Former treasurer of DeLay's ARMPAC sues firm

Houston attorney Corwin L. Teltschik, who served as treasurer of former U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay’s Americans for a Republican Majority Political Action Committee, has sued a Washington, D.C.-based firm that represented ARMPAC. Teltschik alleges in his complaint in Teltschik v. Williams & Jensen, et al., filed on Aug. 6 in U.S. District Court in Galveston, that the firm, acting without his knowledge or consent, conceded in filings with the Federal Election Commission that Teltschik, in his capacity as ARMPAC’s treasurer, “had violated various federal election laws – some of which laws are felonies.”   According to the complaint, Christine DeLay, wife of the former congressman, asked Teltschik to serve as ARMPAC’s treasurer in 1995.   But Teltschik alleges that he never had authority to sign checks for ARMPAC. When the FEC began investigating a complaint against ARMPAC in 2005, it sent notices to Teltschik at Williams & Jensen’s address, but the firm never informed him, Teltschik alleges in the complaint.  The firm did not file a response to the FEC on his behalf, subjecting him to an adverse judgment by default and putting his law license in jeopardy, alleges Teltschik, principal in Teltschik & Associates. Teltschik is seeking a declaratory judgment that he did nothing wrong.  He’s also seeking an unspecified amount of damages from Williams & Jensen.  Robert Martinez, the Williams & Jensen partner whom Teltschik alleges was his contact about the FEC’s case, did not immediately return a telephone call seeking comment. 
-- Mary Alice Robbins