Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Condoleezza Rice, and the rest of the gang that thinks they’re a war cabinet supporting the man who thinks he’s a war president used the fifth anniversary of 9/11 to tell the world how great they are. In speech after speech, all meant to boost their neocon candidates’ chances for re-election in two months, they dominated the news media to proclaim that under their watch there have been no more attacks on American soil. They looked directly into the cameras and told us that because Americans are fighting in Iraq, the terrorists aren’t in New York City. For their part, the establishment media willingly disseminated the PR.
According to a report done by the Dallas Morning News, 85 individuals have given over $25,000 each to Rick Perry's re-election campaign since January of 2003. In total, these 85 individuals -- who are members of the "Century Council" -- have donated $10,000,000 to Perry's campaign, accounting for approximately 40% of his total contributions. From the article, "Perry's top donors get business, appointments":
Three Century Council members have lucrative contracts to help build Mr. Perry's multibillion-dollar toll-road initiative. The state has deposited millions in investment funds operated by three other top-tier givers. And 16 are Perry appointees to coveted boards, including the Parks and Wildlife Commission and state university regent boards.
This re-emphasizes why there must be limits on contributions to political campaigns. Chris Bell has advocated for exactly such contributions since the opening days of his campaign. From part of his ethics plan to end the culture of corruption:
Texas is currently one of only 13 states that allow unlimited contributions to candidates for legislative and executive office. Consequently, a small number of large donors contribute the vast majority of the money raised in Texas politics. For example, in the 2002 election cycle, 76 percent of all contributions came in checks of $5,000 or greater. The lack of reasonable contribution limits allows this small group of wealthy individuals to buy special influence and play on an uneven playing field.
During the 79th Regular Session, Rep. Craig Eiland (D-Galveston) authored House Bill 1348. HB 1348 had 94 sponsors -- almost two-thirds of the entire Texas House -- but never made it out of the House Elections Committee.
Perhaps with a new Governor and/or more Democrats in the Texas House, we can begin to see some real campaign laws passed in the Texas Legislature.
A quick look at the major stories from today's papers...
The Onion is currently counting down some of their best stories from the past ten years. An appropriate one: "CIA Asks Bush to Discontinue Blog."
Rep. Lon Burnam (D-Fort Worth) has asked for an official opinion from the Texas Ethics Commission on whether lawmakers should be required to report the amount of money they receive from political contributions. As you'll remember, Delay's buddy and TRMPAC treasurer Bill Ceverha received two $100,000 checks from homebuilder Bob Perry -- but only disclosed "check" on his TEC report, and not the amount of money.
The Alabama-Coushatta Indian has filed a lawsuit against Ralph Reed, the former head of the Christian Coalition, for his lobbying efforts against tribal casinos here in Texas. This is one of those incredibly complex situations -- but by far the best summary of everything, along with details of how Reed is closely tied with the convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff, can be found in a recent piece by the Texas Observer. From their piece, Thin Reed:
Three Austin-based reform groups—Common Cause Texas, Public Citizen Texas, and Texans For Public Justice, the latter of which employs the author of this article—urged Travis County prosecutors last December to investigate whether Reed violated Texas’ lobby-registration laws four years ago. Correspondence between Abramoff and Reed—the ex-Christian Coalition leader now running for lieutenant governor of Georgia—suggests that Reed lobbied Texas officials on behalf of Abramoff’s Indian gambling clients without registering as a Texas lobbyist. The $5 million in gambling money that Abramoff reportedly paid Reed for his services would make it one of the largest lobby contracts ever made public in Texas.
60 State lawmakers -- Democrats and Republicans -- want to get rid of the HHSC's private contractor, Accenture, for the piss-poor job Accenture has done. Kuff has all the good details.
When the Legislature passed SB 419 last session, they may have inadvertently changed the law so that doctors that legally perform third-term abortions could be charged with murder. Republican Chairman David Swinford has asked Attorney General Greg Abbott for a ruling -- noting that, "There is no evidence...that the Legislature intended to bring such conduct within the scope of the criminal homicide statutes."
A recent release by The LONE STAR PROJECT
Fighting Back... With Facts:
(202) 547-7610 - Fax (202)547-8258
May 31, 2006 Contact: Matt Angle
On the web at www.LoneStarProject.net
This post is taken from their release:
Rick Perry Airs Misleading Ad
Facts Dispute Perry Claims
Last week, Rick Perry began airing a television ad bragging and taking credit for everything from tax cuts to teacher pay. The Lone Star Project analyzed the ad and found that it simply does not stand up to close scrutiny. Perry’s comments are consistently deceptive and incomplete.
A video “fact check” of the Perry ad can be viewed on the Lone Star Project website. We have also included a written transcript of the Perry ad with each claim “fact checked” by the Lone Star Project.
Perry Ad Fact Check Claim 1 - Deceptive
Rick Perry: A fifteen billion dollar tax cut and more money for our schools. We kept our promises to you. The average homeowner will receive a two thousand dollar tax cut.
Fact: The average Texas homeowner will receive only a $150 property tax cut this year.
Source:
“[John] Sharp [Perry appointed Chairman of the Texas Tax Reform Commission] said the owner of an average home, which he described as appraised at about $118,000, would save about $150 in property taxes in the first year.” (Source: Austin American-Statesman, Friday, May 26, 2006 )
Claim 2 – Deceptive and Incomplete
Rick Perry: Every teacher will receive a well deserved pay raise.
Fact: Texas Teachers will still be paid $4,000 less than the national average.
Source:
Average Salaries ($) of Public School Teachers, 2004–05
National Education Association
Rick Perry: We closed corporate loopholes
Fact: Big banks, insurance companies and large landowners will receive more than $800 million in tax cuts.
Source:
Texas Legislative Budget Board
Tax/Fee Equity Note HB1 and HB3
Finance, Insurance & Real Estate Change in
Liability Under HB 1 [in $ Millions] -961.6 Change in
Liability Under HB 3 [in $ Millions] 160.1 Net Change in Liability Under HB1 and 3 [in $ Millions] -801.5
I know most Texans do not concern themselves on the activities and political debacles of Californians, but the two states share a common thread. I found an interesting press release from Francine Busby’s Communications Director Brennan Bilberry, and he describes briefly the Delay/Cunningham contributions into NRCC’s attack ads against Busby. The NRCC’s attack ads coincide with Busby’s growing poll numbers in a heavily Republican District (CA-50). Check out the press releases on Delay/Cunningham and Congressional Ethics Reform from Busby’s website.
I am going to step out on a limb and say we can all agree on one thing… Tom DeLay did some bad things.
Well now it looks like Lamar Smith in CD 21 is supporting him.
“I believe in our system of justice that we have in America that you are innocent until proven guilty. Tom DeLay, like anybody, is entitled to a good defense,” Lamar Smith said.
Ok, maybe I am blowing this out of proportion but how about the fact that he has donated $5,000 dollars to the DeLay defense fund not once but twice?
Smith said a $5,000 donation to DeLay was made in 2000 for legal defense of a charge that was later dismissed.
A second donation of $5,000 was given before a Travis County jury handed up an indictment charging DeLay with money laundering in a campaign finance scheme.
What he doesn’t say is that the $10,000 donation to DeLay was the same $10,000 that put Lamar Smith on the House Ethics Committee. He was put there to stop the committees continuous admonishment of DeLay.
A Republican committee member had voted twice to slap DeLay’s hand and that was two too many times. Lamar Smith… welcome to your new committee placement.
What did John Courage have to say about this?
“He's a close associate of Tom DeLay,” Courage said of Smith. “I don't think a friend of Tom DeLay is a friend to the 21st Congressional District.”
Sadly, Lamar Smith is up to these dirty tricks again. He is pledging $500,000 (aka half a million dollars or a whole lot of social assistance for his district) to aide at risk Republicans in their re-election in exchange for being selected as House Judiciary Chair.
Smith is already no friend of the law, ethics, intellectual property, teachers, workers, small business owners, or his district. If he gets his way, well he will only help interpret the legal statute of laws created in congress and assist in Congressional investigations.
We only need 15 seats nationwide to take back the House, and Lamar Smith must be retired.
