The Supreme Court has rejected an appeal from a convicted insurance swindler who is protesting his 835-year prison term.

The court did not comment Monday in turning away a plea from Sholam Weiss for his release from prison and return to Austria, where he was arrested after he fled the United States during his criminal trial in Orlando, Fla. Weiss is in prison for his role in the collapse of a life insurance company in the 1990s that cost thousands of people their life savings.

He still may be able to appeal his conviction and sentence, even though an appeals court had earlier ruled that he forfeited his appeal rights when he became a fugitive.

A judge cut 10 years from Weiss' sentence when Austria returned him to the U.S.

Democratic lawmakers are raising complaints about Republican House Speaker Jim Tucker's decision to hire a law firm with national GOP ties to submit the state House remap to federal officials.

The head of the House redistricting committee, Democratic Rep. Rick Gallot, said Friday the choice creates the appearance of impropriety because the firm had given the Republican delegation advice about redistricting.

The Senate is using its staff to do its redistricting submission.

Tucker has hired Washington, D.C.-based Holtzman Vogel PLLC to guide the redesign of the 105 House districts to the U.S. Justice Department for review under the Voting Rights Act.

Tucker says he chose a firm with the expertise needed for the complex legal work.

The managing partner of Holtzman Vogel is chief counsel to the Republican National Committee.