Video of floor discussion and vote on impeachment resolution at the TDP state convention

by: Scott Cobb

Wed Jun 14, 2006 at 09:16 PM CDT

The “Impeach Bush Resolution Campaign” delivered 1357 signatures to the party signed by more than 30% of the delegates to the 2006 Texas Democratic Party state convention in Fort Worth. The resolution called on the U.S. House of Representatives to impeach President George W. Bush for high crimes and misdemeanors and for willfully violating his Oath of Office to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. The resolution failed in a close vote on the floor of the convention.

Hooman Hedayati, 19 and a student at The University of Texas at Austin, took the video and edited it into its current form. He spent about 20 hours collecting signatures at the convention, along with several other people.

Past TDP Chairs Align with Richie

by: Karl-Thomas Musselman

Mon Mar 27, 2006 at 02:59 PM CST

Slagle was chairman for many many years at a time when Democrats were in power statewide and the Governor and/or Chairman ruled and ran the party. Molly Beth Malcolm, former Republican who saw the light and turned to the good side even before recent Republican corruption, was current TDP chairman Charles Soechting's predecessor, serving during a diffult time for the party including the 2002 statewide collapse. She did get the TDP out of debt for the first time in a number of years, not the easiest feat. (Some may remember that MBM also resigned early, making for a special SDEC election in which then Party Attorney Charles Soechting won).

Molly Beth Malcolm: I am blessed to know all three of the candidates for State Party Chair.  All three are friends and I have worked with all of them in Party activities.  I support Boyd Richie as the individual best qualified to lead our Party at this time.

Boyd Richie has walked the precincts of his own rural district as a candidate and an officeholder and he has walked precincts for other candidates at home and in other parts of the state.  He knows how to raise money and how to make the Party fiscally responsible and healthy.  He knows how to get along with Democrats and fight with Republicans.  I have seen him traveling our entire state as a good Chair candidate must… listening to Democrats and asking for votes.

We need a leader who will unify us and I know Boyd Richie is that individual.  Please vote for Boyd Richie as the next Texas Democratic Party Chair at the SDEC meeting and at the state convention.

Bob Slagle: I have been intimately associated with the Democratic Party all my life. Like Speaker Sam Rayburn I am a Democrat without prefix, suffix or apology. It was my honor to serve for 15 years as the Texas Democratic Party Chairman and I still serve as one of Texas members on the Democratic National Committee.

I have known all three of the current candidates for State Chairman for some time. One has served the Texas Party for a number of years as a paid consultant during and after he served in the Legislature. The other two are both good Democrats with sound grassroots activist records. However I believe my Senate District Committeeman Boyd Richie stands out as the best choice to be our next State Chairman.  I have worked with Boyd and his wife, Betty, in my Senatorial District for years and can vouch for his service to our District Democrats.

Boyd is a County Attorney and I believe having a proven prosecutor as our Chairman sends a strong message across Texas that Democrats are as committed to the safety of our families lives and property despite whatever the Republicans may claim.  At a time when the Republicans have DeLay problems, Abramoff problems, State Republican financial reporting problems, and Republican P.A.C.’s accused of violating or avoiding financial reporting laws at the State and Federal levels, it seems to be an excellent time to have an established prosecutor discussing their legal and ethical problems on behalf of the Texas Democratic Party.

Additionally, since Boyd is a local elected Democrat official in County government, his election and service may encourage local Democratic elected officials to stand fast, because we know and understand their needs and challenges.
I have seen Boyd work with all the disparate elements that make up our Party on contentious issues and find solutions to problems that unified all concerned. That to me is a critical trait for the next Texas Democratic Chairman. We must have a unifier if we are to consistently win again.

As a strong and experienced advocate I know Boyd will give us a strong, firm and consistent voice against the Republicans. Their years of uncaring, incompetent and corrupt rule gives us much to work with and I’m confident that my friend Boyd Richie can will craft a message that will move Democrats and Independents to return Democrats to power.

I'm assuming once again that this is for both the Special SDEC election as well as the general convention election.  While certainly not members of the reformist camp of the Texas Democratic Party, it shouldn't come as too much of a suprise that they would support Mr. Richie over more reform oriented Charlie Urbina-Jones or Glen Maxey.