Burnt Orange Report

Craddick Appoints Ringmasters For The Coming Circus

By Vince Leibowitz

Guest Contributor Vince Leibowitz

Texas House Speaker Tom Craddick today appointed a bi-partisan nine-member committee to investigate the three contested races for seats in his chamber.

Without a doubt, the unfortunate souls picked to serve on this committee will end up serving as ringmasters for a Republican circus. Fortunatly, Craddick appointed several Democrats to the committee including Galveston's Craig Eiland.

There is no doubt the Texas GOP will use this as an opportunity to throw the worst allegations of election fraud at Democrats since the infamous "Ballot Box 13" scandal--especially since Jim Wells County, home of the infamous box in 1948, is one of the counties at issue.

The GOP has already unleashed its attack machine in the form of none other than GOP Chairwoman Tina Benkiser. Last week she sent an email accusing Democrats of all manner of fraud and inappropriate conduct to GOP faithful.

The committee, The Select Committee on Election Contests, will investigate three November 2 elections that resulted in Democratic victories which Republicans are now contesting for a myriad basically bogus reasons.

In Harris County's District 149, Democrat Hubert Vo (D-Houston) beat veteran Rep. Talmadge Heflin (R-Houston) by 33 votes. Heflin, recently replaced as chair of the House Appropriations Committee, is contesting the results.

In Travis County's House District 50, Rep. Jack Stick (R-Austin) is contesting his loss to Mark Strama (D-Austin) by 569 votes.

An additional challenge is being made in House District 35. In that district, defeated candidate Eric Opiela (R-Karnes City) is contesting his loss to Yvonne Gonzalez-Toureilles (D-Alice) who bested Opiela by 835 votes for an open seat.

Only once in the past 40 years has an election challenge resulted in the House ordering a new election. The House can either declare a winner in the elections or declare the election void and order a new one.

Craddick also appointed Rep. Will Hartnett (R-Dallas), as the "master of discovery," to oversee the evidence-gathering process. He named Rep. Terry Keel (R-Austin), as chairman of the committee and Rep. Craig Eiland (D-Galveston), as vice chairman.

Other members are Mary Denny, (R-Aubrey), Suzanna Gratia Hupp (R-Lampasas), Phil King, (R-Weatherford) and Larry Phillips R-Sherman). Helen Giddings (D-Dallas), Ryan Guillen, (D-Rio Grande City) and Alan Ritter (D-Nederland).

Vince Leibowitz is County Chairman of the Democratic Party of Van Zandt County. He founded the recently discontinued Free State Standard, a weblog dedicated to Texas politics, in 2003. He is presently a contributor for the Political State Report.