Western Oregon Journal

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After months of investigation, speculation and unsubstantiated charges on both sides of the issue, Republican House leader Tom DeLay of Texas has been indicted by a Texas grand jury on a single count of conspiracy. The grand jury also indicted three of DeLay's political associates, several corporations and the political-action committee that DeLay founded: Texans for a Republican Majority PAC (TRMPAC). As a result of this charge, DeLay has resigned as the Majority Leader of the House. Regardless of the indictment and any ethical violations, he will continue to serve as a powerful adviser to the Republican leadership.

DeLay is being charged with conspiring with two political associates to use corporate donations to support Republican legislative candidates in Texas. The grand jury charged that the conspirators had TRMPAC send corporate money to the Republican National Committee in Washington, who would then dispense profligate amounts of money to Texas candidates. Texas law prohibits the use of corporate contributions to advocate election or defeat of a candidate. Criminal conspiracy is a felony in Texas that is punishable by six months to two years in a state jail and a fine of up to $10,000. This potential sentence and the ethical problems involving DeLay's politically charged gerrymandering of the legislative districts in Texas has forced DeLay to step down as majority leader.

DeLay contends that after meeting with prosecutors that he was led to believe it was over and he would be spared an indictment. DeLay claims that everything changed because the media and Democrats put pressure on District Attorney Ronnie Earle to indict him. "We went to work and we were under the impression that he probably wasn't going to indict, or he would have-called me to testify before the grand jury," he said to Msnbc.com.

The former leader claims that Earle was working with Democratic leaders in Washington to have him indicted. "This is a political witch hunt of the sleaziest magnitude," he told one interviewer, and he said it would not deter him from advancing the GOP agenda nationally or working for the Houston area that he represents, according to Cnn.com. House Democratic leader, California Rep. Nancy Pelosi, said it was proof of a "culture of corruption" among Republicans.

One witness that was summoned before the grand jury was a former political director of the Republican National Committee, Terry Nelson, who testified that he received a check for $190,000 in September of 2002 that contained corporate donations given to TRMPAC. Ellis, a DeLay associate, allegedly gave Nelson the check, along with the names of Texas state House candidates who were to receive contributions from the donations. DeLay is expected to appear in court on Oct. 21.

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