Can we get a new venue, please?

Now that we're all done playing Judge Roulette, it's time to move on to the next game for Team DeLay: their change of venue motion.

Defense attorneys argue that DeLay has been vilified and wouldn't get a fair trial in liberal Travis County, which was split into three different congressional districts as a result of a redistricting map DeLay engineered. They've asked that the change of venue request be handled quickly by semiretired San Antonio Judge Pat Priest, who was assigned to the case last week. Priest scheduled the hearing for Nov. 22.

"Liberal Travis County". Write that one down, you self-appointed media bias watchdogs, because I'll bet that Fort Bend County, which is where the defense wants the trial to be held, will not be described as "Conservative Fort Bend County" in any future accounts. But just for the record, what's sauce for the goose and all that:

2004 Presidential Election returns


Travis County

George W. Bush/ Dick Cheney     REP     147,885 41.99%

John F. Kerry/ John Edwards     DEM     197,235 56.01%



Fort Bend County

George W. Bush/ Dick Cheney     REP      93,625 57.37%

John F. Kerry/ John Edwards     DEM      68,722 42.11%

Seems to me that if a 56/42 split one way qualifies one county as "liberal", then a 57/42 split the other way would qualify another as "conservative". Fair and balanced, right? Yeah, sure.

Prosecutors said the change of venue wouldn't be necessary. They filed an affidavit today by longtime criminal defense attorney Betty Blackwell, who says Travis County is not overly opposed to DeLay.

"There is not so great a prejudice against the defendant, nor is there a dangerous combination of any sort, that will interfere with him receiving a fair trial in Travis County," Blackwell stated in the affidavit.

I think this is another BS motion by Team DeLay designed solely to obscure the issues of the case, but hey, if we really want to hold this trial in a county that doesn't lean too far one way or another, may I suggest Dallas County?

2004 Presidential Election returns


Dallas County

George W. Bush/ Dick Cheney     REP     346,246 50.34%

John F. Kerry/ John Edwards     DEM     336,641 48.95%

Just trying to be helpful here.

DeLay's attorneys also have asked that his trial be separate from his two co-defendants. That issue also could be decided during the upcoming hearing.

For a guy who says he wants a speedy trial, he sure is doing everything he can to put off the start date of that trial. Make of that what you will.

Posted by Charles Kuffner on November 07, 2005 to Scandalized! | TrackBack