HOUSTON, May 26 (UPI) -- A Texas judge Thursday ruled a political committee founded by U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay should have reported some $500,000 in corporate cash.
District Judge Joe Hart found the money was raised to influence Texas elections and, therefore, fell under the provisions of the election code.
Hart did not rule on whether Texans for a Republican Majority spent the money legally but rather that the group violated state law by not reporting the funds to the Texas Ethics Commission, the Houston Chronicle reported.
DeLay and other committee officials maintain no laws were broken because the money was used for administrative expenses, which they defined as including polling and telephone banks.
Hart imposed damages and attorneys fees of $196,660, which will be divided among the five losing Democratic candidates who brought the suit.
A Travis County grand jury has indicted three DeLay associates on charges of illegally raising corporate money.
