Pro-corporate bias and corruption in the Texas judiciary has reached dangerous levels, and there's a new web site documenting some of the scandals and troubles.
Texans are still living the ethical, political and economic nightmares left to us by former U.S. Rep Tom DeLay. Now, there's a fast-growing DeLay-related scandal darkening the already tainted reputation of Texas judges. Texas courts are dominated by the same special interests who purchased the legislature and the governor's mansion - homebuilders like Bob Perry, anti-public school millionaire James Leininger, swift-boat finance captain Harold Simmons.
The sewers have backed up into Texas courtrooms. They need draining and cleaning. Sadly, it's not the special interests or their bought-and-paid-for judges who are drowning in the unethical effluent of one-sided rulings that make a mockery of impartial justice. It's the people of Texas who suffer.
Three members of the all-Republican Texas Supreme Court are up for election in 2008: Wallace Jeffferson, Phil Johnson and Justice Dale Wainwright. Jefferson is opposed by Democrat Jim Jordan of Dallas. Democrat Linda Yanez opposes Phil Johnson, and Democrat Sam Houston is running against Dale Wainwright.
The name "CourtsOnFire" is an obvious reference to Republican Supreme Court Justice David Medina, who was indicted then suspiciously un-indicted by a Houston DA who subsequently resigned in disgrace. The indictment involved arson and the burning of Medina's home. His wife remains indicted in connection with the fire. CourtsOnFire and the Texas Progress Council are helping educate voters about the Texas judiciary's biases against Texas families. The Supreme Court sides with corporate defendants about 90 percent of the time. Ethical difficulties plague sitting judges throughout the system, and it's time the halls of justice were cleaned out.
Pay attention to these races. The Democratic candidates for the Supreme Court are widely respected, tough and honest folks leading the charge against the unbalanced courts. CourtsOnFire and the Texas Progress Council are providing critical information and education about the state of our judiciary. You can also visit TPJ.org and Texas Watch.org.
Today the Texas Supreme Court takes up an issue that goes to the heart of what it means to be a Texan: Are we accountable for the consequences of our behavior? Lord John Browne, former CEO of British Petroleum and his special interest peers say no. They argue that they are above the law-literally.
Specifically, the Texas Supreme Court will hear arguments to determine whether the former CEO of BP must travel from London, England to Austin, Texas to give a deposition to lawyers representing the families of those injured in the March 2005 explosion at the BP refinery in Texas City, Texas-- an explosion that killed 15 workers and seriously injured more than 170.
"When you go to work, you should get to come home in one piece," said Becky Moeller, president of the Texas AFL-CIO. "Are we as a state going to require that corporations take responsibility for getting workers to their homes and families safely? Or will we stand by as the Supreme Court continues to erect shields protecting corporate leaders from that accountability?"
Lord Browne argues that he should not have to answer questions about the decisions he made that contributed to the tragic deaths of 15 Texas workers and the injuries of hundreds more in the explosion at Texas City. But this is about much more than whether one man will have to answer a few questions. It's about accountability and responsibility.
"The decisions made by corporate CEO's in board rooms all around the world threaten the safety of communities right here in Texas," said Alex Winslow, executive director of Texas Watch. "Children on their way to school, families who breathe our air and drink our water, and small business owners who serve the plant and its workers all face a greater danger when CEOs are allowed to avoid accountability for the decisions they make."
And it's about the Texas Supreme Court receiving millions of dollars from special interests it then swaddles in blankets of immunity from civil prosecution for the harm they do to Texas workers and families. When wrongdoers are not held accountable, public safety and security is threatened.
Craig McDonald, director of Texans for Public Justice, said that more than 175 corporations and CEOs have joined BP to fight against corporate accountability. "On any given day this court is teeming with conflicts of interest, but perhaps none greater than in the BP case. A review of the justices' campaign records shows they have taken $2 million from interests are that are arguing for BP," McDonald said.
Glenn Smith, Director of the Texas Progress Council (a group I contract with) and frequent writer here at BOR, sums the conflict up by saying:
"Glib sound bites and special-interest double-talk about our judicial system can no longer hide the agenda of some irresponsible corporate interests," said Glenn Smith, director of the Texas Progress Council. "That agenda is nothing less than the goal of permanent immunity from civil prosecution for negligent and willful practices that maim and kill."
Texas AFL-CIO President, Becky Moeller highlights the direct legal impact in an interview at Corporate Crime Report.
"Our regulatory system has failed," Moeller said. "Because of a long-standing budgetary starvation diet and warped priorities, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration will do a preventive inspection of a Texas workplace on the order of once every 100 years unless a complaint is filed."
Texas has no state OSHA to pick up the slack.
"When someone dies, OSHA shows up and may impose fines that are for practical purposes regarded as a cost of doing business," Moeller said. "In the case of the BP explosion, the U.S. Chemical Safety Board issued an objective report that took BP's management to task. But it was the civil justice system that invoked the most serious consequences for BP and laid bare the cold calculations BP made in trading worker safety for short-term profit."
Today we will see whether justice is blind or for sale to the highest bidder. Texas Progress Council has put together this video to tell the story for the ones that can't.
Most of you know by now that the Texas progressive blogosphere has put together and launched TexBlog PAC. The inaugural fundraiser is September 24th in Austin and the sponsors are a who's who of Texas luminaries from all over the state.
With sponsors like Jim Dunnam, Pete Gallego, Lon Burnam, Eddie Rodriguez, Valinda Bolton, Mark Strama, the Texas Democratic Party, House Democratic Campaign Committee, and Texas Progress Council PAC, blogs are taking online action offline. We are ready and prepared to shake up the '08 election cycle.
What does the Republican Party think of this? In a Fort-Worth Star Telegram article out today, Hans Klinger the political director of the Texas Republican Party dismisses anyone working to take back Texas.
Hans Klingler, the political director of the Texas Republican Party, is not convinced. Texas voters have not elected a Democrat to a statewide office since 1994, and Republicans have been steadily whittling down the Democrats' advantage at the county level, the one stage in Texas that they still control, Klingler said.
Klingler also suggested that the Democratic bloggers are less of a grassroots movement and more of an echo chamber, where the handful of writers and readers talk almost exclusively to one another.
"Maybe they're a majority in the virtual world," he quipped.
When September 25th hits the number one question bloggers will get is, "so how much did you raise?" There is no way we can let the Republican Party get away with calling us an echo chamber and a virtual majority. In the last four years we have worked for candidates like Carlos Uresti, Juan Garcia, Valinda Bolton, Boris Miles, Ellen Cohen, and many many more.
House Democratic leader Jim Dunnam already knows we are an agent of change.
"I think the blogosphere is giving voice to what a lot of ordinary Texans are thinking, and that is that we need a change of leadership in Austin," said Dunnam, of Waco. "I think they are really helpful in spreading the message that it's Democrats who are going to be the agents of change in 2008."
Prove Jim Dunnam right and come by the home of Kurt and Amy Clark Meachum on September 24th. We are going to be celebrating the beginning of TexBlog PAC's journey to help win back the Texas House at 5103 Cedro Trail Austin Texas 78731 from 6 to 8 p.m. and saying thank you for your support.
