Back in the early days of the 21st century, the speaker of the House Tom DeLay, was known as the “Hammer” because of his heavy handed treatment of others in Washington…….DeLay conspired with two associates to use his Texas-based political action committee to send $190,000 in corporate money in 2002 to an arm of the Washington-based Republican National Committee. The RNC then sent the same amount to seven Texas House candidates. Under Texas law, corporate money can’t go directly to political campaigns.

After many years of legal dancing and him dancing with the stars the trial has rendered a verdict……from Salon.com…….

A judge has ordered U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay to serve three years in prison for his role in a scheme to illegally funnel corporate money to Texas candidates in 2002.

The sentence comes after a jury in November convicted DeLay on charges of money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering. DeLay was once one of the most powerful men in U.S. politics, ascending to the No. 2 job in the House of Representatives.

Which is a slap on the hand….why?….he was looking at the possibility of a life sentence……will justice be done?  Not if lawyers have their way……

The Texas money laundering law is usually associated with drug dealers or white collar criminals, and Tom DeLay‘s defense attorneys say they will try to keep the former U.S. House majority leader out of prison with an appeal that focuses largely on questions about whether the law was ever intended to apply to election violations.Unlike in most money laundering cases, prosecutors argued he stood to benefit not financially but through political power.

The creative use of the statute — the first time it was ever applied in such a case — was key to his convictions on money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering charges.

Is it possible that a crook like DeLay will walk on money laundering charges?  You betcha!  Will justice be done here?  Not a chance, if the lawyers have their way………we will be watching!