Good for Black! Someone finally addressed it, although what's going on and why it was going on is still unknown. Here's a related article... Anita seems to have gone on a trip to the Bahamas that was pretty controversial, so either she's being the "good wife", or this would indicate there was no fire to the smoke. (whereever it originated!) HoustonChronicle.com -- http://www.HoustonChronicle.com | Section: Local & State Feb. 26, 2004, 2:47AM Perry campaign to fund part of trip Will foot expenses for staffers on recent Bahamas retreat Associated Press AUSTIN -- Republican Gov. Rick Perry's campaign will pay staff expenses for a trip to the Bahamas over Presidents Day weekend that was shared by large donors, political consultants and school finance advisers, a spokesman said. Spokesman Robert Black had said Monday that he thought the cost of the three-day trip would be borne by private donors. He said the point was clarified Tuesday and he learned that the governor's political campaign had assumed the costs of the staff, the Dallas Morning News reported. Perry; his wife, Anita; and a dozen others flew by private jet to the Abaco Islands, where they held a retreat to discuss public school finance, Black said. The trip has been criticized by citizens groups that said it is inappropriate for the governor to give special access to political donors and then to discuss important policy issues far from the public on a secluded island. "Our point continues to be that the contributors that made this wonderful retreat possible know they will get access for their largess, and that's why they continue to contribute," said Suzy Woodford, state director of Common Cause. In addition to three members of his senior staff, the governor was joined by political consultant Dave Carney and two top GOP donors, John Nau and James Leininger, who has been a leading advocate for public school vouchers. Leininger and Nau have given $100,000 and $75,000 respectively to Perry's campaign. Brooke Rollins, director of the conservative think tank Texas Public Policy Foundation, and Grover Norquist, an anti-tax and Republican strategist, also attended. Norquist is noted for his rancor-filled rhetoric. He told the Denver Post last year: "We are trying to change the tones in the state capitals and turn them toward bitter nastiness and partisanship. ... Bipartisanship is another name for date rape." Republican Texas House Speaker Tom Craddick also had been invited. However, he was recovering from neck surgery and declined the invitation, said his spokesman, Bob Richter. "He didn't feel like doing scuba diving with a neck brace," Richter said. "There isn't anything he could have done with that neck collar."
That's funny. I know Louis -- we grew up together. Good guy. Also funny: he's the subject of a song by the Linus Pauling Quartet: "Louis Black is California."
More interesting Texas political news... HoustonChronicle.com -- http://www.HoustonChronicle.com | Section: Local & State Feb. 26, 2004, 11:05AM Subpoenas aim to find DeLay role with PAC Lawmaker's daughter included on long list of committee workers By JANET ELLIOTT and R.G. RATCLIFFE Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle Austin Bureau AUSTIN -- A slew of subpoenas released Wednesday show Travis Country prosecutors are trying to determine how deeply involved U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay was in the possible criminal misuse of corporate funds in the 2002 legislative campaign. Nearly 50 subpoenas -- some issued Tuesday and others dating back to last October -- were made public as part of the ongoing investigation into Texans for a Republican Majority, a political action committee formed by DeLay, R-Sugar Land. The subpoenas seek testimony and documents from the committee's researchers, political consultants and fund-raisers, including DeLay's daughter, Danielle Ferro. John Colyandro, director of the fundraising committee commonly referred to as TRMPAC, was subpoenaed to appear last month and bring "all documents concerning TRMPAC's past, present or intended relationship with Tom DeLay." Colyandro has said that all of TRMPAC's activities were legal. Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle is investigating whether TRMPAC violated state law in using corporate funds to help 21 Republicans win Texas House seats in 2002, giving the GOP a House majority for the first time since Reconstruction. DeLay, speaking to reporters in Washington this week, lashed out at Earle, who he said was trying to "criminalize politics." "The district attorney has a long history in being vindictive and partisan. He did it to (Republican U.S. Senator) Kay Bailey Hutchison and lost that case. He's done it to other people and only to get press and he doesn't even follow through and file charges," DeLay said. Earle, a Democrat, said he has investigated 15 elected officials in the past, ranging from liberal Democratic Attorney General Jim Mattox to Hutchison, both cases he lost. He said in every investigation he has faced accusations that he is politically motivated. "Being called partisan and vindictive by Tom DeLay is like being called ugly by a frog," Earle said. State law allows political action committees to use corporate funds for administrative expenses such as utilities or accounting fees, but it is a third-degree felony, punishable by up to 10 years in prison, to use corporate money for direct political activities. TRMPAC used corporate money to pay for fund-raising, phone banks, staff salaries, research and issue development in conjunction with the campaigns. TRMPAC officials claim the corporate expenditures were administrative, but Earle's probe is directed toward proving the money was prohibited political spending. Several of the subpoenas reached into the Houston area. Continental Airlines was asked last December to provide documents related to its "commitment to provide $15,000 in airfare" to TRMPAC. "It would be inappropriate for us to comment on any ongoing investigation at this time," Ned Walker, a Continental spokesman, said Wednesday. Records also were sought from Willie G's Seafood restaurant for contracts and invoices between the restaurant and Ferro or TRMPAC. And a Houston political consultant was subpoenaed in connection with his investigation into three legislative candidates. Gregg Cox, head of the public integrity unit in Earle's office, said the subpoenas had already been served and complied with, and are required to be released at some point. "We filed all we could file that did not impede our investigation," said Cox. Cox said subpoenas from a related investigation into whether the Texas Association of Business illegally used corporate money in connection with the same races weren't filed because their release might impede the investigation. The TAB has denied any wrongdoing. The large number of subpoenas shows the breadth of the investigation, Cox said. "We are looking into all aspects of TRMPAC raising corporate dollars and spending corporate dollars. They raised a lot and spent a lot," said Cox. He said records from several restaurants where TRMPAC held events are needed to determine the nature of the expenses. Also subpoenaed was Warren Robold, a Washington-based fund-raiser for TRMPAC and Americans for a Republican Majority, another DeLay political action committee. The subpoenas also seek correspondence between TRMPAC and Tom Craddick during the time he was running for speaker of the Texas House. Craddick has come under scrutiny for his role in delivering $152,000 in TRMPAC funds to 14 House candidates. Last week, the grand jury subpoenaed records from Craddick and six state representatives who served in House leadership roles. Craddick has denied being anything more than a middle-man and said the money was not used to obtain promises of votes for him in his speaker's race. Among the newer subpoenas was one issued Tuesday to Houston political consultant Allen Blakemore, who was ordered to provide records next week related to his contacts in 2002 with TRMPAC, Texans for Lawsuit Reform and Mike Toomey, then a lobbyist for the Houston-based lawsuit reform group. Toomey now is chief of staff to Gov. Rick Perry. Blakemore said there was nothing unusual in Toomey hiring him to employ a private investigator to conduct background checks on Democratic House candidates Debra Danburg of Houston, D.L. "Donnie" Jarvis of Sherman and Danny Duncan of Commerce in September 2002. Blakemore said it was a public records search. "It's not looking through somebody's window or looking through trash," Blakemore said. Houston private investigator Kenny Rodgers charged $4,412.53 for the investigation. Blakemore said he did not ask Toomey why he wanted the information, but assumed it was to help clients make a decision on whether they should make contributions in particular races. "It's part of my business to handicap races and give them information," Blakemore said. Danburg and Duncan are among the losing candidates who are suing TRMPAC, seeking damages by accusing the committee of violating state campaign law. Perry said Wednesday he was not concerned about Toomey's previous political activities. "Day in and day out politics in Texas is rather full-body contact," Perry said. Matt Welch, political director for TLR, also was subpoenaed last year. The lawsuit group targeted the same 24 races targeted by TRMPAC and the business association. During the 2003 legislative session, major restrictions on lawsuits were passed. After a series of special sessions, lawmakers redrew congressional district lines, a major goal of DeLay. Chronicle editorial assistant Amy Raskin contributed to this story.
No kidding! That's cool. He's been doing his thing here for years, now. He was a long-time movie critic for the Austin American-Statesman, if I remember right. (I've only been here about 24 years, but I have a lousy memory!) I think Louis loves the Austin Chronicle gig. He has great control over what they put out (and it's an excellent and successful weekly, despite the Statesman doing it's best to put it out of business) and he can say whatever he wants.
It's even worse than knowing them. I will email you. And I think there official shortened name is LP4
DeLay, speaking to reporters in Washington this week, lashed out at Earle, who he said was trying to "criminalize politics." If they criminalize politics, only criminals will be politicians! Oh wait, that's already happened
Here's some more stuff... this could get fun! District attorney files more subpoenas at Capitol Public gets view of election-spending investigation By Laylan Copelin AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF Thursday, February 26, 2004 Prosecutors have been questioning a Capitol Who's Who about allegations that an alliance of Republican officials and business groups illegally used corporate donations to influence the 2002 legislative elections, according to subpoenas made public Wednesday. Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle's office publicly filed subpoenas that have been issued for testimony or records over the past several months. The demands for information stretch from Austin lobbyists to the Republican National Committee to officials with Texans for a Republican Majority, including the daughter of U.S. Majority Leader Tom DeLay. Coming in the wake of subpoenas for records from Texas House Speaker Tom Craddick last week, the number of subpoenas that have been made public now stands at 58. Prosecutors have also subpoenaed records involving the hiring of private investigators by Mike Toomey, currently Gov. Rick Perry's chief of staff. Before working for the governor, Toomey was a lobbyist helping pro-business allies elect Republican legislators. Many of the subpoenas are for people who already have provided records or testimony in the secret grand jury proceedings. But the accountant for one of the groups, Texans for a Republican Majority, and an Akin Gump lobbyist are due to appear before a Travis County grand jury today. Craddick's lawyer, Roy Minton, also is due to surrender documents today from the Midland Republican's 2002 campaign to lead the House. The unveiling of the subpoenas is just the latest chapter in a lengthy investigation into the Texas Association of Business, Texans for a Republican Majority and Craddick. Wednesday's filings focused on Texans for a Republican Majority, a political action committee that DeLay and his allies used to help elect a Republican majority in the state House for the first time since Reconstruction. Although the initial investigation centered on whether the state's largest business organization and DeLay's Republican Majority group illegally used corporate donations for political activities, the inquiry has broadened to determine whether groups illegally influenced the race for speaker. Specifically, prosecutors are asking why Craddick distributed $152,000 in checks from DeLay's Texas group to House candidates who were crucial to Craddick's election as speaker. Lawyers for Craddick and Texans for a Republican Majority say their clients are cooperating with the investigation. Austin lawyer Wayne Meissner represents the Republican Majority committee and its treasurer, former state Rep. Bill Ceverha of Dallas. "Certainly Mr. Ceverha feels he followed the letter and spirit of all the relevant laws and regulations," Meissner said. "He was happy to be involved in electing a Republican majority." Perry dismissed subpoenas by Earle, a Democrat, as a huge fishing expedition. In Washington, DeLay has been criticizing Earle as a runaway prosecutor conducting a partisan witch hunt. "Being called vindictive and partisan by Tom DeLay is like being called ugly by a frog," Earle said Wednesday. Among the recipients of grand jury subpoenas filed Wednesday were: * Russell Anderson, the accountant for Texans for a Republican Majority, who has been asked to testify today. He already was subpoenaed for a list of 81 types of records, including financial records, copies of political polls, research, correspondence and documents concerning the committee's relationship with DeLay and other elected officials. * Demetrius McDaniel, an Akin Gump lobbyist, who has been summoned to the grand jury today in connection with corporate donations he made to the Republican Majority group on behalf of two clients: $2,500 from Primedia Inc., and $5,000 from Lexmark Inc. McDaniel addressed at least one of the donations to Craddick at the committee's Austin address. * Danielle Ferro, DeLay's daughter, who was paid by her father's Texas committee to plan committee events. * Records from the Republican National Committee concerning an exchange of $190,000 between an arm of the party's national committee and Texans for a Republican Majority. The Texas committee gave the national party $190,000 in corporate money in the fall of 2002. In a single day two weeks later, the national party cut seven checks to Texas House candidates totaling $190,000. Republican officials have called it a coincidence. Critics claim the Texas committee was laundering corporate money that it could not legally donate to candidates into legal donations. Two Austin candidates, Jack Stick and Todd Baxter, got $35,000 each from the national committee and went on to become freshmen lawmakers who voted for Craddick as speaker. * Records of John Colyandro, the Texas committee's executive director. He ran the organization under an advisory committee that included DeLay, state Sen. Florence Shapiro, R-Plano; state Reps. Dianne White Delisi, R-Temple, and Beverly Woolley, R-Houston; and then-Railroad Commissioner Tony Garza. * Consultants who provided polling, research or other services to Texans for a Republican Majority. Among them are DeLay's corporate fund-raiser Warren Robold of Washington, Austin researcher Milton Rister, Austin consultant Todd Smith, Dallas-area consultant Kevin Brannon and Austin fund-raiser Susan Lilly. * Matt Welch, a lobbyist with Texans for Lawsuit Reform, a group that worked to limit lawsuits in the past legislative session. * Records of Americans for a Republican Majority, DeLay's national political action committee. * Records from several Austin restaurants and private clubs, plus the Purple Sage Ranch of Bandera, where officials with the Texas committee had a weekend retreat. * Records from Blakemore & Associates, a Houston consulting firm, and Clinton International Investigations of Houston. Toomey hired private investigators to do criminal background checks on Democratic candidates, then asked Texans for a Republican Majority to help pay for those services. Toomey, according to sources familiar with his meetings with pro-business allies, also helped create and direct ads paid for by the Texas Association of Business with corporate money in 22 crucial House elections. Those records are due March 4. On another front Wednesday, a civil lawsuit brought against the Republican Majority group by losing Democratic candidates was expanded to include DeLay's chief fund-raising aide, Jim Ellis, as a defendant. Ellis is the executive director of DeLay's Americans for a Republican Majority and a founder and paid adviser to Texans for a Republican Majority. That action came a day after it was publicly revealed that he was sent a blank check from the Texas Republican Majority group just before a meeting with officials with the Republican National Committee. That check later was filled out for $190,000. "We think he's part and parcel of the problem and violated the election code along with Mr. Ceverha," said Austin lawyer Joe Crews, who is representing four Democratic candidates who lost in the races targeted by the ads. "There may be others." Austin lawyer Terry Scarborough, representing the Texas Republican Majority committee, criticized the lawsuit as politically motivated. "There are at least a half a dozen people who were more involved with TRMPAC than Jim Ellis," Scarborough said. "To add Mr. Ellis to this suit is a blatant attempt to politicize the claim." lcopelin@statesman.com; 445-3617
Big deal, Republicans getting boatloads of money from contributors, letting contributors write legislation for their industry, giving contributors no bid contracts, it's a trickle down effect from the federal level. Now when these guys can get Texas to declare war, that'll be a new standard of corruptness.
Big Deal???? These guys are buying the goverment and proliferating their power like a big snowball rolling down hill. Little guys can't compete with their money. Our only hope is zealous prosecution when they we can catch them across the legal line. Well, that and when we can catch'em with their little heads doing the thinking.
More on the scandal in Austin, and I'm not talking about Perry's sexual orientation... HoustonChronicle.com -- http://www.HoustonChronicle.com | Section: Local & State Feb. 27, 2004, 8:34PM Perry suggests probe of Earle's grand jury work By R.G. RATCLIFFE Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle Austin Bureau AUSTIN -- Gov. Rick Perry on Friday said the "appropriate authorities" should investigate Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle for his probe into possible political misuse of corporate money to help Republican legislative candidates. "My concern is the extraordinary leaks that have come out of the grand jury system," Perry said. "When the news media finds out about issues going on in the grand jury even before subpoenas have been delivered to people, there's something gravely wrong with that system." Earle said there have been no leaks out of the grand jury. "Neither this office nor the grand jury has divulged any information obtained as a result of the grand jury investigation," Earle said. "A grand jury investigation is an inquiry into the truth. Others have an interest in determining the truth about Texas government," Earle said. " That includes the media, which aggressively pursue their own sources of information. Those sources include civil litigants, government watchdog groups and concerned citizens" Earle has been leading a grand jury investigation into the 2002 political operations of the Texas Association of Business and U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay's Texans for a Republican Majority. Both groups may have violated a state ban on using corporate money to influence the outcome of elections. Earle earlier this week publicly filed about 50 subpoenas connected to the investigation of Texans for a Republican Majority. The subpoenas indicate he is conducting a wide-ranging investigation that includes questions about the activities of House Speaker Tom Craddick and DeLay, R-Sugar Land. Perry did not specify what he meant by grand jury leaks, nor did he say who should investigate those leaks. "I'm more worried about both the appearance and the actuality of impropriety that appears to be going on," Perry said. "The district attorney will need to answer those questions to the appropriate authorities." Perry spokesman Robert Black later said the appropriate people to question Earle about the leaks would be the grand jury foreman or state District Judge Mike Lynch, who oversees the grand jury. DeLay on Tuesday accused Earle of conducting a political investigation. DeLay said Earle is "vindictive and partisan." Earle said being called that by DeLay was like being "called ugly by a frog." Earle noted he has prosecuted 15 elected officials in his career, 11 Democrats and four Republicans. Earle lost two of his most high-profile cases, the prosecutions of Democratic Attorney General Jim Mattox and Republican U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison. Earle's investigation of former Democratic House Speaker Gib Lewis ended with a plea to a misdemeanor, but it effectively ended Lewis' career as an office-holder. Texas Republican Chair Tina Benkiser on Thursday filed an open records request with Earle asking for all records of his office's contacts with the news media in connection to this investigation. She also sought records detailing how much money had been spent on it. "It is widely believed that Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle is engaging in a baseless partisan witch hunt apparently designed solely to score political points by generating negative media coverage of Republicans," Benkiser said. The Texas Association of Business twice last year tried to halt Earle's investigation into its political activity, but the all-Republican Texas Court of Criminal Appeals allowed Earle to move forward. TAB spent about $1.9 million in corporate money in 2002 for "issue" advertising that helped 21 Republicans win seats in the Texas House. A third of the $1.5 million raised by Texans for a Republican Majority was corporate money that was used in connection with the same races. The victories allowed Republicans to take control of the Texas House for the first time since Reconstruction. Texas law makes it a felony to use corporate money to influence the outcome of an election. But an exception in the law allows corporate money to be used for a political committee's administrative expenses. TAB claims it is innocent because corporate money was not spent to expressly advocate the election or defeat any candidate. TRM admits spending corporate money on political activity but claims only direct contributions to candidates is banned. Some people are getting nervous, and it ain't Ronnie Earle.
Finally, some serious opposition for Perry in '06! Kinky Friedman lights up a stogie at a Houston book-signing in 1998. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- HoustonChronicle.com -- http://www.HoustonChronicle.com | : Local & State March 4, 2004, 2:33PM Texas governor's race gets Kinky By JON HERSKOVITZ Reuters News Service MEDINA -- Unleash your inner Texan and vote Kinky. Kinky Friedman, best-selling author, country music singer, humorist, friend of stray dogs and salsa merchant, is running for governor of Texas in 2006 as an independent. Friedman is the man behind the song "Get Your Biscuits in the Oven and Your Buns in the Bed" and author of the book "Kill Two Birds and Get Stoned." For all of those wondering why the front man for the country music group 'The Texas Jewboys' wants to run the Lone Star State, Kinky will put down his cigar and say from under his 10-gallon hat: "Why the hell not?" "I want to fight the wussification of the state of Texas. I want to rise and shine and bring back the glory of Texas," Friedman said. "I am a writer of fiction who tells the truth." Friedman, whose first name is Richard but is known by Kinky and a few other names that are not publishable, does not have a campaign platform -- mostly out of fear there may be a trapdoor somewhere underneath that will spring open and leave him swinging. He writes a regular column for Texas Monthly magazine and is the author of 17 novels. His amusingly dark mystery "The Prisoner of Vandam Street," comes out this month. EXTRA News Bizarre: For more odd stories see News Bizarre. For those interested in the ways and manners of Texas, he wrote "The Guide to Texas Etiquette, or How to Get to Heaven or Hell Without Going Through Dallas-Fort Worth." Kinky, 59, is serious about the governor's race. He hopes to campaign as a populist who will use his colorful image while borrowing a page or two from the campaign of California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to build a voter base. "We are taking a page from Howard Dean and a page from Arnold. And now the thing doesn't seem so crazy anymore to a lot of people," he said in an interview. SMOKING CIGARS AND KISSING MOTHERS Kinky, who was born in Chicago and moved to Texas as a child, has a salt-and-pepper mustache, under which sits an ever-present cigar. He has curly hair that is rarely seen because he almost always wears a cowboy hat. He dresses like a cowboy, but he accents his outfits with Hawaiian shirts or a Star of David medallion. The campaign will be unconventional, irreverent and star-studded. "I just want to be as honest and as open as I can be. I will not kiss babies. I'll kiss their mothers," he said. Cal Jillson, a political science professor at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, said the main interest in the governor's race will be on the Republican nominee, and whether U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison will come back to Texas to take on incumbent Republican Gov. Rick Perry. "Until the Republican candidate becomes clear, we can entertain ourselves with Kinky," Jillson said. And the entertainers will be on the road with Kinky. Kinky said country music greats Willie Nelson and Dwight Yoakam have pledged their support along with actors Robert Duval, Billy Bob Thorton and Johnny Depp. Magicians Penn and Teller have promised to make any opponent disappear. When it comes to bipartisan support, Kinky is one of the few people around who can list presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush as friends. Even though he may have political connections, Kinky promises that he will not be politically correct. He may take a centrist position that seems to be off the map. After all, this is the man who wrote the song "They Ain't Making Jews Like Jesus Anymore." "Traditionally Texans have been known for having a lot of wide-open spaces between our ears. But because of the expanse of geography, we have a real independent spirit, which creates some original thought once in a while," he said. Kinky is known for having a wild past, dating a former Miss Texas and peppering his speech with phrases worthy of a cowboy who just sat down on a prickly pear cactus. BRING YOUR OWN WEAPONS "There are no skeletons in my closet. They are all bleaching on a beach somewhere," he said. You want to know Kinky's stand on gun control? "I do not carry a gun myself, so if someone is going to shoot me, they better remember to bring their own weapon." On abortion? "I am not pro-life, I am not pro-choice, I am pro football." On the serious side, Kinky would like to establish a Texas Peace Corps where people could volunteer and help the state. He was a member of the Peace Corps in Borneo, where he taught agriculture to people who had been successfully farming for 2,000 years. He would like to see nondenominational prayer in school and make Texas a state that does not allow animal shelters or pounds to kill abandoned or stray pets. He has no plans to get a make-over for the campaign. He will smoke his cigars and wear his cowboy hat low over his curly hair. "I got a straight perm a few months ago. It was so bad that it made me look like Hitler as a used car salesman," he said.
