(Good info about our statewide candidates here. - promoted by Phillip Martin)
Over the past ten weeks, the Texas Democratic Party promoted an unprecedented "Meet the Statewides" campaign on our website. Each week, we promoted content for our statewide candidates on our website, Facebook, and Twitter pages. We asked candidates to submit a video, write an original op-ed, and provide biographical information. We at the TDP also penned an issue piece, sent out all material to our e-mail list, and created duplicative Spanish-language pages for each candidate.
In the coming days, we'll be revisiting the campaign. Today, we begin with our Texas Supreme Court & Court of Criminal Appeals Candidates. Click on the links below to learn more about our statewide Democrats, and how you can help them win in 2010.
If elected, Keith Hampton will be the only judge who has handled death penalty cases in all stages of litigation – from accusation, trial, appeal and all post-conviction proceedings, including appearing before the Supreme Court of the United States.
There are no “Democratic” decisions or “conservative” analyses; there is only the exposition of law in an impartial manner. The force and persuasiveness of the reasoning of judicial opinions must stand on their own. Political labeling is best left in the legislative branch. In this democratic society, the judicial branch of government must remain outside the lawmaking world and avoid the political storms and policy shifts of the day. In this way, judges can conduct their decisionmaking in an impartial way, free from the pressures of competing interest groups. Law itself is thereby strengthened, sustained by a judiciary that moves cautiously and skeptically on the issues before it.
The “totalitarian wing” of the Court has a well-documented and thoroughly perplexing history of unprofessional actions. From the “sleeping lawyer” case in October 2000, to investigations into the judicial conduct of Sharon Keller in 2007, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals is in desperate need of professional, accountable judges on its bench.
We can now mark down one more office that Democrats are going to contest in 2010- a Texas Supreme Court seat. Familiar face and the 2006 ticket's highest vote getter Bill Moody is back for another run. Some may remember him for his "walk across Texas" campaign. Well, this time he's going to be getting around Texas a little differently.
He's going to campaign in an orange blimp. Awesome.
Moody challenged incumbent Republican Don Don Willett in 2006, getting 45 percent of the vote to Willett's 51 percent. He will be now be challenging Paul Green, a San Antonio appeals court judge who won election to the court in 2004. Moody's son, Joe Moody, was a TexBlog PAC endorsed candidate and is of course now a state representative from El Paso.
Yesterday, House Democratic leader, Representative Jim Dunnam, sent out some good reasons for Democrats across the state to be positive. Pundits and politicos beware the numbers might surprise you.
(This story needs some attention. - promoted by M. Eddie Rodriguez)
The Texas Code of Judicial Conduct demands that a judge or judicial candidate shall not knowingly or recklessly misrepresent the qualifications or other fact concerning the candidate:
Canon 5 Refraining from Inappropriate Political Activity
(1) A judge or judicial candidate shall not:
(i) make pledges or promises of conduct in office regarding pending or impending cases, specific classes of cases, specific classes of litigants, or specific propositions of law that would suggest to a reasonable person that the judge is predispoded to a probable decision in cases within the scope of the pledge;
(ii) knowingly or recklessly misrepresent the identity, qualifications, present position, or other fact concerning the candidate or an opponent; or make a statement that would violate Canon 3B(10).
On his official campaign website (http://www.donwillet...), Republican Supreme Court Judge Don Willett misrepresents that his supporters include newspapers the Austin American-Statesman, El Paso Times, Dallas Morning News, Houston Chronicle, Midland Reporter-Telegram, San Antonio Express-News, Victoria Advocate, and Waco Tribune-Herald.
I have been dissappointed with the Houston Chronicle on much during the endorsement season. They failed to endorse Jim Henley in CD07 even though they lectured incumbent John Culberson instead of endorsing anyone, and even though Culberson made an insane claim in front of the Chronicle's editorial board. Meanwhile, they also endorsed Strayhorn, Greg Abbot, and Todd Staples.
At least they made the right decision in the race for Texas Supreme Court, Place 2. Just like they can't get it right every time; they can't get it wrong every time, either. Thank God. The Houston Chronicle endorsed Bill Moody, favorite of thehomeless:
A former prosecutor and an experienced trial judge with a focus on civil cases, Moody won the State Bar's judicial poll — significant for a Democrat running in a Republican-leaning state. Moody recently worked to persuade the Legislature to increase jury pay, causing more summoned jurors to report for duty. Moody's Republican opponent, incumbent Justice Don Willett, has little experience handling the type of cases that come before the Supreme Court and has produced little since being appointed.
And by reading it, it seems as if Moody is so good, he should have gotten the nod even if he hadn't been walking accross Texas. His great walk isn't even mentioned (typical of the Chronicle!). That said, Moody is racking up the support of newspapers. I have once been told that the Editorial page is the 2nd most read page in a generic newspaper, followed by the front page. If that is true, hopefully people pay attention to the notes of support for a very respectable Moody judge.
The Austin American Statesman released some of it's endorsements today.
Democrat Bill Moody gets the nod for Texas Supreme Court as well as Mina Brees for Place 5 on the 3rd Court of Appeals. The rest of the court nods go to Republicans and for some pretty lame reasons. Then again, the Statemen endorsed Todd Staples over Hank Gilbert last week and its editorial board is not as liberal as the city it publishes to. I'm sure we all remember those endorsements of President Bush...
Oh, and to note, the San Antonio Express News board rips Kinky a new one. I'd be suprised if a single major paper endorsed him.
I've been remiss to mention that Democrat Bill Moody (endorsed by the Dallas Morning News no less) was in Austin a couple weeks back as he walks across Texas in his campaign for the Texas Supreme Court. He wrote some journals about it here. I had a chance to talk with his son while they were in Austin and I have to say I admire the work they are doing because Moody is totally qualified to hold the seat he's running for. Plus, I have a certain degree of respect for 20 somethings that run their fathers' campaigns.
The Kerrville Daily-Times does a great story on John Courage- a great shift from 4 years ago when they basically ignored him. Times have changed...
On one hand is the well-financed front-runner, state Sen. Todd Staples, a Republican who has taken a public leadership role in preserving the train. "For 12 years I have been an ardent supporter of the Texas State Railroad," he says.
But on the other is his Democratic opponent, Hank Gilbert, who says that although Staples may talk a good game, as a state senator he sponsored a measure that could have literally sunk the rail line. "It's all a sham, and it's politics, and the people are tired of it," Gilbert says.
...
Staples, the Republican from Palestine, says he's committed to protecting the railroad. "In order to chart a course for the future, I have worked with the local officials and helped establish the Texas State Railroad task force; I have assembled an advisory committee of people across the state," he said.
He also has helped sponsor fundraisers, including one scheduled for Saturday at the Palestine Depot.
That's all well and good, says Gilbert, but what about Staples' sponsorship of a resolution last year supporting the creation of the Fastrill Reservoir on the Neches River? The reservoir, which would provide water for Dallas, would also wash over part of the tracks - effectively shutting down the railroad.
At least that's what Gilbert and local activists say.
"The economic impact of that railroad is huge to his hometown - and the fact that it's a state park, and a historic monument - and he was willing to sacrifice it for a reservoir; that's unacceptable," said Gilbert, 48.
Hank has the support of locals in rural areas across the state and I remain convinced that he'll be the highest vote getting Democrat on the ballot. Be prepared for a major endorsement to come his way this week, too...
(That's sure to be a long walk... - promoted by Karl-Thomas Musselman)
The temperature was in triple digits in far West Texas Tuesday, August 8th as El Paso Judge Bill Moody began his 1000 mile walk across Texas. The Judge’s son, Joe, reported Wednesday that he couldn't keep up his dad's pace the day before. His dad has been training for six months, preparing to take his campaign on the road, literally walking across Texas. What motivates a Judge to walk across Texas? “It’s time we had Supreme Court justices who will be open and impartial, who will listen to both sides of an argument. We need to restore confidence in our Texas Supreme Court.”
– Bill Moody
Moody is a populist Democrat who agrees with Attorney General candidate David Van Os, (D-Attorney General) and Hank Gilbert (D-Agriculture Commissioner) that governmen must be returned to the people. Fred Head (D-Comptroller of Public Accounts) and Land Commissioner challenger VaLainda Hathcox are also bypassing conventional campaign media strategies to take their messages directly to the people. Lt. Gov. challenger Maria Luisa Alvarado and RR Commissioner challenger Dale Henry fit into the populist niche by having declared for office without seeking endorsements and support from powerful political and economic interest. These candidates, and Judge Moody, are waging direct to the people campaigns which involves continual travel, listening to citizens and speaking directly with people in eye-ball to eye-ball encounters across Texas.
This is my response to the Texas Observer's June 30, 2006, essay by Dave Mann, entitled "The Fight for Relevance.
Dear Editor:
In reference to your June 30 article, "The Fight for Relevance" - to call Dave Mann and The Observer "clueless" would be an understatement. The only suitable words for your smug dismissal of me and the rest of my statewide Democratic ticketmates aren't printable in public.
(This post contains a great series of photos to tell the story of the state convention for all those not there and for those who were. - promoted by Karl-Thomas Musselman)
There was a large number of bloggers working the convention in many areas, not just blogging.
I crashed a few parties during the Texas Democratic Convention and took almost 150 high quality pictures including more then a few backstage shots. I authorize the use of these photo's for bloggers, candidates, and campaigns. Click the thumbnail, then download the high quality versions for best results.
This is a video record of my time at the convention.
