Tom DeLay was once a leading light among Texas Republicans
Tom DeLay, a former leading figure among Texas Republicans, was convicted on Wednesday of money laundering and conspiracy in connection with a plan to illegally funnel $190,000 in corporate campaign donations to GOP candidates for the Texas Legislature in the 2002 elections. DeLay is now facing between five and 99 years behind bars for the money laundering conviction and two to 20 years for the conspiracy count. DeLay was first elected to Congress in 1984 and quickly rose through the Republican ranks to become U.S. House Majority Leader during the George W. Bush administration. DeLay resigned from the House of Representatives in 2006 after being linked to the notorious Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff, who was then being investigated for influence peddling. DeLay plans to appeal his conviction.