As it is and as it relates !

DeLay associates indicted in investigation

05:35 PM CDT on Tuesday, September 13, 2005
Associated Press

AUSTIN – Two associates of U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay were indicted Tuesday on additional felony charges of violating Texas election law and criminal conspiracy to violate election law for their role in the 2002 legislative races.
The indictment was the latest from a grand jury investigating the use of corporate money in the campaigns that gave Republicans control of the Texas House.
In Texas, state law prohibits using corporate contributions to advocate the election or defeat of state candidates.
The two men indicted Tuesday, Jim Ellis, who heads Americans for a Republican Majority, and John Colyandro, former executive director of Texans for a Republican Majority, already faced charges of money laundering in the case. Colyandro also faces 13 counts of unlawful acceptance of a corporate political contribution.
The money laundering charges stem from $190,000 in corporate funds that were sent to the Republican National Party, which then spent the same amount on seven candidates for the Texas Legislature.

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Editorial: Texas money train

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Waco Tribune-Herald Editorial
Monday, September 12, 2005

The Texas Association of Business says it's all about free speech.
The Travis County district attorney says it's about breaking the law.
Texas law forbids corporations from donating to state political campaigns. TAB was very active in trying to influence the 2002 Texas statehouse races. Indeed, it raised $1.7 million.
Thursday it was indicted on 128 counts.
TAB said its money went to “voter information” efforts. Prosecutors assert that the efforts were clearly meant to assist individual candidates and torpedo others.
Because the law remains rife with loopholes that the 79th Legislature failed to address, a criminal case will be hard to make. But at least groups seeking to evade the law now know they might have to face a judge.
Whether directly or laundered through a group like TAB, corporations should not be allowed to buy themselves a Legislature.
source: http://www.wacotrib.com/opin/content/news/opinion/stories/2005/09/12/20050912wacedits12.html