Rosemary Lehmberg, Travis County District Attorney, announced today that she will seek re-election to a second term.
Lehmberg took office in January of 2009, the first woman to hold that office in Travis County history. In announcing her bid for a second term, Lehmberg pointed to the successes of her office during the last two and a half years of her four year term.
“I am proud of my amazing staff who work tirelessly to keep the people of Austin safe,” said Lehmberg. “Over the last two and a half years we have implemented important initiatives like the deferred prosecution program, mental health team, and the environmental prosecution unit.”
Lehmberg’s campaign team will consist of general consultant David Butts, campaign manager Katie Naranjo, fundraiser Susan Harry and treasurer Bill McClellan. “Rosemary is one of our finest public servants working to ensure the integrity of our government with a watchful eye across the state,” said Butts.
“It has been my honor to serve this community for the last two and a half years,” said Lehmberg. “I look forward to expanding our environmental prosecution of industrial polluters and continuing to create new approaches that end the cycle of incarceration.”
Lehmberg’s kick-off will be hosted by former opponents, Asst. District Attorney Gary Cobb and former Asst. District Attorney Mindy Montford this Thursday at Threadgill’s.
What: Re-Election Campaign Kick-Off for District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg
Date: Thursday, July 14, 2011
When: 6PM to 8PM
Where: Threadgill’s, 301 West Riverside Drive
The event is open and free to the public and all are welcome to attend. For more information about Rosemary Lehmberg's campaign visit: www.rosemarylehmberg.com
On May 19th, AFL-CIO President Becky Moeller (see video) generously offered Gov. Rick Perry the use of the trailer seen below for a whopping $1 a month. Since then, the trailer has spurred a statewide effort to address the fiscal abuses on the state's budget by Gov. Perry amounting in an over $600,000 bill for Texas taxpayers.
Onlookers today discovered the trailer is now missing. Still unsure of the trailer’s whereabouts, rumors circle that the AFL received a citation from the City of Austin for the trailer’s placement on their commercial lot.
Rumors aside, the question still remains: Where is Rick’s Mobile Mansion?
Representative Jim Dunnam sent a letter to Gov. Perry asking to prove his allegation that the Texas Legislature and Department of Public Safety required the use of a $10,000 month rental mansion.
In an interview with San Antonio's KENS5 Gov. Perry suggested the Texas Legislature and Department of Safety required the use and rental of a $10,000 a month mansion.
I am in Washington, DC at the new organizing institute learning cutting-edge new media tactics. This is one example of how the progressive community continues dominate online organizing.
The 60 participants, selected from over 600 applicants, are charged with creating and executing simulated campaigns for Mayor of DC. The difference between normal DC campaigns and the New Organizing Institute's mock campaign is the candidates' are comic book superheroes.
One of those superheroes is "The Atom." Members of The Atom for DC Campaign work diligently to create a website, Facebook page, Myspace, and twitter account for their superhero featured in DC comics. In the following days the six campaign staffers for The Atom will create and execute their campaign strategy to attempt win the online election to be held on Friday, July 10th, from 7a.m. EST to 6p.m. EST at www.neworganizing.com/superherovote.
"The candidates may be fake, but the issues are real and we encourage DC residents and the online community to join our online election on Friday," said Judith Freeman, Executive Director for the New Organizing Institute.
This is another example of how young progressives are on the cutting edge of online organizing through social networking sites, and sophisticated outreach tools. Our website integrates YouTube videos we created, in addition to a constituent database that allows us to target our e-mail and social network campaign with the hopes that our content will go viral.
(Visit: www.AtomForDC.com)
In addition to The Atom for DC Campaign, staffs for opposition superhero candidates prepare to make their case. To take a candidate "viral" staff members work to increase the number of website views, friends on Facebook and e-mail signups through their websites.
(Don't get mad, get motivated. Do something about this today! - promoted by Matt Glazer)
After a conference call with the officers of the College Democrats at Liberty University yesterday, Chancellor Falwell asked students to apologize for saying they were kicked off campus. After much national outrage at Liberty's actions, they are the ones now demanding that students apologize to them.
In addition to emphasizing how the students are not allowed to organize anymore, Chancellor Falwell stated that the group's affiliation with the Democratic National Committee is one of the main reasons the student organization was revoked.
The College Democrats of America are launching an email campaign to let Chancellor Falwell know that we stand behind the right to free speech and represent religious and political values.
The College Democrats of America sent this out last night:
Today the members of the Liberty University College Democrats met with Chancellor Falwell. Currently the administration is standing behind their decision from last week to suspend the college democrats from their campus for their affiliation with CDA and the DNC. We are working closely to assist our fellow Democrats through negotiations with administrators. We are asking that you help the College Democrats at Liberty University by sending the following e-mail to Chancellor Falwell. Together we can send a message that democrats come in every shape, size, color, and religion.
Please share this e-mail with your chapter members, friends and supporters of College Democrats. We hope to send as many e-mails as possible to clearly show our support for the College Democrats right to exist at Liberty University.
Please send an e-mail now!
Katie Naranjo & The CDA National Executive Board
--------------
E-mail address: chancellor@liberty.edu
E-mail Text: Dear Chancellor Falwell,
Last week you suspended the chapter of College Democrats at Liberty University. As a student at _________ I am deeply concerned by this decision. The students at Liberty University are dedicated to their Christian beliefs, ideals, values, and candidates represented by the Democratic Party. Limiting their participation and the discourse on your campus will diminish the quality of education for students and the credibility of your institution. We hope you decide to rescind your decision, as a student's right to support a political candidate or cause should not stop at the campus gates.
Since 2003, the cost of tuition at a state institution has increased 86 percent, costing families in Texas almost $7,000 a year. The need for a college education is more important than ever before. Half of the fastest growing jobs in America require a Bachelor's degree or an advanced degree. And if you do not have a college degree, you're twice as likely to be unemployed in the current economic crisis.
Yet at the same time, students and families across Texas are struggling to cope with the skyrocketing cost of higher education. The cost of tuition at private colleges has more than doubled and at private universities, it's nearly tripled. On average the cost of tuition has grown ten times faster than a typical family's income.
That's why President Obama had made college affordability and accessibility a priority for his Administration. The President has already made college more affordable for 7 million students by increasing the availability and generosity of Pell Grants and making working families eligible for a $2,500 tax credit to help offset the cost of tuition, a move that is expected to save 4.9 million families $9 billion.
In his address to a joint session of Congress earlier this year, the President set a goal of the United States having the highest college graduation rate in the world by 2020.
The President's plan, is very simple: it will create savings by changing the way loans are given to students.
Right now, some loans, called Federal Family Education Loans (FFEL), are made by banks and lenders who get a big subsidy from the government for offering loans to students. President Obama's plan will change the lending process so that loans are given directly to students. This will end the subsidies given to private lenders, saving money and making the lending process more efficient.
By eliminating the FFEL program and cutting out the banks as middlemen, the government will save tens of billions over the next decade-money that will be used to expand Pell Grants, offer tuition tax credits, and launch college completion programs for students who need it.
Make no mistake, lenders will fight to keep the current wasteful program - they are making good money from the system as it is now. The banks and lenders who've made billions off this boondoggle are hiring an army of lobbyists. And they are gearing up for a fight-but so are we and so is President Obama.
Students should feel good knowing if they're willing to invest in their own future, the government thinks that's an investment worth backing.
President Obama will also reform the Pell Grant system. Right now, the value of a Pell Grant is set by Congress and is vulnerable to Washington politics and the whims of the market - putting working class families and college students in the middle of the political game. Today's Pell Grants cover less than half as much tuition at a four-year public institution as they did a few decades ago. To fix this problem, the President's proposal pegs Pell Grants to a fixed rate, ensuring that it's a grant that students can count on each and every year.
As unemployment rises, a college degree is more important than ever. We must do everything we can to make sure all eligible students can get the education they need to get ahead and compete in the global economy. College Democrats are thankful that with President Obama at the helm, we are much closer to making the dream of an affordable college education a reality.
(I hope all y'all can come out tonight. - promoted by Karl-Thomas Musselman)
The University Democrats and Capitol City Young Democrats are working to build funds for 2010 and upcoming programs to help our local elected officials. This is a very important part of our yearly budgets and ultimately affects all Austin Democrats who love block walkers and phone bankers. (Yep, I am putting on the guilt trip).
Join the TexBlog PAC, University Democrats and Capitol City Young Democrats for a night of festivities celebrating the end of the Republican Regime.
Hosted by: TexBlog PAC, Matt Glazer & Katie Naranjo
Join us Cuba Libre 409 Colorado St Tuesday, March 31st
From 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Open Bar and Food Provided
Sponsors Include:
Senator Kirk Watson
Representative Valinda Bolton
Representative Donna Howard
Chairman Andy Brown
Bruce Elfant
Mike Martinez
Lee Leffingwell
Sandra Ramos
Dan Grant
John Lipscombe
On Facebook Stephanie Alafaro recently posted this note about Duke's campaign. It is an exchange between her and campaign consultant Colin Strother.
----------------------------
HD 46: Dukes Campaign Manager Tells Me to Chill
Colin Strother is a campaign consultant for State Rep. Dawnna Dukes, D-Austin, who's in a primary race against newcomer Brian Thompson in her East Austin district. After I saw that Dukes advertised for canvassers, it was clear that there would be an on-the-ground campaign for the district.
So I emailed Strother, asking how many volunteers signed up as a result of the ad. Strother responded and then some, and he never indicated at any point that he wanted to go off the record. Below is what he had to say in its entirety. Previously, I have summed up his comments or used a direct quote that he designated as a usable quote, but his full response speaks more honestly.
From: elisehu@yahoo.com
To: colinstrother@XXXXX.com
Subject: craigslist ad
Date: Mon, 28 Jan 2008 21:34:57 -0600
Colin,
I just saw a screengrab of this craigslist ad for Dukes volunteers.
Do you have a number on how many volunteers responded to the ad and have joined the campaign?
Thanks,
Elise
----- Original Message -----
From: colin strother
To: Elise Hu
Sent: Monday, January 28, 2008 10:03 PM
Subject: RE: craigslist ad
are you serious?
From: elisehu@yahoo.com
To: colinstrother@XXXX.com
Subject: Re: craigslist ad
Date: Mon, 28 Jan 2008 22:24:07 -0600
Yes. I'm covering the campaign and asking a question, political campaigns are open to questions and she's a public official. If you choose not to answer that's absolutely fine, I'm just asking.
Thanks,
Elise
----- Original Message -----
From: colin strother
To: Elise Hu
Sent: Monday, January 28, 2008 10:38 PM
Subject: RE: craigslist ad
Wow, defensive much? It sounded like a joke. It sounded like you were poking fun at people trying to make an issue out of us hiring campaign workers. I was just asking if you really wanted an answer.
If you want to follow the lead of Capitol Annex and BOR on every story, go ahead. If you call that "covering the campaign", so be it.
You're not the only one allowed to ask questions, Elise. Your poor attitude whenever I have questions are a major problem. I'm well aware that I can or cannot respond to questions...I'm not sure YOU understand that.
All I asked in this situation was if you were serious. You need to calm down a little bit.
Response to your inquiry for the record:
"We're activitely recruiting paid canvassers on college campuses, community organizations, Democratic groups, and craigslist.
From my experience, craigslist is a great place to recruit field folks. I know of several local groups that use it to great success.
We've been inundated with offers to volunteer. We've hired and trained sufficient paid canvassers to execute both our field and GOTV plans. I'm not at liberty to disclose the numbers of staff, be they paid or volunteer."
you're welcome.
c.
p.s. Dawnna will get re-elected on March 4th. Both of us are going to be around here for a long time. We'd both like to have a productive and friendly relationship with you moving forward. Let's each not lose our heads during this next 37 days.
I just received this statement release from the Alliance for Public Transportation in Austin.
Council Member McCracken is taking steps to revisit the City of
Austin's Commitment to public transportation and Capital Metro in
regard to the one cent sales tax. It is our understanding that this
includes the possibility of giving a portion to CTRMA (the local toll
authority) when there is not a single elected official on its board
and it is not clear how this money would be used. In Fact daily has
covered Council Member McCracken's request to have this issue placed
on the City Audit and Finance agenda for TOMORROW.
The Alliance for Public Transportation's goal is to further public
transportation through education and information. We are alerting you
of this City of Austin action and the possible redirection of funds so
that you can engage in the public debate.
Non-profits working to address Central Texans' basic needs, the real estate
community, social equity groups, and organizations promoting economic
development have all called for public transit options that include rapid
bus and passenger rail. A network of public transit solutions is needed now
and will be crucial in a few short years.
APT views any delay in planning future public transit solutions as a
critical miscalculation that will jeopardize the economic and social
health of Central Texas.
Currently, Capital Metro operates a strong daily bus system that users
like and has good on-time performance.
Capital Metro is also building its thirty-two mile commuter rail line
on-time and on-budget, fulfilling its promise to the community as
charged by a strong majority in the 2004 election.
Capital Metro is currently the only transportation agency operating a
rail line. Its freight operations in Central Texas account for over
160 miles of rail track.
