From The Associated Press, 3/20/04:
http://www.dentonrc.com/sharedcontent/APStories/stories/D81E87MG0.html
Denton, Texas
Saturday March 20, 2004
Bush-Cheney political director appears before grand jury
Associated Press
The political director for the Bush-Cheney re-election campaign
testified Friday before a grand jury investigating charges that
cor****ate money was used illegally in 2002 state legislative races.
A spokeswoman for the Republican National Committee confirmed that
political director Terry Nelson testified.
The spokeswoman, Lindsay Taylor, told The Associated Press on Saturday
that the RNC would have no further comment.
The Austin American-Statesman re****ted that Nelson emerged from the
secret grand jury meeting after about an hour on Friday and referred
all questions to the RNC.
Nelson, the RNC's former deputy chief of staff, could not be reached.
He joined the Bush-Cheney campaign last May.
The grand jury is looking into whether state law was violated when an
RNC group gave $190,000 to seven candidates for the Texas House in
2002.
The donations to each candidate were made on the same day two weeks
after Texans for a Republican Majority, created by U.S. Rep. Tom
DeLay, R-Sugar Land, sent $190,000 in cor****ate money to the RNC
group.
Under state law, DeLay's political committee could not legally give
cor****ate donations to candidates.
Democrats charge that Republicans took money that couldn't be given to
candidates and moved it around before donating it to their candidates.
Republican officials have said the transactions were legal and the
timing and amounts were coincidental.
No indictments have resulted from the investigation.
The grand jury is also believed to be examining whether business
groups and cor****ations made illegal campaign contributions and tried
to influence the election of Tom Craddick, R-Midland, as Texas House
Speaker after the 2002 elections, in which Republicans gained control
of the Legislature.
The investigation is probing checks from Texans for a Republican
Majority to House candidates.
The checks were distributed by Craddick while he was pursuing the
speaker's seat.
State law bans using economic benefit to influence the speaker's
election.
Craddick has denied wrongdoing.
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Whoops. Another day another Republican scandal.
Harry
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