
33@wa skeptic
or maybe you are just an uninformed bigot.
34@jyld:
I just call ’em as I’m seeing them. That doesn’t make me uninformed or a bigot.
Again, my question is: why do the good people of Texas let these sleazebags get into office in the first place? And then keep re-electing them? Is it just because they know how to sing all the right hymns?
35