A jury inside the US state of Texas has convicted former US Home Majority Chief Tom DeLay on fees of illegally funnelling corporate funds to Texas candidates in 2002.
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Jurors deliberated for 19 hours ahead of returning a guilty verdict.
DeLay, who was the moment one of many most powerful Republicans in Congress, now faces as much as life in jail.
Attorneys for that former congressman explained he had acted properly and no corporate funds had gone towards the candidates.
The jury discovered DeLay guilty of money laundering and conspiracy to commit funds laundering.
It is unlawful in Texas for corporate funds to be immediately utilised for political campaigns.
Attraction planned
Prosecutors explained DeLay, who was nicknamed "the Hammer" for his forceful type in Congress, had collected $190,000 (£118,000) through a group he had commenced and had piped the money into the Washington-based Republican Nationwide Committee to help Republican state legislative candidates.
Additionally they explained the money helped Republicans take manage from the Texas Home by sending Republicans inside the state to Congress in 2004.
But DeLay's lawyers explained the swap was legal and that no corporate funds had gone towards the candidates.
The former congressman's legal group explained DeLay had only lent his identify towards the group and had little involvement in the way it was run.
They strategy to attraction towards the verdict.
"This is an abuse of power. It's a miscarriage of justice, and I still keep that I am harmless. The criminalisation of politics undermines our very method and I'm very disappointed inside the outcome," DeLay explained to reporters outdoors the courtroom.
DeLay was compelled to resign his leadership post due to the indictment and later stepped down like a congressman.
Sentencing for that former lawmaker, who stays no cost on bail, is because of start on 20 December.
He has selected to be sentenced by Senior Decide Pat Priest.
Mr DeLay's attorneys say he's guilty only of becoming a very good politician.
Prosecutor Beverly Matthews explained the former lawmaker had collected $190,000 (£118,000) through a group he had commenced and had piped the money into the Washington-based Republican Nationwide Committee to help Republican state legislative candidates.
The nationwide committee then utilised funds gathered from person donations to ship $190,000 to seven Republican candidates in Texas, she explained.
It is unlawful in Texas for corporate funds to be immediately utilised for political campaigns.
"The proof will exhibit you they took the corporate funds they knew couldn't be given and came up using a scheme where that dirty funds could be turned clear and given to candidates," Ms Mathews explained.
Mr DeLay, who's charged with funds laundering and conspiracy to commit funds laundering, has denied acting illegally.
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