Only the politicians. Can you imagine the fun political opponents would have with a Nolte-like mug-shot of Delay?
Kind of disappointing though! Was really looking forward to the whole package. You know... Height lines behind him, holding up the number sign and the profile shot! oh well...
DeLay wants to be judged by a Republican judge, since Democratic judges are partisan. DeLay in Court; Lawyers Request New Judge Oct 21, 10:34 AM (ET) By SUZANNE GAMBOA AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - Rep. Tom DeLay appeared in court Friday for the first time since his indictment, but arraignment on conspiracy and money laundering charges was delayed pending a hearing on his request for a new judge. DeLay, who has had to step aside as House majority leader, did not speak during the brief court session, and was not called on to make a plea. Instead, Judge Bob Perkins told the congressman's attorney, Dick DeGuerin, that "the best way for me to handle" the request would be to defer further proceedings. In a courtroom session that ran less than 10 minutes, DeGuerin noted that Perkins had donated money to MoveOn.org, a liberal organization that he said has been selling T-shirts bearing the image of DeLay's mug shot. Perkins replied, "I haven't seen that T-shirt" and said he hadn't bought it. He said as far as he could recall, he hadn't donated to the organization since before the 2004 election, "when they were helping John Kerry." At a news conference outside the courthouse, DeGuerin said, "all we want is a fair trial before a fair tribunal." It was not clear when the hearing would be held on DeLay's motion to replace Perkins. DeLay appeared relaxed as he sat next to his wife in the courtroom. Earlier, he had entered the courthouse through a side door to avoid the cameras. DeLay and two political associates are charged in an alleged scheme to funnel corporate donations to GOP candidates for the Texas Legislature. State law prohibits use of corporate donations to elect or defeat state candidates. All three deny wrongdoing. The case has had a political cast from the outset. The charges arise from a campaign in which Republicans gained control of the legislature, then used their new majority to force through a redistricting plan that netted the GOP additional seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. Prosecutor Ronnie Earle, whom DeLay has repeatedly denounced as a Democratic partisan, brushed aside the request for a new judge. "What this means is if a judge had contributed to Crime Stoppers that judge could not hear a burglary case," Earle said. "Carried to its extreme, that is what I think this motion means and I think that's absurd." "We don't live in a country where political party determines the measure of justice," Earle said, adding that he though DeLay could get a fair trial in the state's capital.
Perkins replied, "I haven't seen that T-shirt" and said he hadn't bought it. This is because the t-shirt only exists in DeLay's attorney's mind. In a courtroom session that ran less than 10 minutes, DeGuerin noted that Perkins had donated money to MoveOn.org, a liberal organization that he said has been selling T-shirts bearing the image of DeLay's mug shot. That would be perjury on DeGuerin's part. According to MoveOn’s Washington director Tom Mattzie, this claim is false. Mattzie told ThinkProgress this morning that MoveOn has “never sold any t-shirts with Tom DeLay’s mug shot” on their website or otherwise. You can go to their website and see that he’s right.
Since when does a defendent get to choose the judge? And since when does a lawyer do a background check on a judge?
There is a distinct advantage to turning yourself in the county you own. I'll bet the jail had a guest photographer that day with silky backdrops, indirect lighting and Barbara Walter's soft focus lenses. That slimy little cockroach will have a Dream Team running PR for the full lenght of this thing, you can bet the ranch he will slip away. The best we can hope for is having him distracted for a while.
funny thing about that mugshot is it'd be awesome if the hardened convicts were smiling in the pictures instead of looking all depressed about being in jail.
Someone is losing their mind... ------------ DeLay: Conservatism Being Criminalized Rep. Tom DeLay, under indictment on campaign finance violations, railed against Democrats in a letter Thursday, accusing them of engaging in "the politics of personal destruction." The letter, sent to constituents and contributors, connected his case with investigations into possible misconduct by White House adviser Karl Rove and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist. "What we're fighting is so much larger than a single court case or a single district attorney in Travis County," the Texas Republican wrote. "We are witnessing the criminalization of conservative politics." DeLay stepped down as House majority leader after he was indicted Sept. 28 on charges he illegally funneled corporate campaign contributions to candidates for the Texas Legislature. DeLay has launched an aggressive defense, seeking to have the judge removed because of his Democratic political activity and accusing the Democratic district attorney who charged him, Ronnie Earle, of pursuing the case for political reasons. The letter was prepared for the Republican Party newsletter in DeLay's home county of Fort Bend. Party chairman Eric Thode said he also e-mailed it to about 2,000 Fort Bend County households and to state and national elected and party officials. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051027/ap_on_go_co/delay_letter&printer=1
I guess that in Tom's mind, "conservatism" involves illegally funneling corporate donations to candidates for Texas political offices. Nice to see that he admits that his political ideology embraces illegal actions.
