Tom DeLay Sentenced to Three Years in Prison

Eight years after DeLay tried to game the Texas prohibition on corporate campaign spending, the judge has spoken. Three years in state prison for conspiracy and ten years of community supervision for money laundering. DeLay elected to be sentenced by Judge Pat Priest instead of the jury of Austinites whom he had gerrymandered into three congressional districts in an effort to unseat the congressman they had elected.

“This will not stand” said attorney Dick DeGuerin, signaling their intention to appeal the conviction to the all-Republican Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. If they don’t succeed there, don’t be surprised if some year down the line the Roberts Supreme Court throws out Texas’ century-old ban on corporate campaign spending.

But we can still enjoy this moment. His stock has fallen as a cable news commentator, and his dancing career is probably over. DeLay’s Political Action Committees are shut down, as is his website. Look for GOP pols who have long kept him at arms-length to throw him under the bus now. Maybe new House Speaker John Boehner and Texas Rep. Pete Olson will reconsider their hiring of former DeLay associates.

DeLay said in court that he has raised and spent $10 million on his defense. Got to wonder if the people writing him checks are starting to suffer donor fatigue, especially now that there’s no mo’ quid pro quo.