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Tom DeLay: Differing Accounts

By Jeralyn, Section Tom DeLay
Posted on Fri Sep 30, 2005 at 12:04:15 PM EST
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This is why lawyers don't want their clients to give TV interviews.

The Houston Chronicle reports Tom Delay said in media interviews that he hadn't been asked to speak to the grand jury. His lawyer, Dick DeGuerin, tells it a bit differently:

In a Wednesday night appearance on MSNBC's Hardball with Chris Matthews, he said Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle never talked to him or asked him to testify. "Never asking me to testify, never doing anything for two years," DeLay said in the interview. "And then, on the last day of his fourth or sixth grand jury, he indicts me. Why? Because his goal was to make me step down as majority leader."

On Thursday, DeLay said in another broadcast interview that he was under the impression that he wasn't going to be indicted because he hadn't been called to testify before the grand jury. "I have not testified before the grand jury to present my side of the case, and they indicted me," said DeLay, according to the Associated Press.

Dick DeGuerin says:

DeLay actually was invited to appear before the grand jury, where he would have been under oath. The Houston attorney was not yet on the legal team when DeLay was asked to appear, but he said other attorneys advised him not to testify — a decision DeGuerin supports.

DeGuerin said that DeLay may have been referring in the interviews to the fact that the grand jury did not subpoena him to testify. [Grand Jury Foreman]Gibson said there was an open invitation, but the grand jury decided not to force him to appear.

One other important note: Apparently, DeLay's co-defendants haven't flipped on him - yet.

DeLay is accused of conspiring with John Colyandro, executive director of TRMPAC, and Jim Ellis, director of DeLay's Americans for a Republican Majority, to illegally swap money with the Republican National State Elections Committee, an arm of the Republican National Committee. A separate indictment last year accused another DeLay associate, Warren RoBold of Maryland, with taking illegal corporate money for TRMPAC.

DeGuerin said lawyers for Colyandro, Ellis and RoBold have told him they have not made any deals with Earle's office to testify against DeLay.

< Judith Miller Grand Jury Day | Friday Open Thread >

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    • Tom DeLay: Differing Accounts | 9 comments (9 topical)
    Re: Tom DeLay: Differing Accounts (none / 0) (#2)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:32 PM EST
    Here's a question. Is it possible that Craddick flipped? His office made a big show of being relieved he didn't get indicted. Could it have been just that, show?

    Re: Tom DeLay: Differing Accounts (none / 0) (#3)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:32 PM EST
    DeGuerin said lawyers for Colyandro, Ellis and RoBold have told him they have not made any deals with Earle's office to testify against DeLay.
    Why DeGuerin even asking if DeLay hasn't done anything illegal?

    Re: Tom DeLay: Differing Accounts (none / 0) (#4)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:32 PM EST
    Delie is so used to having a compliant media that he thinks he can lie with out any fact checking being done

    Re: Tom DeLay: Differing Accounts (none / 0) (#5)
    by Last Night in Little Rock on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:32 PM EST
    Rule 1: You, the client, in spite of your massive ego, DO NOT talk to the press because you're going to say something stupid or contradicted by other evidence or yourself. Rule 2: Let your lawyer do the talking which likely will be "No Comment."

    Re: Tom DeLay: Differing Accounts (none / 0) (#6)
    by Molly Bloom on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:33 PM EST
    Now DON"T get in the way of Delay and cameras. Don't interrupt him. Let him continue to go on TV as often as he wants and keep spilling his guts. I'm sure Ronnie Earle is in his office with daily transcripts and is enjoying every moment of it.

    Re: Tom DeLay: Differing Accounts (none / 0) (#7)
    by squeaky on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:33 PM EST
    The sad thing is that maybe he is as untouchable as he thinks he is, at least on this one. His TV antics are just flaunting the real power he may actually have. An appeal with a wingnut Texas bunch of judges, looks like he has a right to feel secure. As txpublicdefender said:
    Another thing to remember is that, even if DeLay were to go to trial and be convicted, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals is currently composed completely of elected Republican judges.
    link

    Re: Tom DeLay: Differing Accounts (none / 0) (#8)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:33 PM EST
    The will be nice impeachment evidence. I can see it now: Prosecution: "Is that true?" DeLay on the stand to judge and jury: "I am an honest man who always tells the truth." Prosecution: "Did you say . . . . on national television?" Objection. Impeachment your honor, he opened the door. Objection overruled. DeLay: "Yes." Prosecution: "Your lawyer is . . . isn't that true?" DeLay: "Yes." Prosecution: "Didn't he say . . . ?" DeLay: "Yes." Prosecution: "No further questions at this time."

    Re: Tom DeLay: Differing Accounts (none / 0) (#9)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:34 PM EST
    You can find all of the court documents related to Tom Delay's indictment and TRMPAC here: http://www.trmpac.org

    Re: Tom DeLay: Differing Accounts (none / 0) (#10)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:34 PM EST
    here's an actual link: http://www.trmpac.org

    Tom DeLay: Differing Accounts | 9 comments (9 topical)