Texas Politics

Texas Politics: "Texas Monthly Fallen Heroes--The 203 Texans who have given their lives in the Iraq war."

Media previews

Registration-free viewing for the press.

I'm a blogger, and that makes me part of the media and the free press. I did cop the link from Daily Kos, though. The upcoming issue of Texas Monthly has short profiles and pictures of the 203 Texans that have fallen in the Iraq war. We must remember them. I've never served in the military. I'm very proud of my father's 20 years of service with the USAF, including a tour of duty in Vietnam. I'm proud of my own service as a public school teacher. But supporting the troops is not synonymous with supporting the administration, as much as they would have us believe it. Read below the fold for the link.

So click this link to Texas Monthly, and pray, or meditate, or curse the gods. Whatever you want to do. Just remember the troops. They paid the ultimate price for each and everyone of us.

I just edited this post so it pointed to the first page of the Texas Monthly article.

Monday, February 13, 2006

firedoglake: 02/12/2006 - 02/18/2006

Read all of the firedoglake posts on this story. I've hunted in Texas. Cheney screwed up.

firedoglake: 02/12/2006 - 02/18/2006: "According to the Texas Health and Safety Code, Section 161.041. MANDATORY REPORTING OF GUNSHOT WOUNDS:

A physician who attends or treats, or who is requested to attend or treat, a bullet or gunshot wound, or the administrator, superintendent, or other person in charge of a hospital, sanitorium, or other institution in which a bullet or gunshot wound is attended or treated or in which the attention or treatment is requested, shall report the case at once to the law enforcement authority of the municipality or county in which the physician practices or in which the institution is located."

firedoglake: 02/12/2006 - 02/18/2006

firedoglake: 02/12/2006 - 02/18/2006

Look at this post, and read back on the previous posts. I'm from Texas, and if Cheney had done this to me I'd have broken his shotgun over his head. You shouldn't be allowed to have a gun if you don't know how to use one safely. You shouldn't be allowed to have an army if you can't direct one safely.

No One Is Above the Law, Not Even the Veep

According to the Texas Health and Safety Code, Section 161.041. MANDATORY REPORTING OF GUNSHOT WOUNDS:

A physician who attends or treats, or who is requested to attend or treat, a bullet or gunshot wound, or the administrator, superintendent, or other person in charge of a hospital, sanitorium, or other institution in which a bullet or gunshot wound is attended or treated or in which the attention or treatment is requested, shall report the case at once to the law enforcement authority of the municipality or county in which the physician practices or in which the institution is located.

I would assume that such a report requires something more than just a quick phone call, as in paperwork and other information to be filed along with the expected police report from any investigation which is done into the VP's shooting incident. Will we ever see it? No idea, especially given how the local Sheriff has made no public statement and hasn't been all that forthcoming as to what has been done in any investigation that may have gone on thus far.

Sunday, February 05, 2006

TX District 28 Profile

Visit Casual Soapbox and read Abrams excellent breakdown of the situation in District 28. Also check out the link to District 21. Good work.

The Democratic primary down in TX-28 seems to have heated up recently, since the photo of President Bush cupping the face of incumbent Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar at the State of the Union surfaced. That photo has prompted a surge of support for primary rival Ciro Rodriguez. With so much interest out there, I thought I'd post a district profile, like the one I did for TX-21 a few weeks ago.

Friday, February 03, 2006

Prosecutor subpoenas Texas Republican Party bank records

Dallas Morning News: "Prosecutors investigating former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay on felony conspiracy and money laundering charges are seeking bank records for the Texas Republican Party.

Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle issued a subpoena Thursday ordering a Frost Bank records custodian to produce monthly statements and signature cards from August 2002 to January 2003 for accounts connected to the party or the Texas Republican Congressional Committee.

DeLay attorney Dick DeGuerin said the subpoenas are not enforcable as the charges are still under appeal.

'There's no setting, no trial, nothing that can be enforced,' DeGuerin said. 'Whoever gets it, they can wad it up and throw them in the trash can.'

A telephone message left with the Republican Party was not immediately returned."

As far as I know, a judge or a grand jury has to approve a subpoena. How wise is it for DeGuerin to be encouraging folk to be held in contempt? But I'm not a high-priced mouthpiece.

Wednesday, February 01, 2006

A CAPITOL BLOG: U.S. Ambassador Says Border Under "Yoke" of Smugglers

A CAPITOL BLOG: U.S. Ambassador Says Border Under "Yoke" of Smugglers: "U.S. Ambassador Tony Garza said on Tuesday that Mexico's border with the United States is under 'the yoke' of drug and immigrant smugglers, and that Mexicans want to see authorities do more to combat such crimes. "

Texas State Rep Aaron Pena points out this story on his excellent A Capitol Blog.

Off the Kuff: TTRC considers new business tax proposal

Off the Kuff: TTRC considers new business tax proposal: "Get ready to gird your loins: the Texas Tax Reform Commission is gearing up to propose a new business tax to replace the state's antiquated franchise tax."

Read this. Kuff breaks down what's really going on with this proposal.

"

DeLay's defense fund in red | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle

DeLay's defense fund in red | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle

Embattled U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay raised more money for his legal defense in 2005 than ever before but still owes hundreds of thousands of dollars to lawyers, according to documents released Tuesday.

DeLay, fighting an indictment in Texas on charges of illegal fundraising while facing scrutiny by federal prosecutors in Washington for his ties to convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff, raised $181,851 between Oct. 1 and the end of the year. That amount brought the total raised for his legal defense fund in 2005 to $590,520 — significantly more than the $439,550 recorded in 2004.

But during 2005, DeLay's legal expenses topped $1 million, said Brent Perry, a Houston attorney who administers the fund.

"We paid out well over $500,000 in legal fees (in 2005)," he said. The payments would leave DeLay owing lawyers at least $500,000, a figure Perry said was probably low.

Dick DeGuerin has to just love Tommy boy.