GOOD NEWS FOR DELAY-- PROBLEM FOR JUSTICE, BUT IT'S TEXAS SO NOT MANY WILL NOTICE

So who's gonna be the judge in the DeLay conspiracy and money laundering trial? Texas judges are ALL partisan; they all run for office as either a Democrat or as a Republicrazyloon. It looks very much like, in the words of one of DeLay's disgruntled constituents, "The Fix is in! DeLay is shopping for a corrupt GOP judge who owes him a few favors." (Thanks Jim.) This afternoon
retired state District Judge C.W. Duncan Jr. granted DeLay's motion to remove Judge Bob Perkins from the case after DeLay claimed Perkins' contributions to other Democrats was an indication he could be biased against him.

As part of their strategy, DeLay and his attorneys constantly try to portray this criminal case as a "political trial." According to THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE, "longtime Republican state Rep. Terry Keel of Austin, a former Travis County sheriff and prosecutor, testified that he has known Perkins since he was 14, and he personally didn't question Perkins' ability to hear DeLay's case. 'I know Judge Perkins well enough to know that he will be fair and impartial on any case he presides over,' Keel said. But he said the public might question whether Perkins could remain unbiased, since they didn't know him personally."

DeLay is also hoping to get a change of venue since Travis County is considered a progressive and Democratic-leaning area. As someone said online today, he's like to have Scalia or Scalito preside over a trial in Utah or Idaho.