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DeLay case hits home - DA issues subpoena for Cloeren's 1996 contribution records
By Sherry Koonce - The Orange Leader
ORANGE - Documents detailing an Orange businessman's congressional campaign finance contributions made 10 years ago have been subpoenaed by prosecutors pursuing conspiracy and money-laundering charges against former House Majority Leader Tom Delay.
Issued by Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earl, the subpoena requests records relating to contributions made by Citizens United Political Victory Fund through Peter Cloeren, Patricia Cloeren or Cloeren, Inc.
Peter F. Cloeren is owner of Cloeren Inc., an Orange-based plastics manufacturing company. In 1998 Cloeren, a conservative Republican, pleaded guilty to directing illegal corporate contributions to Republican Brian Babin's 1996 campaign for Congress, according to the Associated Press.
Cloeren was sentenced to two years probation and fined $400,000 for his role in illegally funneling $37,000 in campaign contributions to Babin, a Woodville dentist running against Democratic U.S. Rep. Jim Tuner, of Crockett.
Cloeren pleaded guilty to using his employees as “vehicles” to circumvent the $1,000-per-person federal limit on campaign contributions.
In an affidavit signed in 1998, Cloeren said DeLay urged him to evade campaign finance laws and funnel more money than legally allowed into the Babin campaign. DeLay denied the accusation, according to the AP.
DeLay, a Sugar Land Republican who overwhelmingly won his party's primary election Tuesday, is awaiting trial on conspiracy and money laundering charges. In 2005, DeLay was forced to step down from his position as House Majority leader after he was indicted by a Travis County grand jury.
A state judge presiding over the case has said he will not enforce the subpoenas while the case is on appeal.
Earle's office declined to comment on the case.
Cloeren could not be reached for comment.
Contact this reporter at 409-883-6568 or skoonce@orangeleader.com
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