DeLay to appear in court on money laundering, conspiracy charges News
DeLay to appear in court on money laundering, conspiracy charges

[JURIST] Rep. Tom DeLay [official profile; campaign website] will appear in an Austin courtroom Friday morning to answer charges that he helped funnel corporate donations to GOP candidates for the Texas Legislature in violation of Texas state law. The appearance will be the first after DeLay voluntarily turned himself in to be booked [JURIST report] Thursday in Harris County on an arrest warrant issued [JURIST report] the day before. DeLay's first court appearance comes after three weeks of legal moves by DeLay's attorney to get the money laundering [JURIST report] and criminal conspiracy [JURIST report] charges dismissed, the prosecutor removed, and the judge replaced. DeLay was released on $10,000 bail after having his fingerprints and a smiling mug shot taken. DeLay has consistently denied [DeLay campaign website legal analysis] any wrongdoing in the matter. AP has more.

Previously in JURIST's Paper Chase…

12:56 PM ET – DeLay's arraignment was postponed Friday pending a hearing on DeLay's request for a new judge in the case. DeLay's defense lawyer Dick DeGuerin asked that Judge Bob Perkins be replaced because Perkins has donated money to the liberal MoveOn.org, which DeGuerin says has been selling T-shirts with DeLay's mug shot on them. Travis County prosecutor Ronnie Earle [official website] has said that he will contest DeLay's request for a new judge. AP has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Montgomery started racially-integrated bus service after boycott

On December 21, 1956, buses in Montgomery, Alabama, started racially integrated service following federal court rulings ending on-board segregation. Bus boycott leaders Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King and Rev. Ralph Abernathy were among the first riders under the new scheme. Learn about the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

Stalin born

On December 21, 1879, Joseph Stalin was born in Gori, Georgia. In 1922, he became leader of the USSR until his death in 1953. During his time as Soviet dictator, Stalin industrialized his country, which he then led to become one of the world's two superpowers after WWII. Through his infamous purges, show trials and nationwide famines, Stalin also became responsible for millions of deaths.