A judge in Austin, Texas ruled yesterday that the treasurer of a political action committee formed by House Majority Leader Tom DeLay broke the law by not reporting hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions. The judge ordered Bill Ceverha, treasurer of Texans for a Republican Majority, to pay nearly $200,000 in damages. It will be divided among those who brought the lawsuit against him. All five plaintiffs were Democrats who lost state legislative races in 2002. The civil case is separate from a criminal investigation being conducted by the district attorney in Austin into whether the PAC funneled illegal corporate contributions to GOP candidates for the state Legislature. Three of DeLay’s top fund-raisers and eight corporations were indicted last year. Ceverha has not been charged, nor has DeLay who was protected by congressional immunity from having to testify in the lawsuit.