An arrest warrant was issued on Wednesday (local time) and bail set at US$10,000 for former US House Majority Leader Tom DeLay ahead of his first appearance in court on money laundering and conspiracy charges.

The warrant ordered by state District Judge Bob Perkins in Austin, Texas, called upon any Texas law enforcement officer to arrest DeLay, but he was expected to turn himself in voluntarily.

The issuance of the warrant, said Travis County Grand Jury Clerk Linda Estrada, was a "purely procedural event" but would require that DeLay surrender to authorities and be fingerprinted and photographed like anyone under felony indictment in Texas.

Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle, who has led the investigation into DeLay's campaign finance activities, said in a statement he had not requested the arrest warrant, but also had not objected to it.

"We believe that Congressman DeLay should be treated like everyone else," he said.

News reports said DeLay attorney Dick DeGuerin was negotiating with officials in Fort Bend County in DeLay's district near Houston for the congressman to turn himself in there on Thursday (local time), but neither DeLay nor DeGuerin would comment.

Possible life sentence

DeLay is scheduled to make his first court appearance today before Perkins, and a DeGuerin spokeswoman confirmed he would be there.

DeLay has been charged with conspiracy and money laundering in a campaign finance scheme tied to his political action committee, Texans for a Republican Majority, or TRMPAC.

He could face up to life in prison if convicted.

DeLay has denied any wrongdoing. He is accused of laundering US$190,000 in corporate campaign contributions through the Republican National Committee for distribution in 2002 to Republican candidates for the Texas Legislature.

Texas law forbids the use of corporate money in political campaigns.

DeLay was indicted on September 28 and immediately resigned as Majority Leader, the second-ranking position in the US House of Representatives, as required by House Republican rules.

But he was allowed to keep his congressional seat.

He and his lawyers have filed motions to dismiss the charges and accused Earle of conducting a political witchhunt.

TRMPAC's activities contributed to Republicans taking control of the Texas Legislature for the first time since the post-Civil War Reconstruction era.

At DeLay's urging, the Republican-led legislature conducted a controversial remapping of Texas congressional districts that helped add five Republicans to the US House.

Along with the TRMPAC investigation, DeLay has been under a cloud for the past year for ethics problems involving lobbyists, fund-raising and foreign travel.

Source: China Daily