AUSTIN, Tex., Nov. 27 — Bringing to a close a five-year legal battle, a jury took only 19 hours to convict former Republican Congressman Tom DeLay of conspiracy to commit money laundering. The felony conviction carries a possible 99-year prison sentence.

DeLay, once the second-most powerful Representative in Congress, was charged back in 2005 with conspiracy following an investigation into his role in the 2005 “redristing” scandal that sought to create a permanent Republican majority of representatives from Texas in the House of Representatives.

At the time the allegations first surfaced, DeLay was Majority Leader in the House, with his hand-picked lackey, Illinois Congressman Dennis
Hastert, serving as Speaker of the House. DeLay had to resign his position and, after charges were filed, his House seat.

DeLay’s political action committee, Texans for a Republican Majority, received $190,000 sometime in 2002 from corporate donors. This money was sent to the Republican National State Elections Committee, which helps GOP candidates in state elections, which in turn gave that amount to seven candidates running for state office.

Under Texas law, corporate campaign donations to state candidates are not allowed. DeLay orchestrated the laundering through the RNSEC to try to get around the law.

Through creating a Republican majority in the Texas state legislature by buying those seven elections, DeLay was able to redraw Congressional districts, transforming the 17- 15 Democratic majority in the 2002 election into a 21-11 Republican majority in 2004.

DeLay heavily intervened in the redistricting process. At one point, when Democratic state representatives, disgusted by the blatantly undemocratic power grab, boycotted State House sessions, including flying to New Mexico and holed up at an airport hotel, DeLay demanded the Federal Aviation
Administration and Department of Homeland Security force them to return to Texas.

It was after the 2004 elections that Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle, who is also responsible for prosecuting violations of state election law, began his investigation of DeLay and the campaign donations.

It is expected that DeLay’s attorneys will appeal the conviction. If DeLay is able to get his case all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, there is a likelihood that his conviction will be reversed. Given the Court’s recent decision in the Citizens United case, which called corporate donations a form
of “free speech,” it is likely they would strike down the Texas law as violating the “rights” of corporations, and nullify DeLay’s conviction.

If not, however, it is likely DeLay will face at least 20 years in prison as the “mastermind” of the conspiracy. As a convicted felon, he will be stripped of his rights in Texas, including, in a pique of poetic justice, his right to vote.