well, you know, if DeLay hadn't broken the law, he wouldn't be in this situation!

Prosecutors Decry DeLay's Court Procedures
AUSTIN, Texas - Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay is trying to bully his way through the court system to further his own political ambitions, prosecutors said Tuesday.

Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle said in court documents that the Republican is "attempting to leapfrog" over the usual court procedures by asking the state's highest criminal court to dismiss all charges against him or to order a trial right away.

DeLay was forced to step aside as majority leader after he was indicted on money laundering and conspiracy charges in September.

He has been pressing the state's highest criminal court to address the charges quickly because he wants to regain his post before his colleagues call for new leadership elections later this month.

The case has been on hold while prosecutors appeal a judge's dismissal of some of the charges.

The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals has not decided whether to take the case but last week asked prosecutors to file briefs making their arguments.

DeLay attorney Dick DeGuerin said the case affects voters in DeLay's Houston-area congressional district and Republican members of Congress who elected DeLay as majority leader.

"A county prosecutor has thrown a monkey wrench into the functioning of the United States Congress, and that's something that needs to be resolved," DeGuerin said.

If the justices decline to intervene, DeLay will have to wait for the lower 3rd Court of Appeals to rule, which could take months.

---
Y'know, Earle didn't force DeLay to break the law, so it is more than a little unfair to blame him for DeLay's legal troubles! On top of that, DeLay's lawyers have done everything they can to delay and obstruct the trial - if they had let things run their natural course and not file motion after absurd motion, then the trial would undoubtedly have already started. Earle wants to have the trial - DeLay is the one who doesn't!