Tom DeLay: Liberals Sentenced Me To Jail (VIDEO)

Former House Republican leader Tom DeLay says his conviction on money laundering charges was a politically-inspired case brought by prosecutors in "the most liberal county in Texas."

DeLay tells NBC's "Today" show that prosecutors "never proved" their case against him. DeLay is free on bond after being sentenced to three years in prison and 10 years' probation on a conviction of scheming to illegally influence Texas elections.

On Thursday, he again denied the charges.

"I was tried in the most liberal county in the state of Texas, and indeed in the United States," explained DeLay NBC's Matt Lauer in an exclusive interview. "The point is that this is a political campaign."

Appearing with DeLay, defense attorney Dick DeGuerin called it "a political prosecution." He said his appeal will be based partly on a 2009 Supreme Court ruling that overturned a longtime ban on political activities by corporations and unions. DeGuerin says DeLay was prosecuted "because he was so successful in bringing about redistricting in Texas."

NBC reports:

In the interview, DeLay also said he stood by his stance on loosening gun control laws and promoting gun owners' rights in the wake of the recent shooting rampage in Arizona that left Rep. Gabrielle Giffords in critical condition.

"If I was still in congress I would welcome and urge those who can carry to come to my town meetings, I'd feel safer having them there," DeLay said. "Gun control and grandstanding doesn't help anyone."

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Comments

[Jim McDonough]

06:20 AM on 01/31/2011

the irony here is that it was a BIPARTISAN group that blew the whistle on him...

[Tim303]

10:27 PM on 01/30/2011

this is precisely why he's going to the slammer. he just doesn't get it does he?

[JBaker]

08:07 PM on 01/30/2011

Who is defending DeLay? Who is his constituency? I don't see Republicans publicly lining up to defend him. The silence is deafening. DeLay should think about that while he poses as a victim of liberal persecution.

[SheamusK]

07:44 PM on 01/30/2011

Well Tom - here are my observations:
1. Basically, you are doing a "Goebbels" on people who caught you violating the law. Thank heavens we do not live in the Weimar Republic.

2. Serve your sentence. Be thankful you were not held responsible for your greater crimes and and move on.

3. Based upon my experience in the last 20 years, there are really no LIBERAL counties in Texas. If you want to be tried in court of law in a real LIBERAL county elsewhere - we can arrange that. But, you should expect "life, without parole" for what you have done. Take responsibility for what you have done!

[OldCowboy]

06:23 PM on 01/30/2011

Liberal...conservative. It really doesn't matter. He was convicted by a jury of his peers. Besides, a liberal jury in Texas is equal to a conservative jury in most other states.

[Denice Simms]

05:47 PM on 01/30/2011

I hope he is not pardoned that would be a grave injustice. I hope more people like him get punished.

[Gary Crum]

03:42 PM on 01/30/2011

Tom "the Hammer" heads to the slammer...and, of course, it's all a liberal conspiracy...please, Tom, you broke the law, got caught and, now, get to pay the price...you're far too nasty a person to play the victim....I hope your cellmate is 6 feet five, weights about 250 and gets to "know" you very intimately....you richly deserve whatever you get

[TeraWatt60]

12:10 PM on 01/30/2011

Tommy Boy....where is your Conservative "personal responsibility" now?  What's that? Yea I know that is only for poor people and only when you are bloviating to the already rich or the crass and greedy...hope you find a nice BF in jail you might learn a whole new meaning to "loving your fellow man"

[blueinannarbor]

11:50 AM on 01/30/2011

A jury of his peers convicted him. Is he suggesting that his attorney(s) couldn't find one conservative in Travis County to seat on the jury? Right. Ultimately, Delay's expressing his contempt for due process of the law and the Constitution.

[tartentart]

08:23 AM on 01/30/2011

Oh Tommy boy you and sister Sarah have the same disease: "It's not my fault"!! Could you whine a little more? A liberal county in Texas, do you really expect us to believe there is such a thing? Just stop whining, suck it up and do your time. After that just go away and don't return.

[Jim Pasterczyk]

03:56 AM on 01/30/2011

Tommy boy, if you think Texas has the most liberal county in the country, being a convicted criminal is one of your lesser worries.

[chaplinlives]

10:19 PM on 01/29/2011

Let's see Tom Delay, Bristol Palin who's next on Dancing with the Stars, Bobby Jindal or Michele Bachmann?

[rainkitty]

08:43 PM on 01/29/2011

Psychopathic lying crybaby.

[CubanVoice]

09:06 PM on 01/29/2011

Who cant dance!

[mercedes1947]

10:56 PM on 01/29/2011

And there is NO for emphasis I'll repeat, there is NO county in Texas that is the MOST liberal county in America.

Take your lumps Tom write a book and go to work for a conservative think tank when you get out. For the privileged like yourself, there really is no downside.

[rainkitty]

11:22 PM on 01/29/2011

And unfortunately, Tom's idea's of a custom-made neo-con Congress just continues with someone else.

[OldHick]

08:40 PM on 01/29/2011

Since Mexico is part of America, perhaps a change of venue to a Tijuana court would be appropriate.

[Manhattanite]

07:53 PM on 01/29/2011

Poor little Tommy, hounded by those Godless liberals! DeLay is the poster child for refusing to accept responsibility for breaking the law of the land.

[CubanVoice]

09:07 PM on 01/29/2011

Not a nice guy but hardly the poster child. Bigger fish who committed bigger crimes....