TPMMuckraker

Judges Indicate They’ll Rule against Republicans, DeLay

If early accounts are accurate, Tom DeLay’s likely to remain a GOP congressional candidate, despite his or his party’s best efforts.

DeLay and the GOP have been trying to get courts to allow them to remove his name on the ballot in the race for Texas’ 22nd District. But The Houston Chronicle reports the judges at the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals were particularly critical in their questioning today.

The Republicans are trying to get the three judge appeals panel to reverse a federal judge’s earlier ruling that Tom DeLay must stay on the ballot. The suit stems from a Democratic complaint that DeLay and the Republicans schemed to circumvent candidacy laws by moving to Virginia.

If DeLay loses this round, he’ll either be forced to run again or let the Democrats take the seat without Republican opposition.

A decision is expected sometime within the next couple weeks.

Tom DeLay

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