By J. Lyn Carl, GalleryWatch.com
Austin, TX –
More indictments on felony charges were returned today by a Travis County Grand Jury against two men associated with fundraising efforts for Texans for a Republican Majority.
Today's three-count indictment comes after five indictments were handed down last week against the Texas Association of Business (TAB) and Texans for a Republican Majority Political Action Committee (TRMPAC) in relation to alleged illegal campaign contributions in Texas elections in 2002.
In September of last year, a grand jury returned some three dozen indictments against three persons associated with TRMPAC. The indictments, against John Dominick Colyandro, executive director of TRMPAC; Warren M. RoBold, a Washington, D.C., fundraiser; and James W. Ellis, an aide to U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay of Texas, and eight corporate donors, ranged from unlawful acceptance of a corporate political contribution to money laundering.
Today's indictments were against Colyandro and Ellis for alleged money laundering involving the channeling of nearly $200,000 in corporate donations into the campaign coffers of candidates for the Texas House in 2002. Texas law prohibits campaign donations by corporations. Other indictments were returned against the two for allegedly making a campaign contribution to a political party and conspiracy regarding the contribution. State law also prohibits corporate donations to political parties the last 60 days before an election.
"These defendants were previously indicted for money laundering in which $190,000 in corporate money was sent to the Republican National Party which in turn sent a like amount to seven candidates for the Texas Legislature in 2002," said a statement from Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle's office. "The new charges in today's indictment involve the same transaction."
In the indictment, the grand jury notes that Colyandro and Ellis are accused of unlawfully making and or accepting a contribution and the transfer of $190,000 "from Texans for a Republican Majority PAC to the Republican National State Elections Committee and the resultant transfer of funds of the aggregate value of $190,000 from the Republican National State Elections Committee to several candidates for the Texas House of Representatives." Those candidates included Todd Baxter, Dwayne Bohac, Glenda Dawson, Dan Flynn, Rick Green, Jack Stick and Larry Taylor.
Earle's offices said the indictments today contain the same money laundering charge that was already pending; charges the two defendants with making a corporate contribution in violation of the Texas Election Code; charges them with the making of a political contribution to a political party within 60 days of an election in violation of the Texas Election Code; and charges conspiracy to violate both provisions of the Texas Election Code.
Last week's indictments, announced by Earle, culminated a more than two-year investigation into alleged campaign contribution irregularities. Earle said the investigation "unmasked" the corporate donors, not all of which were located in Texas, and called the use of the millions of dollars of "secret money" channeled into Texas political races "improper, illegal and unprecedented."
Regarding today's indictments, the DA's office notes that money laundering is a first degree felony with punishment of five to 99 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000. The two violations of the Election Code are third degree felonies punishable by a possible prison sentence of two to 10 years and a fine of up to $10,000. Criminal conspiracy in this indictment is a state jail felony with a possible punishment of 180 days to two years in a state jail facility with a fine of up to $10,000.