Republican Party avoids prosecution in Texas (for now)

The Republican Party of Texas avoided prosecution Thursday by agreeing to stop using corporate money for some political activity.

Although party officials denied criminal wrongdoing, they signed an agreement with Travis County Attorney David Escamilla as he was preparing to present to a Travis County grand jury the results of his 18-month investigation into the GOP's 2002 campaign activities.

. . .

The Republican Party's agreement has no direct effect on felony charges against DeLay or TAB, both indicted on charges arising from Earle's investigation into the use of corporate money during the 2002 legislative elections.

But campaign finance activists said the agreement underscores "a broader conspiracy" by Republicans and their corporate allies to hide the use of corporate money in the pivotal elections that led to the Republican takeover of state government.

"They literally had a fire sale with our public institutions," said Craig McDonald of Texans for Public Justice. "They brought in $10 million of corporate money. And that corporate money bought policies for special interests — policies that have harmed consumers, workers and families of Texas."

Officials from Common Cause of Texas and Public Citizen, who filed the initial criminal complaint against the state GOP, praised Escamilla's investigation.


full story

http://www.statesman.com/metrostate/content/metro/stories/11/18gopdeal.html#