Burnt Orange Report

Dan Morales Sentenced to 4 Years

By Byron LaMasters

The Austin American Statesman / AP reports:

Former Texas Attorney General Dan Morales was led away to federal prison in handcuffs this afternoon after receiving a four-year sentence for mail fraud and filing false tax returns.

Morales also was ordered to pay more than $330,000 in restitution and fines.

Morales pleaded guilty to the charges in July, admitting that he had cheated the Internal Revenue Service and shipped phony documents during an attempt to funnel money to a friend.

Morales, who had been free on bail while awaiting his sentencing, requested permission to report to prison under his own power. U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks refused the request.

The mail fraud charge stems from Morales' lawsuit against U.S. tobacco companies, claiming they owed Texas reimbursement for smoking-related health care. The lawsuit ended with the companies agreeing to pay $17.3 billion to the state.

When it came time to pay the lawyers their fees, which reached $3.3 billion, Morales added his friend Marc Murr to the attorney list and tried to get him 3 percent of the settlement. The other lawyers protested that Murr, a Houston lawyer, did little to nothing on the case.

Morales later admitted to back-dating a contract to make it look as if Murr had done more work than he had. It was a federal crime because he shipped the contract across state lines to the California arbitrators appointed to decide how to divide the legal fees.

Murr, who later declined payment, pleaded guilty earlier this month to mail fraud. Prosecutors recommended six months imprisonment, five years on probation and a fine of up to $250,000. His sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 19.

Morales' tax evasion charge comes from $420,000 he took from his campaign account for "personal use" — money that he didn't report to the IRS.

It's a shame, but I don't really have any sympathy for him. He's getting what he deserves. Hopefully, he'll come out of prison in four years a better man. Regardless, it goes without saying that his political career is over. Remember, he endorsed both Rick Perry and David Dewhurst last year. It's really a shame. He had so much promise, but he threw it all away.