(My Mama Told Me) You Gotta Shop Around

As I mentioned briefly last night I will be serving jury duty today. It’s not a trial jury, but the end of a six month stint on a grand jury. Rumor has it that Ronnie Earle will be traveling across the gulf to seek further charges against Tom DeLay. Well, maybe not. Still, I have been examining the DeLay case with a bit more interest than I would have had before my jury service.

The latest in Earle’s shennanigans would be laughable if it weren’t so outrageous.

A prosecutor tried to persuade a grand jury that Rep. Tom DeLay tacitly approved illegal use of campaign money and became angry when jurors decided against an indictment, according to two sources directly familiar with the proceeding.

“The mood was unpleasant,” one source said Wednesday, describing prosecutor Travis County prosecutor Ronnie Earle’s reaction.

The sources insisted on anonymity because of grand jury secrecy.

Earle presented evidence to three grand juries. Two of them returned indictments against DeLay, triggering a House Republican rule that forced the Texas Republican to step aside – at least temporarily – from his post as majority leader.

I can really only see two views on this whole affair. If you are on the side that wants to get DeLay by any means possible, well then you probably see Earle as a vigorous prosecutor doing his job. However, if you have half the sense that God gave a water buffalo you can probably see the abuse of power at work here.

One source said the sole evidence Earle presented to the grand jury that declined to indict was a DeLay interview with the prosecutor in August. DeLay reportedly said he was generally aware of activities of his associates.

The source said Earle tried to convince the jurors that if DeLay “didn’t say, ‘Stop it,’ he gave his tacit approval.”

I am “generally aware” of the activities of those I work with. Under that standard can I be charged if they are cheating on their taxes? Uh, doubt it. But if there’s a gray-haired prosecuter with a Texas drawl in the room this morning I’m going to be a bit concerned.

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