Tom DeLay still claims he's a victim, not a criminal.

Nevertheless, after nearly six years of wrangling with Texas political and legal systems, the former House majority leader was found guilty on Thanksgiving Eve of money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering during the 2002 legislative campaigns in the Lone Star State.

Outside the courtroom later, speaking to reporters, he said, "This is an abuse of power ... The criminalization of politics undermines our system."

Judge Kevin Emas of Miami is the new judge for the 3rd District Court of Appeals.

The Washinton Post came up with four 2012 dark horse candidates for president in its Sunday edition and right there among the four was a name a little more familiar than the others.

Marco Rubio.

In the story, reporter Chris Cillizza has this to say about the charismatic new senator from Florida:

Thursday's Florida Supreme Court validation of certificates of participation for the U.S. Sugar Corp.-Everglades restoration deal had to feel like a hollow victory for Gov. Charlie Crist.

Three project downsizings thanks to an economy gone sour, empty pockets to begin any real restoration and little hope of exercising the option to buy more land in three years -- and now his term as Florida governor about to end.

It is a hoped-for legacy lost.

Michael Steele's chances of returning as Republican National Committee chairman looked grim Thursday, after some of the nation's top GOP governors gave his first-term performance a bad review. In fact, they indicated that they would prefer new party leadership.

According to Politico, some of the 34 governors and governors-elect at the Republican Governors Association (RGA) meeting in San Diego Wednesday, when asked flat-out if there should be a new party chairman, had this to say:

On Election Night, Marco Rubio said he knows Washington is a place that changes people in a way that "they forget why they ran for office." He told his supporters in a victory speech that night, "I ask for your prayers for me and my family, that we will not change."