Texas Senator Hutchison indicted for misconduct, tampering with records.

DALLAS -- Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, was indicted Monday by a Travis County grand jury on four felony counts, including official misconduct and tampering with governmental records during her terms as Texas state treasurer.

Two other employees of the state Treasurer's office also were indicted by the grand jury Monday in conjunction with Hutchison's two-and-a-half year tenure.

Hutchison, who resigned her job as state treasurer earlier this year when she won a special U.S. Senate election to succeed former Sen. Lloyd Bentsen, was not immediately available for comment Monday afternoon. But in the past, she has denied wrongdoing and has accused politically motivated Democrats of trying to damage her reelection chances next year.

The indictment follows months of investigations into allegations that state workers and equipment were used for personal and political purposes during Hutchison's tenure at the state Treasury and that records were tampered with as part of a cover-up.

In the indictment handed down Monday, four counts against Hutchison are cited:

* Two official misconduct counts for using state employees, facilities, and equipment for personal benefits as well as other charges, both second-degree felonies;

* Tampering with governmental records, a third-degree felony.

* Tampering with physical evidence, a third-degree felony.

A hearing on the case is set for Oct. 11 in Travis County Judicial Court. A trial date could be set at that time depending on Hutchison's plea, said Ricardo Guerra, an indictment clerk.

The two other state Treasurer's office employees indicted were David Criss, on one count of official misconduct; and Mike Barron, on three counts, including official misconduct and tampering with government records.

For reprint and licensing requests for this article, click here.
MORE FROM AMERICAN BANKER