t***h
发帖数: 5601 | 1 美国得克萨斯州奥斯汀法院24日作出判决，8年前担任国会众议院多数党(共和党)
领袖的汤姆·迪莱的洗钱罪和共谋罪罪名成立。这名以募集竞选资金见长、号称“铁锤
”的政治家将面临最高119年监禁的判罚。
迪莱今年63岁，是美国共和党的风云人物，1984年首次当选国会众议员，此后连选
连任，直到2002年成为众议院多数党领袖。
在美国政坛上，迪莱作风硬朗，擅长募集竞选资金，被誉为“铁锤”。但是2005年
他被指控非法募集竞选资金19万美元，检方对其实施调查。次年迪莱引咎辞职。
经过5年左右的调查和数次听证之后，得克萨斯州奥斯汀一家法院24日对迪莱案作
出判决：迪莱的洗钱和共谋罪名成立。不过法庭没有当庭对迪莱的量刑作出裁定，预计
将在今年12月20日公布量刑结果。根据美国法律，洗钱罪可判刑5至99年监禁，共谋罪
可判刑2至20年。所以理论上迪莱最高可被判处119年监禁。
法院认定此前检方的起诉，称在2002年得克萨斯州议员选举中，迪莱和助手非法收
取19万美元企业捐助，以资助共和党候选人。据悉，迪莱和他的两名助手共谋，以得克
萨斯州政治行动委员会的名义，给共和党全国委员会下属的一个机构筹款。共和党全国
委员会之后将从迪莱处获得的资金，分给得克萨斯州的 7名议员候选人。这些人最终都
成功当选。
迪莱之所以要“绕弯”筹款，是因为根据得克萨斯州法律，企业捐款不能直接参与
政治活动，因此迪莱涉嫌洗钱。检方出示了30多份证据，其中包括证人的证词、一些电
子邮件和一些文件。 | t***h
发帖数: 5601 | 2 Ex-House leader Tom DeLay Convicted of Money Laundering
Published November 24, 2010 Associated Press
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, which could
send him to prison for decades.
Jurors deliberated for 19 hours before returning guilty verdicts on charges
of money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering in a scheme to
illegally funnel corporate money to Texas candidates in 2002. He faces up
to life in prison on the money laundering charge, although prosecutors haven
't yet recommended a sentence.
After the verdicts were read, DeLay hugged his daughter, Danielle, and his
wife, Christine. DeLay whispered into his daughter's ear that he couldn't
get a fair trial in Austin. DeLay had unsuccessfully tried to get the trial
moved out of Austin, the most liberal city in one of the most Republican
states
DeLay's 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 several witnesses were expected to be called
during the punishment phase of his trial, tentatively scheduled to begin on
Dec. 20.
Prosecutors said DeLay, who once held the No. 2 job in the House of
Representatives and whose tough tactics earned him the nickname "the Hammer,
" used his political action committee to illegally channel $190,000 in
corporate donations into 2002 Texas legislative races through a money swap.
DeLay and his attorneys maintained the former Houston-area congressman did
nothing wrong as no corporate funds went to Texas candidates and the money
swap was legal.
The verdict came after a three-week trial in which prosecutors presented
more than 30 witnesses and volumes of e-mails and other documents. DeLay's
attorneys presented five witnesses.
"This case is a message from the citizens of the state of Texas that the
public officials they elect to represent them must do so honestly and
ethically, and if not, they'll be held accountable," Travis County District
Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg said after the verdict.
Lehmberg said prosecutors will decide in the next few weeks what sentence
they will recommend in the case to Senior Judge Pat Priest.
DeLay chose Priest to sentence him rather than the jury. He faces five years
to life in prison on the money laundering charge and two to 20 years on the
conspiracy charge. He also would be eligible for probation.
Jurors, who left the courthouse right after the verdict was read, declined
to comment to reporters, only saying that it had been a tough decision for
them to make.
The jury had sent numerous notes to Priest during its deliberations, which
began on Monday. Many of the notes asked various legal questions that at one
point had prompted the judge to say the panel wasn't on the right track.
But at the end of Tuesday, jurors had indicated they were making progress.
Prosecutors said DeLay conspired with two associates, John Colyandro and Jim
Ellis, to use his Texas-based PAC to send $190,000 in corporate money to an
arm of the Washington-based Republican National Committee, or RNC. The RNC
then sent the same amount to seven Texas House candidates. Under Texas law,
corporate money can't go directly to political campaigns.
Prosecutors claim the money helped Republicans take control of the Texas
House. That enabled the GOP majority to push through a Delay-engineered
congressional redistricting plan that sent more Texas Republicans to
Congress in 2004 -- and strengthened DeLay's political power.
DeLay's attorneys argued the money swap resulted in the seven candidates
getting donations from individuals, which they could legally use in Texas.
They also said DeLay only lent his name to the PAC and had little
involvement in how it was run. Prosecutors, who presented mostly
circumstantial evidence, didn't prove he committed a crime, they said.
DeLay contended the charges against him were a political vendetta by Ronnie
Earle, the former Democratic Travis County district attorney who originally
brought the case and is now retired.
Lehmberg, who replaced Earle, said the trial was not about criminalizing
politics.
"This was about holding public officials accountable, that no one is above
the law and all persons have to abide by the law, no matter how powerful or
lofty the position he or she might hold," she said.
Craig McDonald, the director of Texans for Public Justice, a liberal
watchdog group whose complaints with the Travis County District Attorney's
Office helped lead to the investigation of DeLay's PAC, said he was pleased
by the verdict.
"We can't undo the 2002 election, but a jury wisely acted to hold DeLay
accountable for conspiring to steal it."
The 2005 criminal charges in Texas, as well as a separate federal
investigation of DeLay's ties to disgraced former lobbyist Jack Abramoff,
ended his 22-year political career representing suburban Houston. The
Justice Department probe into DeLay's ties to Abramoff ended without any
charges filed against DeLay.
Ellis and Colyandro, who face lesser charges, will be tried later.
Except for a 2009 appearance on ABC's hit television show "Dancing With the
Stars," DeLay has been out of the spotlight since resigning from Congress in
2006. He now runs a consulting firm based in the Houston suburb of Sugar
Land. |
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