Tom DeLay and his legal fees …

If you’re worried that poor Tom DeLay, Texas’ favorite indicted former congressman, won’t be able to pay his legal fees, fear not. Says the Political Money Line:

Tom DeLay Legal Expense Trust Files Final Report
6/23/2006

The legal defense fund of former Rep. Tom DeLay filed their last public report covering financial activity from April 1, 2006 until June 9, 2006, the last day DeLay was in office.

The Tom DeLay Legal Expense Trust reported raising $18,500 in amounts in excess of $250, and spent $43,282 in amounts in excess of $250. Smaller amounts do not have to be reported and no cash-on-hand at the end of the period need be reported.

Senator John Cornyn’s Alamo PAC gave $5,000. The Friends of Dave Weldon gave $2,500. Howard Jones, founder and chairman of IDT Corp. (Houston, TX) gave $5,000. Larry D. Johnson, chairman of Johnson Company (Houston, TX) gave $5,000. Attorney Donald B. Roseman of Perdue, Brandon, Fielder, et al. gave $1,000.

The Trust paid $25,000 to Bracewell & Giuliani (TX) for legal fees. They paid $10,012 to Richardson Consulting for fundraising. They paid $5,978 to Duff, Kitchel & Co (TX) for accounting, and $2,292 to Brent Perry for administrative expenses.

Since its initial filing on 6/28/00 the Trust reported $1,851,177 in receipts from contributions in excess of $250. The Trust has reported spending $2,173,533 in expenses in excess of $250. [emphasis added]

The Legal Expense Trust is separate from the campaign account called the Tom DeLay Congressional Committee, that reported 3/31/06 cash-on-hand of $1,450,959.

Wonder what he’s gonna do with that nearly $1.5 million in his campaign committee, now that he’s (apparently) not going to run for Congress again? And, since the legal trust seems to be running a deficit … hmmm. I can’t believe DeLay would reach into his own pocket to cover his legal fees.

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