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DeLay Prosecutors Subpoena Abramoff Documents

Texas DA Ronnie Earle, who is prosecuting Tom DeLay, has subpoenaed a multitude of documents in the Abramoff investigation.

In the Texas case, Earle sought records from Abramoff's former employers, legal firms Greenberg Traurig LLP and Preston Gates Ellis & Rouvelas Meeds, LLP. He also subpoenaed records from a lawyer for the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, a former Abramoff client, and from a representative for the Barona Band of Mission Indians, a California tribe.

DeLay attorney Dick DeGuerin said Earle "goes where the fish bite." "Ronnie Earle is an opportunist," DeGuerin said. "He issues subpoenas to try to make a connection between his case and the latest scandal, whatever it happens to be. The Abramoff thing is the latest he's doing. It has nothing to do with the case in Texas. Nothing. Zip."

Here's what Earle is seeking:

In his subpoenas, Earle asks for correspondence between the subpoenaed parties and TRMPAC; Americans for a Republican Majority, DeLay's national fundraising committee; David Safavian, the Bush administration's former chief procurement official indicted in the Abramoff case; Abramoff, former Christian Coalition director Ralph Reed and DeLay's co-defendants.

Reddhedd at Firedoglake has more.

< California's Next Executionee: 76, Blind and Wheelchair-Ridden | Abramoff to Plead to Five Year Counts in Florida >
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    Re: DeLay Prosecutors Subpoena Abramoff Documents (none / 0) (#1)
    by Punchy on Tue Jan 03, 2006 at 04:57:25 PM EST
    We'd have a much more accurate, civilized judicial system if, when Delay IS found to be connected to Jacky-A, that the court could punish DeGuerin for lying. [remainder deleted, punchy, read the commenting rules, you're on warning.]

    Re: DeLay Prosecutors Subpoena Abramoff Documents (none / 0) (#2)
    by scarshapedstar on Tue Jan 03, 2006 at 10:07:57 PM EST
    They're innocent. C'mon, I bet everyone loses at least one business partner to a mafia-style execution...

    I'm not a lawyer, and this is a criminal case about political activities (which to me seen blatantly illegal). Mr. DeGuerin is the defense lawyer and he has to do his best for his client (even one as smelly as Delay). But his public pronouncements on this case seem to me way over-the-top political. It seems to be that it is quite possible to defend a client without attacking the prosecutor in this way. Mr. DeGuerin is sounding way too much like a member of the Delay machine for my tastes. There is no historical reason to believe that Earle has a political motivation behind this, and I have lived in Texas for some time now. For this reason I hope there will be some strikingly negative consequences for Mr. DeGuerin WHEN his client goes down. Owing to your commenting rules I will leave it at that.

    Re: DeLay Prosecutors Subpoena Abramoff Documents (none / 0) (#4)
    by Sailor on Wed Jan 04, 2006 at 02:34:48 PM EST
    I agree Ba'al it seems that DeGuerin is beyond the pail (pun intended), what are the guidlines as to what a lawyer can say about his client?

    Re: DeLay Prosecutors Subpoena Abramoff Documents (none / 0) (#5)
    by Sailor on Wed Jan 04, 2006 at 02:37:52 PM EST
    Oh, on another note; it seems Earle is only going after records that apply to his original case, I don't see a problem. I mean it's not like he jumped from Webster Hubbell to Paula Jones;-)