Dick's first comment:
DeLay's attorney, Dick DeGuerin, says there's "no crime." He says Earle is trying to "destroy" DeLay because of DeLay's Republican leadership role. DeGuerin says the case may be thrown out before it gets to trial. But he says if there's a trial, "any fair jury is going to find out that Tom DeLay did nothing wrong." He says he wants a trial "right away."
The Washington Post reports:
DeLay could go to trial in 90 days, which the defense said it favored. "We want a trial right away," DeGuerin said. "We want a trial by the end of the year."
Buck Wood, an attorney who represents Democrats suing some of the corporations that contributed to DeLay's PAC, said although it's difficult to go to trial quickly that may best serve DeLay. "I can understand why Tom DeLay wants a quick trial, because politically (the indictment) paralyzes him," Wood said.
Actually, I don't think that's why the defense wants a speedy trial. I suspect it's because they believe the prosecution can't get their case ready for trial that fast.
The grand jury foreman said Ronnie Earle didn't press for the indictment - the grand jury did.
...the grand jury's foreman, William Gibson, told The Associated Press that Earle didn't pressure members to indict DeLay. "Ronnie Earle didn't indict him. The grand jury indicted him," Gibson said in an interview at his home.
Gibson, 76, a retired sheriff's deputy, said of DeLay: "He's probably doing a good job. I don't have anything against him. Just something happened."
Here's the full text of DeGeurin's press statement today [via Lexis.com]:
(JOINED IN PROGRESS)
DEGUERIN: For well over a year, Bill White and Steve Brittain have been doing everything they can, along with Congressman DeLay, to cooperate with Ronnie Earle's office and to explain to them that there's no crime here. Tom DeLay didn't do anything wrong.
As many of you know, I represented Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison 12 years ago. And, to me, this seems like what Yogi Berra said: "It's deja vous all over again."
That was a political prosecution. And this is political prosecution. There's no crime that's been committed. Tom DeLay didn't do anything wrong. He has cooperated to the extent of even waiving the statute of limitations to the extent of answering questions on the record -- very recently.
I am confident that, when we get to trial, we'll show that Tom DeLay did nothing wrong. And so what I am going to ask the judge the first opportunity that I get is, as consistent with him being able to rule on pretrial motions, we want a trial right away. We want a trial before the end of the year because what Ronnie Earle -- he's attempting to destroy Tom DeLay.
Now, Tom DeLay changed the face of Texas politics. Nobody can deny that. But Ronnie Earle wants to destroy him because of it. Just the bringing of this indictment has caused Tom DeLay to have to step down from his leadership role in the House of Representatives. And that's what Ronnie Earle wants.
But I am telling you, mark my words, when we go to trial -- if we even get to trial, because the judge may throw this out -- when we get to trial, any fair jury is going to find that Tom DeLay did nothing wrong.
