Probe of GOP money delayed:Republicans accuse journalist of helping DA to

[Judi Lynn]

Probe of GOP money delayed

Republicans accuse journalist of helping DA to slam party


10:05 PM CST on Friday, March 12, 2004


By PETE SLOVER and CHRISTY HOPPE / The Dallas Morning News



AUSTIN – A grand jury investigating the use of corporate money in Republican races will be unable to complete its work and will probably hand off the case to a newly convened panel at the end of March, the prosecutor said Friday.

Democratic District Attorney Ronnie Earle implied that the grand jury work was delayed by an open records request from the state Republican Party for all correspondence between his office and journalists, which GOP officials said they believed would show coordination of negative stories.

"It has taken many people lots of hours that could have been spent doing other things," Mr. Earle said of the request.

The Travis County grand jury has been investigating Texans for a Republican Majority (TRMPAC) and the Texas Association of Business (TAB) for a combined $2.5 million the groups spent from corporate funds. It is illegal in Texas to use corporate money as a political contribution or expenditure.
(snip/...)

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/politics/state/stories/031304dntexgopprobe.53698.html
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[La_Serpiente]

1. Go here to get a password

http://www.bugmenot.com/

[leQ]

4. very kewl

on edit:
ever notice how then dems want investigations, it usually involves repukes are hurting America. but when repukes want investigations, it's generally because 'they' were hurt?

[punpirate]

2. "coodination of negative stories...."

Hmmm. The only issue a grand jury needs to consider is whether or not the evidence presented is credible enough to hand down indictments.

The source of that evidence, presuming credibility, should be immaterial. Once that indictment is presented, its up to the attorneys to determine the validity of the evidence in court.

Sounds to me as if DeLay and the Texas GOP don't want this to get to court, because they know they'll get hammered under existing law.

[The Backlash Cometh]

3. A public records request in a grand jury investigation from the

party being investigated? So much for the autonomy of grand juries. Things must be different in Texas.

[Gman]

5. More GOP attempts to confuse the issue

they're guilty of using corporate bucks in TX in 02 and they're trying to hide it any way they can.