Bob Perkins
Encyclopedia
Bob Perkins is a judge who sits on the Travis County District Court in Austin, Texas
. In November 2005, he was assigned to preside over the Tom DeLay money-laundering case. DeLay's attorneys objected, noting that Perkins was a member of the Democratic Party
, and had contributed to the liberal group MoveOn.org which Delay's lawyers allege sold anti-DeLay t-shirts. MoveOn.org denies the sale of the t-shirts and has issued a statement saying so. Perkins denied ever seeing the alleged t-shirts but confirmed that he contributed to the campaign of Democratic Presidential nominee John Kerry
.
Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle
attempted to keep Perkins as the presiding judge over the prosecution of Tom DeLay. DeLay's lawyers were successful in arguing the judge could not be perceived in public as impartial under the circumstances of Perkin's donations. Earle's prosecutor countered that there was no reason to replace him since judges should automatically be viewed as impartial. Perkins had once voluntarily recused himself in Earle's earlier losing prosecution of Republican Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison. The matter was heard by retired judge C.W. "Bud" Duncan brought back specifically to hear the motion. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/D/DELAY_INDICTMENT?SITE=FLTAM&SECTION=HOME
Upon Perkins' removal, judge Pat Priest
(also a Democrat) was selected by Texas Supreme Court
Chief Justice Wallace Jefferson (a Republican) to preside over the case.
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
. In November 2005, he was assigned to preside over the Tom DeLay money-laundering case. DeLay's attorneys objected, noting that Perkins was a member of the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, and had contributed to the liberal group MoveOn.org which Delay's lawyers allege sold anti-DeLay t-shirts. MoveOn.org denies the sale of the t-shirts and has issued a statement saying so. Perkins denied ever seeing the alleged t-shirts but confirmed that he contributed to the campaign of Democratic Presidential nominee John Kerry
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
.
Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle
Ronnie Earle
Ronald Dale "Ronnie" Earle was, until January 2009, the District Attorney for Travis County, Texas. He became nationally known for filing charges against House majority leader Tom DeLay in September 2005 for conspiring to violate Texas' election law and/or to launder money...
attempted to keep Perkins as the presiding judge over the prosecution of Tom DeLay. DeLay's lawyers were successful in arguing the judge could not be perceived in public as impartial under the circumstances of Perkin's donations. Earle's prosecutor countered that there was no reason to replace him since judges should automatically be viewed as impartial. Perkins had once voluntarily recused himself in Earle's earlier losing prosecution of Republican Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison. The matter was heard by retired judge C.W. "Bud" Duncan brought back specifically to hear the motion. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/D/DELAY_INDICTMENT?SITE=FLTAM&SECTION=HOME
Upon Perkins' removal, judge Pat Priest
Pat Priest (judge)
Pat Priest is a Texas state court judge from San Antonio. The Senior District Judge of Bexar County status, he was appointed to preside over the Tom DeLay campaign finance trial in Austin, Texas by Chief Justice of Texas Supreme Court Wallace B. Jefferson after two judges Pat Priest (born 1940)...
(also a Democrat) was selected by Texas Supreme Court
Texas Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of Texas is the court of last resort for non-criminal matters in the state of Texas. A different court, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, is the court of last resort for criminal matters.The Court is composed of a Chief Justice and eight Associate Justices...
Chief Justice Wallace Jefferson (a Republican) to preside over the case.