Jury convicts Tom DeLay in money laundering trial
November 25th, 2010 . by TexasFredAUSTIN, Texas (AP) - Former U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay - once one of the most powerful and feared Republicans in Congress - was convicted Wednesday on charges he illegally funneled corporate money to Texas candidates in 2002.
Jurors deliberated for 19 hours before returning guilty verdicts against DeLay on charges of money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering. He faces up to life in prison on the money laundering charge.
After the verdicts were read, DeLay hugged his daughter, Danielle, and his wife, Christine. His lead attorney, Dick DeGuerin, said they planned to appeal the verdict.
“This is an abuse of power. It’s a miscarriage of justice, and I still maintain that I am innocent. The criminalization of politics undermines our very system and I’m very disappointed in the outcome,” DeLay told reporters outside the courtroom. He remains free on bond, and his sentencing was tentatively set to begin on Dec. 20.
Full Story Here:
Jury convicts Tom DeLay in money laundering trial
You might be innocent Tom, but a jury of your peers doesn’t seem to think so. A jury of your peers in a Republican state too. That’s not a good thing, especially after you and your lawyers had 5 years to prepare your defense.
For quite a long time I was known for taking a neutral stand on DeLay and the accusations against him. I often said, ‘wait until it goes to trial, if he’s found innocent, leave him alone and let him get on with his life, but if he’s found guilty, hang him…’
He was found guilty — Hang him!
And in other news:
Sarah Palin: ‘We gotta stand with our North Korean allies’
Oops, she did it again.
Sarah Palin made her latest verbal gaffe on Wednesday, claiming North Korea is one of America’s allies on Glenn Beck’s radio show when asked how she’d handle the recent escalation between the two Koreas.
“This speaks to a bigger picture here that certainly scares me in terms of our national security policy,” the former vice presidential candidate said on Wednesday. “But obviously we’ve gotta stand with our North Korean allies.”
The host corrected her. “South Korea,” Beck said.
“Eh, yeah. And we’re also bound by prudence to stand with our South Korean allies, yes,” Palin responded.
Full Story Here:
Sarah Palin: ‘We gotta stand with our North Korean allies’
OK, let’s ALL be very sure in our response to this, I don’t want anyone to make a hypocrite of themselves.
When Barack Hussein Obama made his classic gaffe about visiting all 57 states, I was all over it on the blog, as were nearly every other blogger in the Conservative world. We lambasted Obama severely for that misspeak. And indeed, it was a misspeak, a faux pas, a brain fart, call it what you will, he said it, it was a screw up and WE ALL HAMMERED HIM!
We all said the man had no business being president. Many based their opinion of that solely on the 57 states remark.
OK, in the spirit of fair and balanced; Sarah Palin quite likely misspoke when she said ‘our ally North Korea’. I’m sure she knew better. I am positive she knows better now. But she made the speaking error. And indeed she did, in all probability, misspeak, make a faux pas, have a brain fart, call it what you will, but she said it and it was a screw up.
Do I think Obama saying something about there being 57 states was a disqualifier? No, but it was an indication that we needed to scrutinize him more.
When Obama admitted that he was a Muslim, Barack Hussein Obama — My Muslim Faith – Proven, was that a disqualifier? Apparently not. But, he, and his staff, as well as the interviewer and the entire left side of America said it was a ‘misspeak’, nothing more. Nothing to see here, move along.
The thing is, a candidate, an elected official, the president, every blogger, all public speakers are responsible for their words and their accuracy with those words. If I make a spelling or grammatical error in a post, my email fills up rapidly, and I’m not even a candidate.
God knows, I had a blast with George W. Bush and his Bushisms. Do I think those Bushisms were reasons for Bush to have not been president? I was never in favor of Bush being a president to begin with. I felt that the GOP could have done a lot better.
I still feel that way today regarding Palin and her prospects at winning the GOP nomination. We can do a lot better in our choice of a presidential candidate.
Personally, in my opinion, this misspeak by Palin was just that, a misspeak. But it was also an indicator that she is not ready for the BIG LEAGUES. If this were the OLD Saturday Night Live we could say she was a member of the Not Ready for Prime Time Players.
I doubt she will ever be ready for the Big Leagues.
And I wonder, was one of my buddies correct when he said she couldn’t tell which Korea was which because she was standing on her front porch and Russia was blocking her view? 
Just sayin’… 
Thanks for a couple of laughs before I leave tomorrow to replenish the venison. Now what did I do with those floodlights?
If you get a pound or 2 of course ground venison, I can make a really good deer chili…
My license says I can take four whitetail, so I’m taking four .308 cartridges with me.
One shot — One Kill
Sounds right to me…
I not standing up for Palin’s mistake…but if you really give it some thought she might be more right, than wrong. Afterall…Obama is taking this nation on a course to Communism…so therefore North Korean could indeed be our allies…if not now…sooner or later if Obama gets his way.
Tom Delay made a big mistake…but surely no worse than Charles Rangel….yet one gets life and the other gets a slap on the wrist…where is the justice in this..?????
*Off-topic:
Happy Thanksgiving!
When anyone talks as much as most politicians do, they are bound to “misspeak” from time to time…. some more than others (Biden?). I just want all of them to shut up unless they are saying something that is enlightening and helpful concerning the big problems facing this nation. QUIT THE SPIN & QUIT CAMPAIGNING ALL THE TIME!!! Extex_cop, I wholeheartedly agree with your comment about Tom Delay and Charlie Rangel. Okay .. now I’m going to get piece of pecan pie and a cup of hot coffee….comfort food.
People make verbal gaffes all the time. I too try to watch for typos in the blog and things just get past me. That said, is it just me — am I crazy? — or did I hear that Obama is starting to CAMPAIGN for 2012 already??
Delay seems to think he’ll get his conviction readily overturned on appeal. Anything about that you’re hearing in Texas?
And of course, hope your family feast was fulfilling!
BZ
BZ — The appeal, I wouldn’t take a bet on it any way you cut it… They had 5 years to prepare their defense and lost horrendously…
Who knows… DeLay is NOT the most popular guy in Texas, never was, but his district loved him enough to keep him in office for WAY too long..
Palin’s misspeak? She was trying to talk about something she has NO understanding of, global politics…
If Delay was a Democrat, probably nothing serious would have happened to him…right now he’s possibly looking at prison time. If he does go to prison, his cellmate should be Charlie Rangel.
Interesting thing on Palin. She makes a gaffe about North Korea while she still hammers Obama about his 57 state gaffe. Here’s the opening sentence in her facebook post today.
“My fellow Americans in all 57 states, the time has changed for come”.
BobF — Sarah Palin has no dignity, no common sense and she is a total hypocrite…
I pissed off a few folks calling here a *Drama Queen* and *media whore* a few days ago… I am going to continue to call her on everything until the American people wake the hell up and realize, Palin is a dumb bitch that has a few uses, and leading this nation is not even on the list…
It doesn’t matter which side of the aisle the “career politicians” hang out on, the set up is… when they get caught with their hands in the cookie jar, they should pay just as any one else would, but they never really do. Washington DC breeds corruption. The founders knew what they were doing when they set up things, like making the Senators appointed by the state governmental bodies. They then were “fire-able” and accountable to their respective state! But that commie POS Woodrow Wilson and the Commie Congress during his day changed that with the 17th Amendment… if we want to see Capitol Hill cleaned up, let’s see the push to repeal that POS Amendment. It wouldn’t cure everything wrong, as term limits are needed as well and cancel the Cadilac insurance plans for life too. If they have a real job at home, they can just live with the insurance they had before serving! It would be harder to push agendas that don’t serve the people if we put controls back in that cuts them off at the knees. I’m with you Fred, when a Congressman or Senator does a crime, they should do the time!
Oh, and don’t get me started on Palin. I am with Sue… I am so sick of “Celebrity Politicians” that do nothing but campaign all the time, I could scream! Who started people thinking that leaders had to come off like reality TV stars any way??? There is nothing “Presidential” about Palin.
Anybody can make a gaffe when speaking in public. The thing about Obama’s “gaffe” when referring to the 57 states I found interesting is that the Organization of the Islamic Conference is composed of 57 member states. It just makes me wonder exactly what he was thinking at the time.
So Tom Delay was convicted. So be it. He will now have to serve whatever sentance the judge gives him. Too bad for him that his name is not Charlie Rangle followed by a “D”. He could have got off with a censure.
Next stop for DeLay-Dancing With The Cons