Prosecutor Broadens DeLay Inquiry

Prosecutor Broadens DeLay Inquiry
Data on GOP Donation to U.S. Family Network Demanded

By R. Jeffrey Smith
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, January 6, 2006; A05



The Texas prosecutor who secured an indictment of Rep. Tom DeLay (R-
Tex.) on money-laundering charges broadened the scope of his inquiry
into election spending yesterday, demanding documents related to
funds that passed through a nonprofit organization, the U.S. Family
Network.

The group, which was founded in 1996 by DeLay's then-chief of staff,
Edwin A. Buckham, received $500,000 in 1999 from the National
Republican Congressional Committee and used some of the money to
finance radio ads attacking Democrats. The Federal Election
Commission fined the party in 2004 for its role in the funding.

The prosecutor, Ronnie Earle, sent subpoenas yesterday to Buckham;
the group's former president, Christopher Geeslin; the NRCC; and the
treasurer of DeLay's leadership political action committee, Americans
for a Republican Majority.

The subpoenas asked for all documents related to the $500,000
contribution, including any correspondence involving DeLay or Jack
Abramoff, the lobbyist who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to bribe
public officials and other crimes this week. The Washington Post
reported Saturday that the largest donors to the U.S. Family Network
were all associated with Abramoff. They contributed hundreds of
thousands of dollars to the group before it folded in 2001.

Earle, an elected district attorney in Travis County, Tex., did not
reveal in the subpoenas why he believes he has jurisdiction over the
campaign spending. Carl Forti, a spokesman for the NRCC, told the
Associated Press, "I'm going to call Roswell and warn them that
Ronnie Earle is on the witch hunt for the Martians they have there,"
referring to the New Mexico city famous for an alleged UFO landing.

DeLay is awaiting trial in Texas for allegedly conspiring to launder
corporate donations sent to a group he organized, Texans for a
Republican Majority, for use in the 2002 state legislative elections.
He has denied any wrongdoing.

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