Supreme Court chief has TRMPAC ties, too

[WestHoustonDem]

Austin-American Statesman: http://www.statesman.com/metrostate/content/metro/stories/11/4delay.html

The judicial carousel in U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay's conspiracy case almost spun out of control Thursday as the search for a judge beyond the hint of any political taint reached the Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court.

But even he has deep partisan ties.

Chief Justice Wallace B. Jefferson, asked to name a trial judge for the DeLay case, shared the same campaign treasurer and consultant as DeLay's Texans for a Republican Majority. One of his largest campaign donations — $25,000 — was from the arm of the Republican National Committee that's at the center of the allegation that DeLay and his co-defendants laundered corporate money into political donations in 2002.

The carousel began spinning Tuesday when DeLay's lawyers successfully got State District Judge Bob Perkins, D-Austin, taken off the case because of political donations he had made to Democratic candidates and causes, including the Internet-based organization MoveOn.org.

The judicial carousel in U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay's conspiracy case almost spun out of control Thursday as the search for a judge beyond the hint of any political taint reached the Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court.

But even he has deep partisan ties.

Chief Justice Wallace B. Jefferson, asked to name a trial judge for the DeLay case, shared the same campaign treasurer and consultant as DeLay's Texans for a Republican Majority. One of his largest campaign donations — $25,000 — was from the arm of the Republican National Committee that's at the center of the allegation that DeLay and his co-defendants laundered corporate money into political donations in 2002.

The carousel began spinning Tuesday when DeLay's lawyers successfully got State District Judge Bob Perkins, D-Austin, taken off the case because of political donations he had made to Democratic candidates and causes, including the Internet-based organization MoveOn.org...

edited to add link

[jsamuel]

1. link?

[CottonBear]

2. Whoa. What will happen now? Did DeLay plan this? n/t

[acmejack]

3. Now you don't think Earle was unaware of this, do you?

I assure you he wasn't.

[napi21]

4. ALL Texas judges are partisan! They're elected and all run

under a Party Banner. They CAN'T find a judge in the State that hasn't contributed to his/her political Party or candidates!!!!!

This whole plan of DeLay's was insane! The ping pong will continue INDEFINATELY! The only solution would be to move the damn case to Federal Court!

[CottonBear]

8. Can the case be moved to Federal Court? n/t

[napi21]

10. I have no idea. My point was that there are NO non-partisan

judges in the State of Texas! The only way to MAYBE get a non-partisan judge is to more the issue out of the State!

I doubt that can be done.

[HereSince1628]

12. Nope, its clearly a state matter andEarle got too clever.

Now assignment of a judge is back in Repuke hands.

Personally I think Earle was better off just managing to keep the trial in Austin. A jury collected from there would have been keenly interested in DeLay, and would have included more democratic jurors.

[Justitia]

14. There hasn't been a change of venue. And Schraub took it to the Supremes.

Schraub escalated it, not Earle.
So far, Travis County still has jurisdiction - for now.

[Pirate Smile]

5. If anyone has ANY sense they'll overturn the initial ruling and reinstate

the initial trial judge.

I was shocked they were dumb enough to start down this road. Geez, couldn't they see this coming before the initial decision. They are supposed to be judges. Geez! :eyes:

[Justitia]

6. WHOA! $25k from Tom's PAC to the Supreme Court Chief Justice? HUGH1111

This is SERIES!

Can we find a freakin' republican in all of Texas that ISN'T tainted by the stink of DeLay et al????

[Benhurst]

7. It's hard to believe that the state which produced

Judge Roy Bean would have trouble finding a fair-minded judge.

[Spazito]

9. This is a SNL skit being played out in real life, roflmao!

*

[0007]

11. No shit, the play would be a gas. We could even bring into play

that judge in Utah that has three wifes. Perhaps he could hear the case, then work on stealing Tom DeLay's wife after Tom goes to prison.

[Spazito]

15. ROFL, A new soapie in the making!

Boy, "truth is stranger than fiction" is being proven out yet again!

[texpatriot2004]

13. kick nm

[Walt Starr]

16. DeLay will end up with a Democratic judge

because they will not be able to find a Republican judge who does not have ties to him.

This is just TOO RICH!!!

Somewhere there will be a Democratic Judge who never made a political donation in his/her life. It would be too rich if the only judge that's not tainted by political donations is a black woman Democrat!

:evilgrin:

[Spazito]

17. ROFLMAO! AAR news just reported exactly that, a democratic

judge has been appointed!!

[truthisfreedom]

19. excellent! of course, this was the only choice, and there's nothing delay

can do about it. he's corrupted the entire gang of thugs in Texas with his money-laundering schemes. now he's totally f*&^ed because he can't find a friend who can legitimately help his case... and on top of that, HIS OWN LAWYER DONATED TO MOVEON.ORG!

[MasonJar]

18. I'm for a change of venue to Mass. They can find a nice judge there.