Can they get Delay out of being Frog Marched?

[Ksec]

I heard they were trying. That would be a travesty if we were denied the act of watching his corruptness being frog marched like a common felon.

Why should he get out of it? Can they do this?

[frogmarch]

1. I hope not

I'm counting on it.

[Ksec]

2. hehe nice name frogmarch.

Welcome to DU brother

[hwmnbn]

5. Yeah, we're all getting in line for the show....

BTW, welcome to DU

[MADem]

3. It's already done

They cut a deal with the arresting agency...the bond will be paid BEFORE he even shows up to be photographed and fingerprinted. No cuffs, no frogmarch. Special treatment for the Hammer...

[Ksec]

6. Oh man. That sucks

I was really lookin forward to this.

Special treatment exactly.

[hwmnbn]

10. I remember an episode of the Andy Griffith show.....

where Gomer Pyle wanted to make a "citizen's arrest! citizen's arrest!" of Barney Fife the deputy. It was hilarious.

Maybe we should consider pulling a Gomer on Tom DeLay.

[Ksec]

11. Well goooo ooly

Yer under arrest dag nabit, now reach fer the sky or Im agonna shoot.

I love that show.

[BlueEyedSon]

8. Yup, they already did 8^(

[Silverhair]

15. That is entirely routine in those type of cases.

Papers are deliver to Delay's attorney. Appointment is made for him to come to the station for processing. After processing - no cuffs, no orange suit, no jail time - he is released pending trial. Democrats get the same treatment when they get indicted too.

Everybody knows that he is going to try to shoot his way out of the police station, nor is he going to try to hide somewhere. So the emotionally satisfying stuff doesn't happen.

Everybody will have to wait until a jury finds him guilty.

[KharmaTrain]

4. Yep...This Isn't A "Federal Case"

It's a state matter and appears he has already arranged with Mr. Earle's office to enter a plea. Rumors have it that a deal was worked out to prevent weaseldick from getting hit with more counts and tougher charges.

So about the best you'll see is him smirking at the cameras on the way into Earle's office and then waltzing back out. I would expect we'll see a plea deal...just enough to keep Bugman's ass out of jail, and still enough to bust him either to the back benches of the House or out of it altogether. I'll take that arrangement.

[Egalitariat]

7. No chance of a deal on the conspiracy charge

Conspiracy charges are too hard to prove for him to plead.

They'll need to go ahead and charge him for something else if they want a plea deal.

[KharmaTrain]

9. Yes...He'll Plead Nolo Contendre

No Contest. He'll enter the plea and walk out the same day. There won't be a trial. He probably will have to face a judge for sort of some "sentencing" (suspended).

Remember, this is Texas. Look how long it took them to get Ken Lay...who committed real federal felonies to be arraigned...and we're still waiting for that scumbag to come to trial.

Peace...

[Egalitariat]

12. No way he pleads.

And Ken Lay was accused of Federal crimes, as you correctly posted, so the fact that its Texas doesn't matter.

Tom Delay committed a Texas crime, not a Federal one. And the only thing he's been charged with is conspiracy. Although it's a serious crime, its very ambiguous and notoriously difficult to prove. Reasonable doubts are very easy to create on conspiracy charges.

If they indict him for something more tangible than conspiracy, I might believe a plea could happen. But not now. No way.

[KharmaTrain]

13. Nope...Not Now...When The Heat Dies Down

The fact Earle met with DeLay's lawyers in August...and it appears at DeLay's lawyers request...then that he was left out of the stronger indictments that were passed down on his staffers really points to some kind of deal here.

I think Earle was trying to avoid indicting the bugman cause he knew of the partisan shitstorm that was going to happen. However, the GJ had the final word here and, as you duly note, and I have as well, they passed a conspiracy indictment on a state charge.

Having served on a jury, conspiracy is very difficult to prove, but that is when there's a lot of "he said/she said"...in this case there's a lot of documentation with DeLay's name attached to it. There are checks and emails and campaign brochures along with TV and press interviews and so on. The jury must have been privvy to these communications and felt compelled to pass out an indictment. Again, this wasn't Earle's call, it was theirs.

In another thread, I asked Walt Starr...who is very knowledgable about such things...about the Congressional rules and how a conviction would apply. At one time, a convicted felon could serve in the House, but rules were changed thanks to James Trafficant...so that if DeLay pleads to a lesser crime (under 2 years sentence)...almost a misdemeanor...he won't have to resign his House seat.

IMHO, the endgame here will be the value of DeLay's money and influence vs. the liability he has on the party's chances next year. Pleading nolo contendre gives bugman the quick exit in several months from now and avoids a possible messy trial. Embarassing yes, but I suspect this will be only one of several troubles for both Mr. DeLay and his corrupt party in the year ahead.

Peace...

[DoYouEverWonder]

14. This lesser charge

is the plea.

Delay has already made an agreement, at least it looks that way in the indictment.