By CongressDaily
© National Journal Group Inc.
Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2005

Today's criminal conspiracy indictment [PDF] of House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, and two political associates alleges that they violated Texas election laws by funneling corporate donations to seven candidates for the Texas state House of Representatives.

Their goal was to elect a Republican majority in the state House so congressional districts could be redrawn to favor Republicans. That strategy worked and resulted in the passage of a new redistricting plan in 2003 that turned what had been a 17-15 Democratic advantage in the Texas House delegation into a 21-11 GOP majority.

John Colyandro, the former executive director of Texans for a Republican Majority, and Jim Ellis, who heads DeLay's national Americans for a Republican Majority, were indicted along with DeLay. "The defendants entered into an agreement with each other or with TRMPAC to make a political contribution in violation of the Texas election code," says the four-page indictment. "The contribution was made directly to the Republican National Committee within 60 days of a general election." Ellis allegedly had the RNC launder $190,000 of corporate contributions into noncorporate funds for the seven state House candidates.

DeLay has denied committing any crime and has accused Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle, a Democrat, of pursuing the case for political reasons. A Republican district attorney in DeLay's home county refused to bring any charges under the state's election code, but Earle brought the case under the state's criminal code. "It's a skunky indictment. It stinks to high heaven," DeLay attorney Bill White told the Austin American-Statesman today.

The indictment against DeLay came on the final day of the grand jury's term. Colyandro, Ellis and fundraiser Warren Robold were previously indicted for their roles in the alleged scheme, as was TRMPAC, which was set up by DeLay. Texas law prohibits corporate money from being used to advocate the election or defeat of candidates; it is allowed only for administrative expenses. DeLay and his associates have insisted the corporate money was legally spent on committee overhead expenses and not campaign-related activities.

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