Congressman Tom DeLay
Representing the 22nd District of Texas
For Immediate Release Contact: Kevin Madden
December 5, 2005 Phone: (202) 225-5951
Statement from the Office of Congressman Tom DeLay
WASHINGTON – Kevin Madden, spokesman for Congressman Tom DeLay (R-Texas) today released the following statement in response to Texas Senior Judge Judge Pat Priest’s ruling:
“The court’s decision to dismiss a portion of Ronnie Earle’s manufactured and flawed case against Mr. DeLay underscores just how baseless and politically motivated the charges were.
“The judge’s ruling, along with the recusal motion previously granted, represents yet another legal victory.
“Mr. DeLay is very encouraged by the swift progress of the legal proceedings and looks forward to his eventual and absolute exoneration based on the facts and the law.”
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Fast Facts About Today’s Ruling:
First indictment was quashed.
The judge notes in his letter that a motion to dismiss based on prosecutorial misconduct is still pending for the second indictment (also known as the “Do-Over Indictment”) and will require the hearing of evidence. The bulk of the arguments made in that motion concerned the manner in which Ronnie Earle went about getting this second indictment. Thus, the pending indictment can still yet be dismissed after additional hearings.
From today’s ruling:
[1] At least one motion to dismiss upon the basis of alleged prosecutorial misconduct was filed by Defendant DeLay and is presumed by the Court to have been adopted by defendants Colyandro and Ellis. This motion may require the hearing of evidence (a matter not yet resolved), and it is not included within the ambit of the present rulings.
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