There have been all sorts of rumors about certain politicians following Bill White onto the 2010 ticket to potentially make it our strongest ticket in over a decade. Now, though, a rumor is substantiated.
Former Congressman Nick Lampson, a moderate Democrat from southeast Texas, is considering a race for state comptroller, he confirmed this afternoon.
"It's something that I've been asked to look at," he said. "I don't know that I will but I don't want to close the door on it right now, either. I'll hear from some of my friends who are talking and seeing if there's not some actual way that an election could be won by a Democrat statewide."
I'm glad to hear more experienced Democrats openly speak about their potential candidacies in 2010. A Bill White and nothing else ticket wouldn't be too helpful. Nick Lampson would probably make a solid candidate, too. He served for 10 years in the U.S. Congress and has almost two decades of experience as a Property Tax Assessor in Jefferson County.
As of July, though, incumbent Susan Combs had more than $3.8 Million in her account. That number will likely daunt anyone considering the race, but hopefully it doesn't stop everyone from jumping in. Especially in these economic times, the position's pretty darn important.
This morning when I opened the Houston Chronicle, one of the front page articles immediately grabbed my attention.
Texans Rip Budget Yet Add to Cost
The online edition reads:
Texas lawmakers rip budget, but seek millions
The Houston Chronicle does not single out Republicans, of course, because Texas Democrats added to the budget's costs as well. However, the Democrats are not bellowing and bellyaching about the stimulus budget while the Republicans continue to 24/7.
What hypocritical jackasses. Do Republican lawmakers actually believe they can continue to fool us with their double talk and embarrass us by their endless clown shows?
At this point, Pete Olson (R- CT, VA, and TX) has told some whoppers this election cycle. Heck he may have even committed voter fraud before running for Congress.
Now it looks like Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison won't even stick by Pete Olson or the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC).
According to the Lampson campaign:
The ad falsely claims that Rep. Lampson voted against "Strengthening our border fence" and "Funding our military bases." In support of this attack the NRCC cites Roll Call Vote 1171. Contrary to the impression given by the ad, Rep. Lampson voted yes on this legislation, which funded a wide variety of important priorities including funding for military bases such as $7.2 million for Ellington Field in Houston and the border fence.
Texas Republican Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison wrote the bill referenced in the deceptive ad. While stumping for Pete Olson in Clear Lake, KBH was asked some direct questions were she pointed out the NRCC ad was deceiving voters.
Listen for yourself:
"The NRCC's use of blatant lies to distort Congressman Lampson's strong record is shameful; but the voters won't fall for their dirty politics," said Trevor Kincaid. "It's no surprise that Pete Olson remains silent when matters of integrity are on the line after lying multiple times about criminal charges he faces in Virginia."
The Lampson for Congress campaign has called for television stations to remove the false ad, and we are asking the NRCC and Pete Olson to apologize for deceiving voters. We are also hoping John Cornyn will denounce his former chief of staff's actions. He cannot condone such behavior and neither can we.
The Lone Star Project recently filed a criminal complaint against Olson for being registered to vote and voting in two different states. While living in Virginia, Olson voted in a handful of local and state elections, but in 2003, Olson also went up to Connecticut and voted in a special election.
Olson has been asked repeatedly why he committed voter fraud, and he has a lot of reasons..
AP (10/15/08) - Was it a trip to Texas? "Olson's campaign produced a document that suggested he was flying to Texas on Senate business that day. The document for Aug. 12, 2003, to Aug. 15, 2003, shows a $643.50 charge for a flight, but no time of day is provided. At the bottom of the document the itinerary is listed as Washington, D.C., to Houston, Harlingen, Austin and return."
AP (10/15/08) - Was it Olson's baby? "It doesn't make sense that he would drive four hours to Connecticut ... when his son had been born a couple months (before)," Goldstein said.
FortBendNow (10/4/08) - Was Olson working in DC? "Pete Olson never owned property in Connecticut; his father owned property in Connecticut," Goldstein said. "On the day of the vote (in Connecticut), Pete Olson was working in his office in Washington, D.C."
FortBendNow (10/4/08) - Was it an imposter? Goldstein also pointed out that while a Peter G. Olson may have voted in the August, 2003, special election in Newtown, it was not candidate Olson.
Matt Angle, Director of the Lone Star Project, told Fort Bend Now all these different answers led to more questions.
When the Lone Star Project found the voting records, Angle said he raised the issue of whether or not Olson voted illegally. Olson's changing stories and dismissive attitude toward the allegations, Angle said, led him to file the complaint.
"Rather than giving a straightforward answer, he had two or three different answers," Angle said.
Angle noted that Olson gave various media outlets different answers about the illegal voting allegations. Those answers included Olson spokesperson Amy Goldstein telling FortBendNow that Olson was working in his office in Washington, D.C. on the day he was alleged to have illegally voted in Connecticut. Goldstein also said that a Peter G. Olson may have voted in the Connecticut election, but it was not candidate Olson.
Angle said Goldstein then gave the Associated Press several other answers. Goldstein told the AP "it doesn't make sense that (Olson) would drive four hours to Connecticut" when his son had been born only a few months earlier, and later told the wire service that Olson was on a trip to Texas on Senate business on the day of the vote.
Regardless of the excuse, the reality appears to be that Pete Olson committed voter fraud and now he wants to be a Congressman for Texas. The 22nd Congressional District has already given Tom DeLay the boot, voters shouldn't elect someone who is as ethically challenged as DeLay.
While newspaper endorsements might mean little in the voting both, each candidate relishes every little push of help they can get if the race for their office stands extremely tight. Such is the case with Nick Lampson, who is defending a seat that our Burnt Orange Political Report rated a toss-up. A little help came today with an endorsement from the Houston Chronicle.
With looming national elections likely to cement his party's hold on Congress, constituents should carefully consider their community interest in choosing between Lampson and Republican Pete Olson.
[...]
He has also worked to create a presence in the district, attending hundreds of town hall meetings to convince constituents of his sincerity.
"I believed that if I could show people that I was going to be available and accessible to them differently than what they'd ever seen before," says Lampson, "then they would honor that and respect me enough to send me back as their representative."
Equally as important, if Lampson wins he will be in a position to use his accumulated seniority to head a key House subcommittee overseeing NASA during the next session. He holds a strong commitment to increased funding for manned spacecraft development in the future.
This is clearly one election where the district's pocketbook interests should outweigh partisan considerations at the ballot box.
Although many conservatives in the district might reprimand the idea of earmarks, the Chronicle reminds Houstonians of one important factor: it is one reason you might actually be able to vote for a Democrat even if you are voting your pocketbook. And since Nick Lampson has kept his job in mind since being elected to CD22, that makes him the best choice.
In 2006, Nick Lampson replaced embattled former House Majority Leader Tom Delay to win election to the United States Congress. Since then, Lampson has joinged the Blue Dog Caucus, a group notorious for housing conservative Democrats that trumpet bipartisanship and fiscal responsiblity above all else.
Lampson, who has an "A" rating from the National Rifle Association, is running in one of only a handful of seats where a Republican challenge is credible. The district identifies more with Republicans than Democrats, though recent strides in Fort Bend County have begun to shift the dynamic to a more even split.
Olson is running a traditional Republican campaign that focuses on taxes. However, he's running into trouble with his continued ties to Tom Delay -- a comparison that will prove to dog at him for the remainder of the campaign.
The Cook Political Report rates this race a "toss-up" largely due to the political makeup of the district. However, with the recent devastation of Hurricane Ike, the larger reality is that -- right now -- no one knows what to plan or what to expect in this area of the state. To be honest, campaigning isn't the top priority right now. That uncertainty is what allows us to categorize the race as a "toss-up" for now.
A third party candidate -- Libertarian John Wieder -- is also running in the race.
Here are some links to previous coverage of the race on Burnt Orange Report:
Law only allows you to vote where you live. Pete Olson either doesn't know the law or he thinks he is above it.
Documents obtained by the Lone Star Project show that Republican congressional challenger Pete Olson (Texas CD22 - Houston) voted in both the State of Virginia and the State of Connecticut during a five month period in 2003. By remaining on the voter rolls and casting ballots in both states, Olson may have committed voter fraud. Under Virginia law, a person who intentionally registers to vote in Virginia and any other state or territory is guilty of a felony violation.
The time line is pretty specific.
Connecticut: 9/6/1996 - Olson registers to vote in Newtown, CT. ( Federal Post Card Registration and Absentee Ballot Request , Newtown Town Clerk, Received September 4, 1996)
Connecticut: 11/5/1996- 11/4/1997 - lson votes in 2 general elections in Newtown, CT. ( Voter Election History , Peter G. Olson, Newtown Town Clerk, Search conducted April 30, 2008)
Virginia: 2/27/1998 - On Olson's Confirmation of Voting Residence Return Form signed 2/27/2005, Olson indicated that he moved out of Newtown, CT to Annandale, VA on this date. (Confirmation of Voting Residence Return Form , Newtown Town Clerk, Received March 3, 2005)
Virginia: 9/3/1998 - Olson registers to vote in Fairfax County, VA. (Voter File , Virginia Democratic Party)
Virginia: 11/3/1998- 6/10/2003 - Olson votes in 7 elections in Fairfax County, VA. (Voter File , Virginia Democratic Party)
Here's the kicker Connecticut: 8/12/2003 - Olson votes in special election in Newtown, CT. (Voter Election History , Peter G. Olson, Newtown Town Clerk, Search conducted April 30, 2008)
Back to Viriginia: 11/4/2003- 11/2/2004 - Olson votes in 2 general elections in Fairfax County, VA. (Voter File , Virginia Democratic Party)
Virginia: 2/27/2005 - Olson signs and returns Confirmation of Voting Residence Return Form indicating that he had moved out of Newtown on 2/27/1998. Gave new address as 8203 Strong Spring Court, Annandale, VA 22003. (Confirmation of Voting Residence Return Form , Newtown Town Clerk, Received March 3, 2005)
As the Lone Star Project states, Pete Olson lived in Virginia until late 2007, when he moved to Texas to run for Congress. While in Virginia, he voted regularly in State and local elections. During much of this same period, Olson also maintained his voter registration in Connecticut. Election documents show that between June and November of 2003, Olson voted in the Virginia Republican Primary, a special election in Newtown, Connecticut and then again in the Virginia General Elections.
That is voter fraud.
Virginia does not allow individuals to register in multiple states. The Virginia election code states clearly that any person who "registers to vote at more than one residence address at the same time, whether such registrations are in Virginia or in Virginia and any other state or territory of the United States ... is guilty of a Class 6 felony." ( Va. Code. Ann. Section 24.2-1004 (C) ). ??
While Pete Olson resided in Virginia and participated in Virginia elections, he owned property in Connecticut and remained active on the Connecticut voter rolls through at least March 2005. Pete Olson's presence on the 2003 Connecticut voter rolls and his vote in Newtown, Connecticut , which was followed by his vote in the 2003 Virginia General Election, appears to violate Virginia election law.
After Tom DeLay, Texans don't need another politician plagued with legal problems.
During Hurricane Ike, almost every campaign suspended their campaigns. Now we are in the recovery period, and still most campaigns aren't back up to full speed. Pete Olson on the other hand kept campaigning, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce sent out negative attack mail pieces to members of the 22nd congressional district.
As many of you know last week all of us here in Houston were dealing with the devastation we know as Hurricane Ike. It was a tough time as many people had damage to their homes, power outages, flooding in our neighborhoods and even worse - the loss of life by some here in our area. All local television stations were focused on helping people get the right information and news they needed to push through this storm. Some of them even chose not to run any commercials like FOX 26. But what caught me by surprise and even irritated me was an advertisement on KTRH radio.
It was a commercial paid for and sponsored by the US Chamber of Commerce. It was a partisan political commercial that seemed out of place and very negative at the wrong time. While most of us are suffering, the radio ad focused on attacking Congressman Nick Lampson. It was the same old silly game from Washington DC that many of us get tired of hearing. It was the name calling (liberal) and divisiveness that some thrive on. It was just so inappropriate that it left me wanting to call the radio station to complain.
This is a time when people are suffering and this agency (US Chamber) has time to play childish political games on the airwaves. In the middle of this storm when people are helping each other, color lines have temporarily disappeared and politics irrelevant - the US Chamber of Commerce wanted to divide us. Shame on you guys for not sending a better message in Houston at such a trying time. I don't fault KTRH, they simply aired the commercial paid for by a political group but I do blame that group for their silliness!
We were able to get our hands on the mail piece being sent around during these troubling times (also the US Chamber continued to run attack ads on radio).
