AUSTIN – The prosecution rested today in the political money laundering trial of former U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay, R-Sugar Land. The final witnesses in the case were a pair of journalists.
Austin American-Statesman reporter Laylin Copelin testified about an interview he had with DeLay last week in which DeLay said he learned of a political money swap in 2002 after the deal was made, but said he could have stopped it before checks were delivered to seven Texas House candidates.
The other witness, political newsletter owner Harvey Kronberg, testified that DeLay was very active in the 2003 congressional redistricting fight.
Prosecutors claim DeLay's motive in financing House candidates in 2002 was to gain a Republican majority so he could push through redistricting the following year to enhance his power in Congress.
DeLay and two aides, John Colyandro and Jim Ellis, are accused of scheming in 2002 to circumvent a Texas ban on the use of corporate money in candidate elections by having DeLay's Texans for a Republican Majority send $190,000 in corporate money to the Republican National Committee in exchange for a like amount of money being sent to the candidates from an account of money raised from individuals.
DeLay claims he did not learn about the Sept. 13 agreement to make the exchange until he had a meeting with Ellis on Oct. 2. The checks to the candidates were not delivered until Oct. 4.
DeLay's lawyer, Dick DeGuerin, contends TRMPAC legally could raise corporate money and send it to the RNC. DeGuerin says the money the RNC sent to the candidates was from a separate legal account, so no money laundering occurred.
Colyandro and Ellis face similar charges in the case but are being tried separately.
