Former US House Republican Leader Tom DeLay has been sentenced to three years in prison on conspiracy charges.
The Texas politician was convicted of conspiring to funnel corporate campaign contributions to legislative races in Texas, in violation of state law.
DeLay resigned as House Majority leader five years ago, after his indictment. A Texas jury found him guilty of money laundering and conspiracy in November.
DeLay has called the case a political vendetta.
"I can't be remorseful for something I don't think I did," he said in a statement before the sentence was passed.
Prosecutors said that during the 2002 mid-term election campaign, DeLay aides took $US190,000 that had been donated by corporate lobbyists to a campaign committee DeLay controlled and gave it to an arm of the Republican National Committee.
The BBC reports that group then distributed the funds to seven state legislative candidates.
DeLay contended the swap was legal, and that no corporate money was given to state-level candidates.
His attorney said he planned to appeal against the verdict.
