More on TRMPAC

Latest from Quorum Report:

Tom Delay and Speaker Tom Craddick. Judge Hart essentially found that TRMPAC was funded by more than half a million dollars of illegal corporate dollars and was engaged in money laundering. This doesn’t bode well for criminal defendants Colyandro, Ellis, Robold, and the 4 remaining corporations, or for that matter Delay and Craddick.

For over 2 years, TRMPAC’s attorneys and supporters have claimed stridently that the civil lawsuits and criminal investigations were frivolous and nothing more than a partisan witch-hunt. The losing Democratic plaintiffs, TRMPAC contended ad infinitum, were simply a bunch of sore, partisan losers and the DA a Democratic Party hack.

Well, Judge Hart’s opinion blew away those contentions. TRMPAC can’t impugn Judge Hart as a partisan, "liberal activist" Austin judge, because TRMPAC chose him. In Travis County, the litigants can ask for a specific judge to be assigned to their case because of special circumstances. TRMPAC’s attorneys asked for the case to be assigned to Judge Hart-- a retired judge (no political re-election concerns), who was appointed by Republican Governor Bill Clements (no partisan bias), and who is known as an apolitical, distinguished jurist (no Austin wild-eyed liberal).

The plaintiffs agreed to Judge Hart, and he was assigned to the case. In short, both sides agreed to Judge Hart, the best testament there can be to his fairness.