Illegal Corporate Political Contributions:
The Old Fashion Way Leads to Indictments

3 DeLay Aides Facing Charges in Fund Inquiry
NY Times
By GLEN JUSTICE and SHERYL GAY STOLBERG
Published: September 22, 2004

WASHINGTON, Sept. 21 - Three aides who helped run a political action committee created by the House majority leader, Tom DeLay, were indicted by a grand jury in Texas on Tuesday on charges that included raising illegal corporate contributions and funneling them to state candidates during the 2002 elections.

Eight companies were also charged, including Sears Roebuck & Company and Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Inc.

The 32 separate indictments sprang from a two-year investigation by local prosecutors into Texans for a Republican Majority P.A.C., a committee created by Mr. DeLay that spent $1.5 million to help Republicans gain control of the Texas House. The Republicans then used that power to carve Texas into new Congressional districts that political analysts say will bring them at least five new seats in this year's elections.

The charges against the aides come at a time when Mr. DeLay himself is under investigation by the House ethics committee over accusations of improper fund-raising. News of the indictments led to fresh calls for the committee to move forward with its inquiry.