Texas appeals court upholds DeLay reversal

HOUSTON -- The highest criminal court in Texas has refused to reinstate two money laundering convictions of former U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay.

The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, in an 8-1 ruling Wednesday, upheld a ruling last year from the 3rd Court of Appeals that tossed DeLay's 2010 convictions for money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Prosecutors argued in June before the Austin-based Court of Criminal Appeals that the convictions be reinstated.

But the appeals court says it agrees with the lower court findings that as a matter of law, what prosecutors proved in DeLay's case did not constitute either offense.

The charges were related corporate donations to DeLay's political action committee that prosecutors say were illegally funneled to some Texas House candidates in 2002.