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Tom Delay's Venue Hearing Set for Nov. 22

By Jeralyn, Section Tom DeLay
Posted on Mon Nov 07, 2005 at 11:45:18 PM EST
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Tom DeLay has a new Democratic judge, Senior Judge Pat Priest. His lawyers have filed a motion to change venue out of Travis County, which they contend is too Democratic to be fair to DeLay, to Fort Bend county, where DeLay resides. The next court date will be November 22.

The brief filed by DeLay's lawyers said the role he played in dividing the county into three congressional districts during the 2003 congressional redistricting battle had made him "unpopular" in Travis County. He called Austin "one of the last enclaves of the Democratic Party in Texas."

The brief also said Austin media coverage of the investigation conducted by Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle had been "unrelenting and highly unfavorable."

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    Tom Delay's Venue Hearing Set for Nov. 22 | 10 comments (10 topical)
    Re: Tom Delay's Venue Hearing Set for Nov. 22 (none / 0) (#1)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:49 PM EST
    I'm seeing that Priest is a Democrat. From the article you link to:
    The decision to appoint Priest, a Democrat, to the case was made by Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Wallace Jefferson. Jefferson had been endorsed by TRMPAC in 2002 when Colyandro was executive director. Jefferson also participated in TRMPAC fundraisers.
    Re: Tom Delay's Venue Hearing Set for Nov. 22 (none / 0) (#2)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:49 PM EST
    Thanks, I fixed it.

    Re: Tom Delay's Venue Hearing Set for Nov. 22 (none / 0) (#3)
    by aw on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:49 PM EST
    Ronnie Earle should simply ask the judge, "If Travis County is too liberal for DeLay to get a fair trial, then why is it that 2 of 3 U.S. Representatives representing Travis County are Republicans?
    Link
    Re: Tom Delay's Venue Hearing Set for Nov. 22 (none / 0) (#4)
    by cpinva on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:49 PM EST
    i'm sure this has probably already been said elsewhere, but it bears repeating: isn't this analogous to the guy who murdered his parents, asking for mercy because he's an orphan? true justice would be delay being hoist on his own redistricting petard. he should be given a fair trial, then hung. it is, after all, texas.

    Re: Tom Delay's Venue Hearing Set for Nov. 22 (none / 0) (#5)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:49 PM EST
    I fail to see the logic that suggests Delay can't get a fair trial because of redistricting. The districts may have changed but the people haven't. Is Delay suggesting he can't get a fair trial from blacks, hispanics, Liberals, Democrats and therefore he should only be tried be wingnuts, liars and criminals. You know, a jury of his peers.

    Re: Tom Delay's Venue Hearing Set for Nov. 22 (none / 0) (#6)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:49 PM EST
    For the latest news, documents and essential reading on The Hammer, see: "The Tom Delay Scandal Resource Center."

    Re: Tom Delay's Venue Hearing Set for Nov. 22 (none / 0) (#7)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:49 PM EST
    And does DeLay WANT to get convicted? Why else would he want to avoid being tried by some "soft on crime" liberals?

    Re: Tom Delay's Venue Hearing Set for Nov. 22 (none / 0) (#8)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:49 PM EST
    I fail to see the logic that suggests Delay can't get a fair trial because of redistricting. The districts may have changed but the people haven't. Yes, they have. The people in Austin are PISSED about redistricting. However, it's awfully fun to see Delay claiming then that he did what the people wanted, only to have to turn around now and claim that people are so mad at him over it that he can't get a fair trial. Which one is it, BugBoy? If the redistricting was so popular, then he's made everybody so happy that they'll clear him in Travis County, out of sheer gratitude for his selfless efforts on their behalf...RIGHT?

    Re: Tom Delay's Venue Hearing Set for Nov. 22 (none / 0) (#9)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:49 PM EST
    Priest may be a Dem, but, by all accounts here in San Antonio, he's revered and respected, from both sides of the aisle, politically (Rep and Dem) and legally (prosecutors and defense attorneys). He cares about the law, not about politics. If he's guilty, if Ronnie Earle has a halfway decent case against him, Delay has a lot to fear there. According to our local fish-wrap (the San Antonio Excuse-for-News...er, Express-News), the political contributions Priest has made of late were related to protecting judicial pensions, and I guess we can't blame him for that. Scary that even judges are terrified of what will happen to their retirements.

    Re: Tom Delay's Venue Hearing Set for Nov. 22 (none / 0) (#10)
    by Edger on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:52 PM EST
    "You almost feel bad for how screwed this guy is, because usually when someone wants to beat this kind of a rap, the person they bribe is Tom DeLay." —Bill Maher


    Tom Delay's Venue Hearing Set for Nov. 22 | 10 comments (10 topical)