Bush crony is under investigation

House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, a Bush type he-boy “All American”, is being considered for investigation in the laundering $190,000 in illegal corporate contributions through the Republican National Committee for use in Texas legislative races.

The same $190,000 in political contributions that led to indictments of the Texas congressman's aides on similar charges.

To quote ABC News:  “On Tuesday, a grand jury in Texas indicted Jim Ellis, a paid consultant to Texans for a Republican Majority, and John Colyandro, former executive director of the Texas committee, on money laundering charges involving the same $190,000 check. A third aide was indicted on separate charges.

The indictments allege that on Sept. 13, 2002, Ellis delivered a check for $190,000 to the Republican National Committee. The check was signed by Colyandro and made out to the Republican National State Elections Committee. Accompanying it was a list of several GOP Texas legislative candidates and the amount of money that each should get from the RNC, according to the indictment.

The indictments said the $190,000 came from corporate contributions to Texans for A Republican Majority. Givers included Diversified Collection Services Inc., $50,000; Sears, Roebuck and Co., $25,000; Williams Companies Inc., $25,000; Cornell Companies, $10,000, Bacardi USA, $20,000 and Questerra Corp., $25,000, the indictments said. They did not account for the remaining contributions.

The Republican National State Elections Committee subsequently wrote checks totaling $190,000 to seven Texas candidates, the indictment alleges”

Michael Berglin