After last week’s indictment of Tom DeLay on conspiracy charges, another Texas grand jury on Monday has indicted the Congressman on charges of money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

DeLay denies the charges, of course.

One count of the new indictment accuses DeLay of conspiracy to commit money laundering. It says he agreed with one or more associates to launder $190,000 in corporate contributions through an arm of the Republican National Committee in Washington, allowing the funds to be passed illegally into the election campaigns of Republican candidates in Texas. Texas law prohibits the use of corporate money in political campaigns.

The aim of the assistance was to ensure that Republicans could gain control of the Texas House, and thus reorder the state’s congressional districts in a manner that would favor the election of Republicans. The stratagem worked: Five more Republicans were elected to the U.S. House from the state last year, making it harder for Democrats to wrest control of Congress.

The other new count alleges that DeLay and the two associates “did knowingly, conduct, supervise, and facilitate” the transfer of the $190,000 to Washington and back to Texas in violation of the state’s money-laundering statutes. Last week’s conspiracy charge, in contrast, involved the state’s election law, and it was that linkage that DeLay’s attorneys challenged.

Earle, who spoke to reporters after last week’s action, did not explain his decision to present his case to a new grand jury on the first day it met. DeLay spokesman Kevin Madden said that Earle’s action came after he “panicked” after realizing his error in bringing last week’s charges.

But a source close to the investigation, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he lacks authority to speak publicly, responded by noting that Earle told reporters last week his investigation was continuing, and asserting that Earle had intended to bring these charges even before the challenge raised by DeLay’s lawyers.

Whatever the reason, the potential consequences for DeLay are more dire. Both money-laundering crimes are more serious felonies, and the maximum punishment is life in prison. DeLay has been forced by House rules to relinquish his post as majority leader, and the new indictments stand in the way of any quick reinstatement based on any legal flaws in last week’s indictment. — Washington Post

The incident took place on October 4, 2002, and the grand jury returned the indictments yesterday — one day before the statute of limitations would have expired.

The new charges came as lawyers for Mr DeLay asked a judge to throw out last week’s indictment, accusing him of conspiring to violate campaign laws, on the grounds that it is based on a statute that only came into effect in 2003.

But Mr DeLay accused Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle, who initiated the indictments, of foul play.

“Ronnie Earle has stooped to a new low with his brand of prosecutorial abuse,” he said in a statement.

“He is trying to pull the legal equivalent of a ‘do-over’ since he knows very well that the charges he brought against me last week are totally manufactured and illegitimate. This is an abomination of justice.” — BBC News

The true abomination of justice is when corrupt politicians actually get away with it.