Gov. Rick Perry said Monday that the recent indictment of former U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay of Texas stem from the work of an “overzealous prosecutor.”
DeLay is named in two indictments returned by separate grand juries in Travis County, one charging conspiracy and the other charging money laundering in connection with an alleged scheme to funnel corporate donations to candidates for the Texas House of Representatives.
Perry made the remarks Monday after speaking about economic development at the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce.
He and other Republicans have accused Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle of partisanship. But the Democratic prosecutor has denied the allegations.
The governor said today that he believes DeLay should remain the House majority leader. DeLay resigned from the post following the felony charges.
DeLay, of Sugar Land, turned himself in Thursday at the Sheriff's Office in Houston. He was fingerprinted, photographed and released after posting a $10,000 bond.
He made a brief court appearance Friday in Austin, when his attorney asked the judge to step aside for making campaign donations to Democrats and their allies.
