Life in Prison Possible for DeLay

Here’s two passages I found particularly interesting in the coverage of the Tom Delay’s re-indictment today.

Last week’s indictment carried a jail term of six months to two years. Texas justice is harsher under the new charges:

The new indictment, handed up by a grand jury seated Monday, contained two counts. The money laundering charge carries a penalty of up to life in prison. The charge of conspiracy to launder money is punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

Tom Delay’s response to the new indictment is especially revealing:

“Ronnie Earle has stooped to a new low with his brand of prosecutorial abuse,” DeLay said in a statement. “He is trying to pull the legal equivalent of a ‘do-over’ since he knows very well that the charges he brought against me last week are totally manufactured and illegitimate. This is an abomination of justice.”

Is DeLay saying that the initial indictment was illegitimate, and now Earle got a do-over to file legitimate charges?