From Fox News:
A new judge will preside over the conspiracy case against former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, after a motion was granted Tuesday to remove the appointed judge because of his donations to Democrat causes.
Retired Judge C.W. "Bud" Duncan (search) granted the motion without comment. The case now goes back to Administrative Judge B.B. Schraub, who will pick the new judge.
Attorneys for DeLay had filed a motion to recuse Judge Bob Perkins (search) from presiding over the case, citing records that he had contributed to several Democratic candidates and organizations.
"The public perception of Judge Perkins' activities shows him to be on opposite sides of the political fence than Tom DeLay," said Dick DeGuerin, an attorney for DeLay, during opening statements.
Perkins, a Democrat, refused to testify in the hearing. His actions were called into question by DeLay's attorneys based on contributions to Sen. John Kerry (search), D-Mass., a former Democratic presidential candidate and to the liberal advocacy group MoveOn.org.
