Jim Ellis (California political activist)

James W. "Jim" Ellis has been involved in political lobbying for 35 years. Jim began his career with the San Diego County Republican Party, and then served as an original staff member for then-Congressman Bill Lowery (R-CA). He also worked as President of the Ramhurst Corporation of North Carolina and as a manager of the Public Issues Department of R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.[1]

Political Action Committee Background

Ellis was the executive director of the Americans for a Republican Majority political action committee (ARMPAC).[2] As such, he was swept up in the indictment of U.S. House of Representatives Majority Leader, Tom DeLay in September 2005. "The powerful Republican congressman was named, along with two political associates, in an indictment handed up by a Travis County grand jury. ... The conspiracy count charges DeLay, 58, and associates John Colyandro and Jim Ellis with wrongdoing in connection with the operation of Texans for a Republican Majority, a political action committee founded by the politician. Since House GOP rules require leaders to step down if charged criminally, DeLay immediately announced that he was relinquishing his leadership post. DeLay, who has repeatedly denied wrongdoing in connection with the PAC's operations, has said that the Texas probe was politically motivated by Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle, a Democrat."[3]

DeLay was found guilty in November 2010 of money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering.[4] However, after years of appeals and "siding with a decision made ... by a lower appeals court, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals in 2014 refused to reinstate money-laundering convictions against former U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay. In an 8-1 decision, the state's highest criminal court backed [an earlier] Texas 3rd Court of Appeals decision that reversed DeLay's ... convictions on money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The court had ruled there was not enough evidence to prove that DeLay's actions were criminal."[5]

In September 2012, Ellis pleaded guilty in his own separate campaign finance case related to the DeLay court case to a felony charge of making an illegal campaign contribution during the 2002 election. "Ellis received a four-year probation and was fined $10,000 on a charge that he made a contribution of corporate money to a political party within 60 days of an election. ... Under the terms of Ellis’ plea, the adjudication of the third-degree felony charge is deferred ... "[6] In other words, the plea agreement reached included a fine for a post-deadline political contribution under Texas law and also included a vacated decision after a period of four years. Ellis's record has been cleared of all charges.

References
  1. Ellis, Jim. "About Jim Ellis". The Ellis Insight. Retrieved October 31, 2018.
  2. Chronicle, Austin. "The Ellis Memos". austinchronicle.com. The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved October 31, 2018.
  3. "Tom Delay Indicted". thesmokinggun.com. The Smoking Gun. Retrieved October 31, 2018.
  4. CNN. "Texas jury convicts Tom DeLay on money laundering charges". cnn.com. CNN.
  5. DeLay, Tom. "Court Backs Decision Reversing DeLay's Convictions". texastribune.org. The Houston Chronicle. Retrieved October 31, 2018.
  6. Ellis, Jim. "Former DeLay aide pleads guilty in campaign finance case". statesman.com. Austin American Statesman. Retrieved October 31, 2018.

1. TheEllisInsight

2. TexasTribune.com - Court Backs Decision Reversing DeLay's Convictions

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