Former House Majority leader Tom Delay gets conviction overturned!!!

[NoTeaPartyPleez]

This is highly unusual. The conviction was overturned on grounds of insufficient evidence!!! That almost never happens. Convictions are reversed only due to judicial error or jury misconduct. You have to figure the appellate court took a bribe or was intimidated in some way.

DeLay conviction overturned ? CNN Political Ticker - CNN.com Blogs

September 19th, 2013

(CNN) – Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay's conviction on money laundering charges was overturned Thursday by a court in Texas.

DeLay, who was once one of the most powerful men on Capitol Hill, was convicted in 2010 for allegedly trying to influence Texas elections by trying to channel nearly $200,000 in corporate donations to Republicans running for the state legislature, which is prohibited by Lone Star state law. Delay, who served more than two decades in the House before resigning in 2006, was sentenced to three years in prison.

"Because we conclude that the evidence was legally insufficient to sustain DeLay's convictions, we reverse the judgments of the trial court and render judgments of acquittal," said an opinion from the District Court of Travis County, Texas.

The U.S. Department of Justice ended its own investigation of Delay in 2010 without filing any criminal charges against the former congressman. He has been free on bail pending appeal of his conviction.

I know someone, a high profile doc in Philadelphia, who received some of Tom Delay's bullshit in the mail and then phone calls requesting money because this doc had been named to a panel of "advisory physicians" to Bush in 2003. It was all a lie. That's how and why Delay was investigated to begin with. I saw the mail pieces this doc received, the phony wall plaque and citations. And then the "invitation" to the White House for dinner. All a scam to get money.

His buddy snakes in Texas got the conviction overturned. Not surprised. He'll be headlining more scams in 2014.

 

[NoTeaPartyPleez]

Or, there never was any evidence and the lower court was democrat.

There was evidence and the trial court thought it was sufficient. For most of us, if you appeal a case on grounds of insufficient evidence, the appellate court will laugh at you.

Ronnie Earl had to go through 7 grand juries before he finally found one that would indict Delay. That alone should have got the case dismissed.

Earl is the sleaziest of scumbags.

No, Texas is the sleaziest of all states and the gold standard for cronyism. I lived there for 12 years and hated it. The reddest necks and the lowest lying snakes anywhere.

 

[LordBrownTrout]

Whenever it takes a prosecutor 8 grand juries to shop an indictment, your evidence is as worthless as windshield wipers on a goats ass.

 

[bripat9643]

This is highly unusual. The conviction was overturned on grounds of insufficient evidence!!! That almost never happens. Convictions are reversed only due to judicial error or jury misconduct. You have to figure the appellate court took a bribe or was intimidated in some way.

DeLay conviction overturned ? CNN Political Ticker - CNN.com Blogs

September 19th, 2013

(CNN) – Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay's conviction on money laundering charges was overturned Thursday by a court in Texas.

DeLay, who was once one of the most powerful men on Capitol Hill, was convicted in 2010 for allegedly trying to influence Texas elections by trying to channel nearly $200,000 in corporate donations to Republicans running for the state legislature, which is prohibited by Lone Star state law. Delay, who served more than two decades in the House before resigning in 2006, was sentenced to three years in prison.

"Because we conclude that the evidence was legally insufficient to sustain DeLay's convictions, we reverse the judgments of the trial court and render judgments of acquittal," said an opinion from the District Court of Travis County, Texas.

The U.S. Department of Justice ended its own investigation of Delay in 2010 without filing any criminal charges against the former congressman. He has been free on bail pending appeal of his conviction.

I know someone, a high profile doc in Philadelphia, who received some of Tom Delay's bullshit in the mail and then phone calls requesting money because this doc had been named to a panel of "advisory physicians" to Bush in 2003. It was all a lie. That's how and why Delay was investigated to begin with. I saw the mail pieces this doc received, the phony wall plaque and citations. And then the "invitation" to the White House for dinner. All a scam to get money.

His buddy snakes in Texas got the conviction overturned. Not surprised. He'll be headlining more scams in 2014.

Yeah, we'll just take your word for it that it was all lies . . . . . NOT!

He wasn't indicted for sending mail to doctors, numskull. There isn't the slightest thing illegal about that. He was indicted in Texas for supposedly violating Texas campaign laws.

 

[Foxfyre]

This is highly unusual. The conviction was overturned on grounds of insufficient evidence!!! That almost never happens. Convictions are reversed only due to judicial error or jury misconduct. You have to figure the appellate court took a bribe or was intimidated in some way.

I know someone, a high profile doc in Philadelphia, who received some of Tom Delay's bullshit in the mail and then phone calls requesting money because this doc had been named to a panel of "advisory physicians" to Bush in 2003. It was all a lie. That's how and why Delay was investigated to begin with. I saw the mail pieces this doc received, the phony wall plaque and citations. And then the "invitation" to the White House for dinner. All a scam to get money.

His buddy snakes in Texas got the conviction overturned. Not surprised. He'll be headlining more scams in 2014.

Yeah, we'll just take your word for it that it was all lies . . . . . NOT!

He wasn't indicted for sending mail to doctors, numskull. There isn't the slightest thing illegal about that. He was indicted in Texas for supposedly violating Texas campaign laws.

The formal charge was money laundering in amounts of $100k to $150k. Which is absolutely absurd given that the prosecution's case was based on contributions from Enron and another large corportation--the type of contributions that the Supreme Court has ruled legal under First Amendment provisions of the Constitution. I believe this was an unprecedented charge in the realm of campaign conributions violation and NOBODY has ever been indicted for such a crime prior to this case.

Like somebody up there said, the prosecution went through an unprecedented number of grand juries before finally getting one that would indict Delay. And it is true that Travis County is the most Democrat and most liberal county in all of Texas--Ann Richards was their darling and, if Barack Obama ventures into Texas, it will generally be there where he can be sure that he will receive adulations from adoring crowds. The only other county that comes even close to being as liberal is the 20th Congressional district there (San Antonio) that hasn't supported a Republican candidate in a very very long time.

 

[OriginalShroom]

Earl should be prosecuted for abuse of office.

A half dozen Grand Juries, lying under oath, general malfeasance of office.

 

[ShootSpeeders]

Well personally, I am encouraged that we still have courts with some integrity. That trial was a travesty of justice from the beginning--trumped up charges and politically motivated. There may be crimes Tom Delay should be hung for, but in this court proceding, he was hung for the wrong crime.

It's a good day.

So why did the trial court say guilty.? They saw the evidence, the appellate court didn't.

This reversal is very fishy. Verdicts are not overturned for insufficient evidence.

 

[Avatar4321]

Im not surprised at all. I remember looking into the case when it was originally big news. I fully expected it to be overturned then and im not surprised it is.

 

[Foxfyre]

Well personally, I am encouraged that we still have courts with some integrity. That trial was a travesty of justice from the beginning--trumped up charges and politically motivated. There may be crimes Tom Delay should be hung for, but in this court proceding, he was hung for the wrong crime.

It's a good day.

So why did the trial court say guilty.? They saw the evidence, the appellate court didn't.

This reversal is very fishy. Verdicts are not overturned for insufficient evidence.

Why does any jury render the verdict they do? In most cases, juries get it right, but a jury acquitted O J Simpson who any idiot knew was guilty beyond any reasonable doubt. The first trials for the Menendez Brothers ended in deadlocked juries despite irrefutable evidence. Why? Because some of the jurors felt sorry for the poor orphaned boys. (They murdered their parents in a most cruel and viscious manner)

Again and we again see juries voting on emotional response to both acquit and convict somebody rather than based on the evidence. And unless you have a judge who is willing to set aside an incompetent vedict and declare a mistrial, justice will not be served.

Tom Delay was convicted in a county that was strongly partisan Democrat, he almost certainly had a Democrat jury and a Democrat judge, both who were convinced he was the horned devil as the Democrats had been portraying him for many years. The evidence presented in the trial was so flimsy, any idiot who followed the proceedings at all knew it could easily be overturned on appeal.

 

[bripat9643]

There was evidence and the trial court thought it was sufficient. For most of us, if you appeal a case on grounds of insufficient evidence, the appellate court will laugh at you.

Ronnie Earl had to go through 7 grand juries before he finally found one that would indict Delay. That alone should have got the case dismissed.

Earl is the sleaziest of scumbags.

No, Texas is the sleaziest of all states and the gold standard for cronyism. I lived there for 12 years and hated it. The reddest necks and the lowest lying snakes anywhere.

Well then, Ronnie Earl is certainly a bit of strong evidence to support your case.

 

[Sallow]

Whenever it takes a prosecutor 8 grand juries to shop an indictment, your evidence is as worthless as windshield wipers on a goats ass.

Money Laundering is really hard to prove. But it's no surprise really that Delay got it overturned in Texas. He called in a few favors.

Doesn't make him any less of a crook.

 

[JakeStarkey]

bripat defending DeLay: now that is amazing! DeLay was Mr. Crony Capitalism who though libertarians were small-minded folks of odd predilections.

 

[LordBrownTrout]

Whenever it takes a prosecutor 8 grand juries to shop an indictment, your evidence is as worthless as windshield wipers on a goats ass.

Money Laundering is really hard to prove. But it's no surprise really that Delay got it overturned in Texas. He called in a few favors.

Doesn't make him any less of a crook.

Shopping for 8 grand juries is desperation for an indictment. It's no surprise that this was overturned especially when there really was no evidence of wrongdoing.

 

[Mustang]

Whenever it takes a prosecutor 8 grand juries to shop an indictment, your evidence is as worthless as windshield wipers on a goats ass.

Money Laundering is really hard to prove. But it's no surprise really that Delay got it overturned in Texas. He called in a few favors.

Doesn't make him any less of a crook.

This reminds me of when Ollie North's conviction was overturned on a technicality. He said he was exonerated.

 

[tinydancer]

Whenever it takes a prosecutor 8 grand juries to shop an indictment, your evidence is as worthless as windshield wipers on a goats ass.

Money Laundering is really hard to prove. But it's no surprise really that Delay got it overturned in Texas. He called in a few favors.

Doesn't make him any less of a crook.

This reminds me of when Ollie North's conviction was overturned on a technicality. He said he was exonerated.

Delays case was turned over on a technicality. BUT that technicality was lack of evidence.

Ergo there was never a case to begin with.



The Texas Third Circuit Court of Appeals, in an opinion released Thursday by Justice Melissa Goodwin, said instead that "the evidence shows that the defendants were attempting to comply with the election code limitations on corporate contributions."

"The evidence was legally insufficient to sustain DeLay's convictions," the court said in its 2-1 ruling.

The judges said they "reverse the judgments of the trial court" and acquit DeLay, once one of the most powerful Republicans in Congress, of all charges.

Texas court overturns Tom DeLay conviction

 

[tinydancer]

Whenever it takes a prosecutor 8 grand juries to shop an indictment, your evidence is as worthless as windshield wipers on a goats ass.

Money Laundering is really hard to prove. But it's no surprise really that Delay got it overturned in Texas. He called in a few favors.

Doesn't make him any less of a crook.

Bullshit. If Delay had that much power in Texas and that many favors he could pull in he never would have been charged to begin with.

 

[bripat9643]

bripat defending DeLay: now that is amazing! DeLay was Mr. Crony Capitalism who though libertarians were small-minded folks of odd predilections.

What did Delay ever do that indicates he's "Mr. Crony Capitalism?"

BTW, good to see you defending a fellow Republican in your usual manner.

 

[bripat9643]

whenever it takes a prosecutor 8 grand juries to shop an indictment, your evidence is as worthless as windshield wipers on a goats ass.

money laundering is really hard to prove. But it's no surprise really that delay got it overturned in texas. He called in a few favors.

Doesn't make him any less of a crook.

bullshit. If delay had that much power in texas and that many favors he could pull in he never would have been charged to begin with.

exactly!

 

[bripat9643]

Whenever it takes a prosecutor 8 grand juries to shop an indictment, your evidence is as worthless as windshield wipers on a goats ass.

Money Laundering is really hard to prove. But it's no surprise really that Delay got it overturned in Texas. He called in a few favors.

Doesn't make him any less of a crook.

This reminds me of when Ollie North's conviction was overturned on a technicality. He said he was exonerated.

Only a sleazy ignominious libturd would claim the 5th Amendment is a "technicality."

 

[Vox]

bripat defending DeLay: now that is amazing! DeLay was Mr. Crony Capitalism who though libertarians were small-minded folks of odd predilections.

What did Delay ever do that indicates he's "Mr. Crony Capitalism?"

BTW, good to see you defending a fellow Republican in your usual manner.

it is sarcasm, right?

I would not imagine anybody in the right mind believes fakey's lies