DeLay will appear in Texas court Tuesday

Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay will appear Tuesday in Texas court on criminal charges about a week after a federal investigation of him abruptly ended without charges.

But DeLay (R-Texas) still faces conspiracy and money laundering charges in Texas for, authorities allege, participating in a 2002 effort to funnel corporate money illegally to state campaigns. DeLay is expected to show for a pretrial hearing, bringing the case one step closer to a trial.

Even though DeLay proclaimed his innocence after the Justice Department ended its six-year investigation of his ties to convicted GOP lobbyist Jack Abramoff, he still faces more legal hurdles.

DeLay showed off the style that earned him the nickname “The Hammer” last week, slamming the Justice Department probe as “weak” and predicting his name would be cleared in his home state.

“I still have this trial I have to go through. I [have to] win that — I know I will,” he said.