Prosecutors in Rep. Tom DeLay’s conspiracy and money laundering case on Wednesday denied allegations that they coerced a grand jury to indict the former House majority leader.

DeLay’s attorneys have asked that charges against the Republican be dropped because Travis County Dist. Atty. Ronnie Earle, a Democrat, “browbeat and coerced” grand jurors into filing criminal charges.

In court filings Wednesday in Austin, Earle said he “denies the accusations and further asserts that no improper activities or violations of the law occurred.”

DeLay is accused of funneling $190,000 in restricted corporate money from his Texas political action committee to an arm of the Republican National Committee, which then gave the same amount to Texas legislative candidates in 2002. The direct use of corporate money for political purposes is illegal in Texas.