In Part 4 we the “outsiders” continue our research, compare the actions of local government officials, and point out more corruption in local government.
We the “Outsiders” are the newest addition to the Liberty Dispatch News. We are American / Texas Citizens who use the Texas Public Information Act (PIA) and the Federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to research possible corruption in government. We are considered “outsiders” by those who respond to our PIA and FOIA requests because we do not live in Liberty County. We also happen to live far enough away from the corruption we research to avoid being poked with a stick every other day by those who would dare chill our right to Public Information, so we can bring the information to our readers. We believe that the Texas Public Information Act captures a lot of what we are about in its first paragraph:
GOVERNMENT CODE
TITLE 5. OPEN GOVERNMENT; ETHICS
SUBTITLE A. OPEN GOVERNMENT
CHAPTER 552. PUBLIC INFORMATION
SUBCHAPTER A. GENERAL PROVISIONS
Sec. 552.001. POLICY; CONSTRUCTION.
(a) Under the fundamental philosophy of the American constitutional form of representative government that adheres to the principle that government is the servant and not the master of the people, it is the policy of this state that each person is entitled, unless otherwise expressly provided by law, at all times to complete information about the affairs of government and the official acts of public officials and employees. The people, in delegating authority, do not give their public servants the right to decide what is good for the people to know and what is not good for them to know. The people insist on remaining informed so that they may retain control over the instruments they have created. The provisions of this chapter shall be liberally construed to implement this policy .
(b) This chapter shall be liberally construed in favor of granting a request for information. (The word “Shall” means “Non-discretionary” on the part of government personnel)
Added by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 268, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1993.
Therefore, we are proud to present our research to the Citizens of Liberty County and to Citizens elsewhere, who yearn to see how Americans can use their rights to uncover corruption within government. One of the hallmarks of our research style is our use of Public Information as evidence to back up any allegations/information. We encourage our readers to distinguish the difference between News articles that seek to prove a point with evidence. We have written "Taking Liberty, Parts 1, 2, & 3" as evidence based articles. The Outsiders will continue to investigate by applying the lawful hammer on every lead we get regarding corruption in and around Liberty County. Additionally, the undercover investigation will continue over the next 36 months. So, we will continue to dig for records and we will continue to go wherever the evidence leads us. That is our pledge and our stories will continue to be published here on Liberty Dispatch News with attached evidence until Liberty County area governments are free of Organized Criminal Activity. Additionally, please know we have a large number of government employees who are good servants of the people…we should not forget them. Therefore, if they are not included, they are thereafter excluded from the wrong doers.
In "Taking Liberty, Part 2," Constable Royce L. Wheeler, denied he was in charge of the gun range while the Outsiders were locating hidden records showing Constable Wheeler was in fact in charge of the gun range. (See Attachment #1, demonstrating Wheeler runs the range) Eventually, while under pressure of our investigation, Constable Wheeler suggested we direct our attention towards our County Clerk Ms. Sellers, who according to Wheeler, has the records showing the manager over the range. A PIA request was sent to Ms. Delia Sellers who was in fact “non-responsive” to our request. During this time of “non-responsiveness” on Seller’s part, the Texas Attorney General's Office was conducting their investigation into Ms. Sellers attempt to hide and conceal records. The Liberty County Clerk, to date, has failed to give a responsive response to our PIA request dated 05-09-2010 regarding who manages the gun range. (See Attachments #2 and #3, our PIA Request and Sellers’ Non-responsive Response)
Most recently, Ms. Delia Sellers was quoted in the Cleveland Advocate, saying if she were to be replaced in the next election, it would require two people to replace her. After considering Sellers’ idea of a proper response to a lawful Texas PIA request: (Sellers sending a response letter labeled "IMPORTANT LEGAL INSTRUMENTS" wherein Sellers uses the letter to tell us her office hours and cost of copies). We are surprised Sellers did not say, that without her, it would take three people to inform us of the Clerk’s office hours. The bottom line here is simple folks, something is wrong, and Sellers is covering it up. Please understand that the Outsiders already have the answers to those questions and the evidence to back it up (as demonstrated in the previous 3 stories). The real question is how long after the release of this story will it take Sellers to sneak out the back door of her office and make a beeline to her defense lawyer? Better yet, how long before she and others run to the individual who held the office of county judge years ago??? Not long folks, we suspect.
In “Taking Liberty, Part 2” records revealed the gun range property was provided by someone who was in trouble for drugs and that his probation went away after his “donation out of love for Liberty County.” With the help of the County Judge holding office at that time it seemed like justice was for sale. But in Liberty County we outsiders are reporting all the evidence we can find, so sometimes that’s the way the Tookie crumbles!
After writing “Taking Liberty, Part 2” we have continued our research and have sent a FOIA request to Ms. Kim Harris, Liberty County Treasurer. (See Attachment #4, FOIA request to Harris). We asked for copies of “any and all documents, demonstrating an accounting of all monies received and all expenditures made surrounding the day to day operations of the Liberty County Firearms Facility located at 3710 FM 1010, Cleveland, Liberty County, Texas, used for the purpose of law enforcement firearms certifications during the years of 2003, through 2010.” However, in this case, unlike many other Liberty County officials within our County government, we have received a “model response.” (Please see attachment #5. FOIA response from Harris). As stated by the Warburgs and Rothschilds’ back in the 1920’s “When looking for what is wrong, its wise to follow the money trail.” Armed with the official monetary records, we began to evaluate what was going on with the range. However, the data seemed to create even more questions than answers, about 7044 additional questions.
There were several unexplained items in the report, like “Constable Wheeler received $1,150.00 on 06-28-2010, under Reference number “26023R.” There is no “ITEM/REASON” given for the expenditure. Occasionally we also find small unexplained items too, like Royce Wheeler gives himself a “REIMBURSEMENT” on or before August 8, 2010, under Reference number 59528C in the amount of $20.70. However, the discovery of ARCHIES FOOD supplying food for the range on 01-21-2010, in the amount of $262.85 raised a lot of concern. That policy of free lunches adds up to a lot of money over time. Free lunches have cost about $7,044.33 over the past 2 years or so that we are aware of to date. This is not a good policy and it is not a fair price. It's hard to get a good answer to our questions when no one admits to being in charge of the place or even how it was constructed. Remember, a request was sent to the Commissioners Office requesting information on the construction of the range and was responded to by the County Attorney’s Office stating there were no records responsive to our request. (See attachments #6 & #7, our FOIA request and the Commissioner’s Office’s Official response.)
Additionally, it should be pointed out that it is usual and customary for law enforcement officers not to accept Free food from anyone or any establishment, this is a good rule/policy. This rule should also apply to Mr. Wheeler and his deputies… However, they walk on the other side of the street, if you please, while D.A. Mike Little and yours truly Texas Ranger Frank Huff looks on. We wonder, just how does Liberty County watch over a store where no one claims to be in charge and the food is free???? It seems that Mr. Royce Wheeler and his friend Texas Ranger Frank Huff, who offices with Little, have been partaking in free lunches while under the NOT so watchful eyes and nose of D.A. Mike Little who has given his blessings on this misappropriation of funds, unofficially of course. Folks, this is just the tip of the Iceberg! When we consider that our own local City of Cleveland, City of Liberty and Liberty County Chambers of Commerce work so hard to improve our community by supporting children education, little league baseball and county wide support to many other like, kind and quality teams… supporting new businesses among so many other supporting activities across the board. With that said what does Wheeler do with our tax dollars. He buys the food from a company located in Montgomery County Texas. Just what is the bidding process to feed a gun range with no one in charge? Could it be that Constable Wheeler’s deputy’s family owning Archie’s have anything to do with it?
Even the revenue side of the gun range monetary records raise questions about why bullet casings are recycled for cash at a more distant site than local recyclers. Something just doesn't add up right.
Folk’s its time we wake up and smell the coffee! We pay for these activities out of our own pockets and we should send a clear message to our government employees like Mr. Mike Little and his best friend Texas Ranger Frank Huff, their sidekick friend Royce Wheeler, and that stonewalling County Clerk Ms. Delia Sellers. We are going to clean house in Liberty County this November election and the next election by removing these people from OUR public Offices. We will let them know, we will not allow them to change parties to become Republicans so they can continue to perpetuate their obfuscations and tautological disinformation on the people of our County. Misappropriation of government property must stop!
Stay tuned for “Taking Liberty, Part 5” Where we, the Outsiders and our network of Liberty County Citizens, will show that the records at Ms. Delia Sellers County Clerk's Office have been so obfuscated that even professional record finders could not find the deed records of many illegal land transactions.... until now... We will show in our next edition that Sellers was and is a co-conspirator to commit fraud.
#1 11-19-2009 Wheeler agreement with Sheriffs Office regarding Range Contract.pdf
#2 05-09-2010 TORA request to Sellers requesting Delegation of Authority to Manage Range & info on Keys.pdf
#3 06-03-2010 Sellers Unresponsive Response Letter and Envelope.pdf
#4 09-22-2010 FOIA REQUEST to Kim Harris County Treasurer.pdf
#5 10-04-2010 Kim Harris Response to our FOIA REQUEST.pdf
#6 05-04-2010 FOIA request to Hunt for Contracts Bids Estimates for Firing Range.pdf
#7 06-18-2010 Response from County Atty for Hunt Commissioner denying his office has records.pdf
See:
Taking Liberty Part #1
Taking Liberty Part #2
Taking Liberty Part #3
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