That is correct, but that is not the charge. Delay is being charged with conspiracy to break that law but was not charged breaking the law itself, had that charge been made, the conspiracy would be relevant. Earle doesn’t have evidence that law itself was violated. He has already gone through the minutia surrounding the expenses allowed to be financed by corporate contributions.
Were corporate contributions accepted, yes. Were the contributions legal, yes. Were corporate contributions accepted by the PAC to cover eligible expenses previously paid with earlier raised hard money, yes. Did this free up hard money to be distributed to campaigns, yes. Can hard money be distributed to campaigns, yes. Does Texas law recognize fungibility of contributions, yes. Did the PAC’s contributions to campaigns exceed hard money donations, no. Is this a normal process in political fund raising, yes. Where is the crime that was conspired? Is this Earle’s Florida Supreme Court changing the law after the fact for political semantics, yes.

DeLay may not be going before a federal judge - you’re right there - but the idea that campaign finance regulations aren’t being circumvented every day of the week in Texas by both parties is loony. That’s why indicting someone for violating laws that are followed only in the breach is so transparently partisan in nature and why Earle - even if he gets a conviction - will be viewed as the partisan hack that he is.

Christine and Tom DeLay, with the Hammer Cake I ran into Tom DeLay and his wife Christine at an event earlier this year in your Nation’s Capital. Before he was indicted for “criminal conspiracy,” allegedly moving money from corporate…

Secondly, this will not be tried in a federal courthouse, hence the phrase “something a federal judge will not find amusing – federal judges having a much narrower sense of humor than your average Texas pol.” is meaningless. DeLay was indicted on a single count of violating a state law. One that goes all the way back to Brown & Root and LBJ. Yes, the same B&R that is now in bed with the Bushes. See, big money really doesn’t care who is in the WH, just as long as they are partial to big money’s interests. Back in the day, B&R gave $5K to every employee with the caveat they donate it to good ol’ LBJ’s senate campaign. When the tax man cometh looking for his cut of the $5K, the employees began to sing like canaries. Hence the law.

As far as Mr. Earle is concerned, I doubt seriously he’s “Earle have come up through the ranks of their respective parties by successfully playing as close to the edge of the law that ethics and decency will allow, all the while “Aw Shucks”-ing and backslapping their way through successful election campaigns. It is the campaigns themselves with the ungodly amounts of money raised and spent that grease the skids of law and politics at the statehouse level.” From what I know he’s a hard-nosed lawyer who has a strong disdain for ANYONE who breaks the law. He’s not a big-time politico like DeLay. And, of the 15 political indictments he’s brought forth, 12 have been against democrats, including the sitting Speaker of the Texas House, Gib Lewis (who resigned and pleaded down to two misdemeanors and hasn’t been heard from since) and the sitting Attorney General, Jim Maddox.

Here is what Earle has to say about the LAW in Texas: “Texas law makes it a felony for corporations and labor unions to make political contributions to campaigns. The punishment is two to ten years in the penitentiary.”

And, as far as “big money” campaigns go, PBS.org reports the average cost of a state-house campaign in Texas is $85,000. I’m guessing the DA race in Travis County wouldn’t go much over $100K even in this day and age. Don’t take my word for it, go check it out yourself at http://www.pbs.org/now/transcript/transcript324_full.html. And, while you are at it, there is another great article on this mess at: http://www.texasobserver.org/showArticle.asp?ArticleFileName=030829_f1.htm.

Enjoy.

I’m no fan of Tom Delay, and admit it’s certainly possible he has done unethical and/or illegal things, but this particular dog won’t hunt.