With the recent resignation of Former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, statements and releases are circulating en masse right now. John Cornyn would have you believe that this embattled Republican operative has done nothing wrong.
His resignation marks another casualty of the hyper-partisan atmosphere in Washington that does not serve the best interests of the American People.
Despite countless hearings and subpoenaed documents, it's clear that the Attorney General did not interfere with ongoing investigations and prosecutions by U.S. Attorneys. Rather, his mistake was underestimating the ferocity of relentless partisan attacks and not preparing more to address them. Perhaps because their attention was distracted by 300 other investigations already launched by the Democratic majority, the Justice Department did a very poor job in responding to these spurious charges.
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Since taking power over 200 days ago, Democrats have opened more than 300 investigations and held more than 600 oversight hearings, while their other notable accomplishment is renaming 20 post offices.
The American people deserve and demand bipartisan action on the many important issues facing our country today. It is my hope that the poisonous and partisan atmosphere that has surrounded this Congress will be lifted and my Democratic colleagues will work with Republicans in the best interests of the American people.
Well said Junior Senator Cornyn. Now it is time to face some facts. Alberto Gonzales created a partisan Department of Justice and then lied about it. People don’t resign from a job that they are doing well.
Alberto Gonzales, along with Cornyn and Bush, created an illegal and warrantless wiretapping program that is bogging down our courts. In 2006, this issue was a big enough deal to the American people that they voted overwhelmingly Democratic and gave both chambers of Congress over to the Democratic Party. Not only were people so irate about the program, Gonzales was being investigated by both Republicans and Democrats because he likely perjured himself during the Congressional investigations mentioned above.
Lt. Col. Rick Noriega put it bluntly, “It’s about time. Our country’s interest should come first. This appears to be a political decision. Hopefully this can put an end to the politicization of the Justice Department.”
It is hard to be surprised that Cornyn would mislead the country and his constituents. He constantly refuses to answer questions on political shows like This Week or in Town Halls. Instead, the Junior Senator uses partisan, flamethrower language in order to divert our focus from a Bush crony resigning to blaming a Democratic majority for finding the problem. As a Democrat, I am proud we won the majority back and I am even prouder to say Alberto Gonzales has resigned because he lied to Congress and the American people. It is sad that you do not agree with that Mr. Cornyn.
Mikal Watts, stated, “John Cornyn’s loss is America’s gain. His strong support of the Attorney General only delayed the inevitable, but now the rest of the nation can move on to the task of restoring balance and integrity in our top judicial office.”
Now we are at a cross roads of cronyism. The rumor swirling is that Bush will replace Gonzales with failed Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. In an e-mail that just recently went out from the Edwards Campaign, Joe Trippi wrote this:
That's right—Bush may actually replace the man who brought us a political purge of U.S. Attorneys and illegal spying on Americans with the man who brought us the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
It is time to do what is right for America and not the Republican base. The two seem to be mutually exclusive, but our Republican elected officials only want to govern the radical right. That is unacceptable and it is time for Cornyn and Bush to realize that they must represent all of us, not just the percentage that voted for them.
(Cross-posted from Blue Texas and Texas Kaos)
Do you really think Republicans aren't going to mention this in their attack ads should Mikal Watts win the Democratic U.S. Senate nomination to face Bush rubber stamp incumbent John Cornyn?
After watching what Republicans did to another monied candidate, Tony Sanchez, in his race to seat Rick Perry in 2002, I'm very concerned about what lengths Republicans will go to attack Watts in any general election fight against Cornyn.
And given the GOP track record, is there any reason the GOP won't use Watts' wealth and work as a trial lawyer against him?
More below.
Cross-posted at Blue Texas, Daily Kos, and Texas Kaos
I might as well say it. My choice for the U.S. Senate next year isn't even close, either in the Democratic primary or the general election.
Rick Noriega is way beyond any other candidate has come up, either Democrat or the disease of an incumbent we have now in Bush rummer stamp John Cornyn.
Mikal Watts, also seeking the Democratic nomination, is a big-time trial lawyer who has contributed tons of money to Democratic campaigns throughout the country.
There is, however, some other concerns about Watts that concern me about his giving.
More below.
Tonight the Northwest Democrats of Bexar County held a dinner to honor our three Congressmen who represent Bexar County: Charlie Gonzalez, Ciro Rodriguez, and Henry Cuellar. The first time Bexar County has had three Democratic congressmen.
The event attracted over 350 Democrats from across the city. All three Congressmen spoke at the event.
In addition to the Congressmen, both of the major candidates for the U.S. Senate were also there; Mikal Watts and Rick Noriega. In addition we had:
This is the election that must wake a slumbering giant hidden within the Texas electorate; now is the time when our campaigns should be identifying and registering new voters.
The Young Democrats of America Convention in Dallas this past weekend was an interesting event. It wasn’t confined by the same press choreography that plagues the large Democratic and Republican national conventions.
It was free flowing and at times spontaneous.
The two largest events were any training on how to become a national delegate to the Democratic Convention in Denver and the massive Democrats Work community service project.
Watching high school and college aged YD’s learning the process was by far one of the more entertaining things to watch. It was fun to sit there and watch them learn the nuance that surrounded our complex party rules, and see them energized to be a part of the party process.
As the second youngest delegate from Texas in 2004, the presidential convention is one of the most exciting events I have been to in my brief political career.
As Parag Mehta outlined in his presentation, Denver was selected because of the increasing growth in democratic support in the Mountain West. With impressive democratic gains in Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Kansas, and Arizona, the Democratic Convention can serve as a launching pad for further growth in 2008.
Not only will the convention set up the opportunity for us to organize the 3,300 counties across the country or even the 203,000 precincts, it will also be the catalyst for organizational growth. The best example we heard was Denver will see a growth of labor unions in the hotel industry go from 1 union to 13 by the end of the convention because of the bargaining chip that is the Democratic Convention. Of course, every YD there wanted to be a part of that sort of growth. Of course it is always fun to be there with over 4,382 like-minded, passionate democrats too.
Enthusiasm was not reserved for just the convention. Both the Mikal Watts and Rick Noriega campaigns were out meeting democrats from across the country. Emil Reichstadt was even there as a volunteer.
The incredible thing was the interest the Texas Senate race is generating.
Fundraising strength is the best early indicator of candidates' intention and potential. A Senate incumbent who collects next to no money is sure to find himself on retirement watch lists. A challenger candidate who over performs expectation will get more attention from both the national party and the media; one who disappoints financially is in danger of falling off the list of top-tier contests.
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LOSERS
National Republican Congressional Committee: We know that NRCC Chairman Tom Cole (R-Okla.) has made debt retirement his main priority since taking over at the campaign committee but the organization ended June with just $2 million in the bank -- one-tenth of what the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee had on hand. House Republicans' fundraising will improve but they have dug themselves a huge hole six months into the 2008 cycle. If Republicans continue to lag Democrats this badly, it will be difficult for them to do much more than protect their endangered incumbents from a financial onslaught by the DCCC.
Tom Latham/Denny Rehberg/Richard Baker: The real loser here may well be the National Republican Senatorial Committee who had mentioned all three of these Republican House members as potential 2008 Senate candidates. None raised more than $200,000 between April 1 and June 30 and all three trail their would-be Democratic opponents badly in cash on hand. Add it all up and what do you get? Three men not running for Senate in 2008.
John Cornyn: Cornyn's massive fundraising haul -- $2.1 million raised, $5.4 million on hand -- doesn't seem the sort of showing to put him in the loser category. What lands him a spot here is attorney Mikal Watts' (D) willingness to spend his own money on a campaign. Watts gave himself $3.8 million in the last quarter and raised another $1.1 million, ending June with $4.9 million on hand. Watts has said that if he wins the Democratic primary, he will spend an additional $6.2 million of his own money. Cornyn is still an overwhelming favorite but Watts' deep pockets make this a far more involved race than most people would have guessed a few months ago.
Why was Cornyn the only major public figure not at the Lady Bird funeral today? Is it because:
* he died in a plane crash on the way * had a fundraiser already scheduled somewhere else * or is just too ideological and small a human being.
Everyone was there but him (including Rick and Anita Perry). Everyone. “I couldn’t make it” is no excuse. Frail Nancy Reagan came all the way from California to join the others. Even frailer Betty Ford sent her daughter Susan. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison was there and so was Laura Bush and Barbara Bush.
Cornyn has found the time to visit Dallas and suburban Houston to talk about how great the war is going and validate his stance on immigration policy. Apparently there is no political upside in honoring the legacy of “Lady Bird” Johnson.
The passing of a former fist lady from Texas. What on earth could be so important that Texas's "Junior" Senator couldn't make it when so many of his political colleagues could? Where was he- Fundraising? Strategizing? Campaigning?
We as Democrats have always disagreed with Sen. Cornyn's politics. But now we as Democrats must question his priorities. In the last year we as Texas Democrats have lost three of our greatest voices- three women who have advocated against the type of politics and priorities that Cornyn holds.
We have lost Writer Molly Ivins. May she rest in peace.
We have lost First Lady Lady Bird Johnson. May she join Lyndon in peace.
There have been many great Democrats that have embodied the spirit of Texas. But slowly they are slipping away from us as time takes it's toll on the era of FDR, JFK, and LBJ. It is up to us of the modern day, the next generation, to pick up their banner and proudly march forward. It is up to us to keep that spirit alive and breathe new life into what it means to be a Texas Democrat. It is up to us.
This is the final straw. It is the beginning of the end for Junior Senator John Cornyn. And we are asking you to join us in stunning the nation when we win in November of 2008 and assert an end to the Era of George W. Bush and John Cornyn.
Our philosophy is simple, it doesn’t matter who you support as long as you support a Democrat. Whether you support attorney Mikal Watts, Lt. Col & Rep. Rick Noriega, or whomever the eventual nominee is, it is time to channel our talk and emotion into real world support to take back Texas.
You can support the eventual nominee by clicking here
or Lt. Col. Rick Noriega by clicking here
or Mikal Watts by clicking here.
You know how the rest of the rhyme goes, but it would appear that Cornyn is so desperate to continue pandering at the heels of his master George W. Bush that he feels the need to trot Karl Rove out for a fundraiser to bolster his war chest.
Cornyn’s fundraising efforts have apparently taken on a sense of urgency based on Mikal Watt’s $1.1 million haul this past quarter, which allowed Senator Rubberstamp to recycle Chapter 3 of the GOP playbook entitled “Attack the Trial Lawyers.”
Cornyn has scheduled a series of fundraisers for the weekend of July 20, featuring presidential adviser Karl Rove as the main attraction. But an invitation letter for the Harlingen event also plays off Republican reactions to trial lawyers.
"We will also have the opportunity to help the senator begin preparing for what appears to be a wealthy, self-financed personal injury lawyer opponent," said a Cornyn campaign committee letter signed by James G. Springfield, CEO of Valley Baptist Health System in Harlingen.
A Cornyn fundraising letter sent out last month by John Nau of Houston noted: "Unfortunately, John appears to have drawn a very wealthy personal injury lawyer Mikal Watts as a potential opponent." Cornyn's aides declined to discuss the specifics of his letters.
