Politics

Texas Court Of Criminal Appeals Weighing Tom DeLay's Overturned Conviction

Texas Public Radio | By Ryan Poppe

Published June 18, 2014 at 4:32 PM CDT

Tom DeLay outside the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals in Austin.

Former House Majority leader Tom DeLay and his attorneys argued the merits of whether Delay’s 2010 money laundering conviction should remain overturned or if the original punishment should stand.

DeLay was found guilty of taking money donated to his political action committee and feeding it into a number of Texas Republican's campaigns.

In 2013 his conviction was overturned because checks are not considered funds, therefore the prosecution lacked evidence. But earlier this year the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals agreed to hear an appeal of that overturned conviction.

Holly Taylor, a prosecutor with the state public integrity unit, said this isn’t about political indifference.

"Contrary to what the defense suggests, I really don’t, and I have faith that these judges are good judges and it’s not going to be about politics for them,” Taylor said.

DeLay said he felt good about his chances with the court and was all smiles when he emerged from the courtroom.

“This was the first time that a judge had read the case, had read the opinion and had read testimony and really understood what this was about," DeLay said. "And it’s all about the criminalization of politics.”

DeLay also said that he hadn't given up on his political career.

“The Democrats, nor the left have slowed me down one iota over this long period of time and I’m still involved,” DeLay said.

DeLay would not answer whether that would involve public office or a behind-the-scenes role.

When asked, DeLay said he sees many similarities between his case and the coercion investigation of Gov. Rick Perry, who is being investigated after threatening to line-item veto the budget for the public integrity unit unless the head of that unit stepped down.

"Absolutely," DeLay said, "because he had the audacity to speak up about this public integrity unit in Travis County.”

The court is not expected to rule on the case until 2015. If the court overrules the previous appeals court decision, DeLay's attorney, Brian Wice, still has one appeal left with the original appellate court in Austin.