AUSTIN, Texas -- Former U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay defiantly entered the Travis County Justice Complex Tuesday morning in advance of hearing related to state money laundering charges against him.
DeLay called the charges against him a “travesty of justice.”
Last week, his attorney announced that federal charges against the Houston-area Republican had been dropped. Those charges were related to DeLay’s alleged connection to disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff.
DeLay, who has maintained the state charges were politically motivated by a Democratic prosecutor, continued that refrain on Tuesday. When asked if the charges were politically motivated, he laughingly said, “Are you kidding? Have you read them?”
DeLay and two co-defendants were indicted in 2005 in connection with efforts to elect Republican state legislative candidates in 2002. DeLay maintained his innocence on the state charges, which stem from allegations that DeLay and his co-defendants worked in concert to improperly use a political action committee to funnel money to Republican candidates in Texas. DeLay faces money laundering and conspiracy charges. No trial date has been set.
“We’ll turn them back,” DeLay said of the charges.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
