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Director of MoveOn.org subpoenaed in DeLay case

WASHINGTON - A Texas prosecutor has subpoenaed the head of a liberal activist group and records of political contributions from mostly Republican state judges in advance of a hearing Tuesday to decide who should preside over former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay's criminal case.

Prosecutor Ronnie Earle on Friday subpoenaed Eli Pariser, executive director of MoveOn.org, a liberal group that took an active role in the last presidential campaign and generally opposes Republicans and their policies.

DeLay's attorney, Dick DeGuerin, requested the removal of state Judge Bob Perkins because the judge has made 34 contributions since 2000 to Democratic and liberal groups, including MoveOn.org, which has waged a campaign against DeLay. Perkins' largest contribution was a $1,000 donation to the Travis County Democratic Party in 2002.

DeLay, a Republican, has been accused of money laundering and conspiracy in a three-year investigation led by Earle, a Democrat. His request to have Perkins removed from his case will be decided by another judge after Tuesday's hearing.

Pariser said he learned from DeLay's case that Perkins was a MoveOn contributor.

In another court document, Earle argued that DeLay's attorneys had failed to meet legal standards for removing Perkins.

Earle also subpoenaed records from the Texas Ethics Commission of political contributions from 2000 to 2005 by nine judges in Tarrant County, 17 in Dallas County and five in Travis County.

DeLay has requested that his trial be moved out of Austin's Travis County, where Earle is the district attorney and Perkins is the judge.

Tarrant and Dallas counties are possible locations should the trial be moved.

[Last modified October 29, 2005, 01:46:07]