Distant rumblings ...

The treasurer for Texans for a Republican Majority violated state election laws when he did not disclose more than $600,000 in corporate money the committee spent during the 2002 legislative campaigns, state District Judge Joe Hart ruled this morning.

...

Hart's ruling is the first by a judge in the far-flung controversy that has snared the political action committee; DeLay; Texas House Speaker Tom Craddick, R-Midland; and the Texas Association of Business, among others. A Travis County grand jury last fall indicted three of DeLay's associates who worked for the committee and eight corporate donors. Charges were dismissed against four donors in return for their cooperation with investigators. Ceverha was not among those indicted.

Criminal trials are pending against DeLay fund-raisers Jim Ellis and Warren Robold, both of the Washington, D.C., area, and John Colyandro, the executive director of Texans for a Republican Majority, who lobbies in Austin.

The rest is <$NoAd$> out here from the Austin American-Statesman.