It's 2011 and we, The Outsiders, continue to investigate & maintain pressure on the local Liberty County corruption. However, there appears to be additional corruption issues in certain state agencies we trust to investigate local corruption. So we have expanded the scope of our investigations and we are expanding the scope of our Complaints. In this report, we seek to inform Liberty County Residents of ongoing developments in our previous stories...
Some of our earlier research tied Liberty PD detective Chip Fairchild to a taking of Hardin ISD property valued at $100,000.00. This taking was done with an insider deal approved by the Hardin ISD school board. Ordinarily, Liberty County DA Mike Little would be the person one goes to report shady insider deals within school board. However, sitting on the school board, among others, was Texas Ranger Frank Huff. Ranger Huff offices with Liberty County DA Mike Little. So a Complaint was filed with the Texas Office of Inspector General in the hopes that an independent investigation would commence. See Attachment #1. (The Complaint Affidavit)
Unfortunately, our Complaint seems to have fallen on deaf ears. See Attachment #2. ( The results of a Texas Ranger Administrative Inquiry or should we say the Fox watching the Hen House?)
Our Complaint was dismissed by Antonio Leal, leader of the Texas Rangers. So, we, The Outsiders, began to study the history of Antonio Leal, leader of the Texas Rangers. It turns out he also served as a Ranger in Liberty County and used to work with the same corrupt local govt. officials we are so concerned about today. Additionally, Antonio Leal has a reputation of not being able to find fault with Texas Rangers and police officers in other parts of the state, even when there is video evidence to prove the offense. Our investigations of Antonio Leal, Frank Huff, Chip Fairchild, and others continue to expand. We expect to present more evidence here in the near future.
As our investigation continues, we have filed one last appeal with the Director of Texas DPS in hopes of finding an administrative solution to our growing list of concerns. See Attachment #3. (Appeal Letter to The Texas DPS Director)
We, The Outsiders, do not take patterns of corruption lightly. So we will try to work within the system to get it to work correctly. Ordinarily, we, The Outsiders, would have more evidence attached to prove our case. However, at this moment we have decided not to show our opponents exactly what we do and do not know. However, it has been some time since our last story so we felt that the People of Liberty County needed to know what is going on right now. We are busy building cases against a growing list of corrupt officials and we are giving the system an opportunity to work as it should both within and outside Liberty County or chain of command if you please.
Once again we would like to thank all those Citizens and Govt. Officials who, despite all the risks, continue to contribute information to fight corruption and help the system work correctly.
Sincerely,
THE OUTSIDERS
#1 Complaint Affidavit FAXED to DPS 09-03-10.PDF
#2 09-30-2010 Letter from Texas Ranger Antonio Leal to RF Valdez RE RANGER HUFF.PDF
#3 02-20-2011 APPEAL Letter to DIRECTOR of TEXAS DPS et all.PDF
Monday, February 28, 2011
Sunday, February 27, 2011
IN 2010 VOTERS SAID ENOUGH
We have all heard it over and over again since the last election. “Liberty County voters rejected Barack Obama. Local Republican’s victories were all because of Obama’s failures.” Longtime activists local Democrats love to say these things. They love to discount the efforts made by local Republicans over the last fifteen years. They love to discount any effect Liberty Dispatch has had in leveling the playing field.
Local Democrat spinmeisters are oversimplifying their analysis of the last Liberty County election because it suits their purpose. Democrats around here survived Jimmy Carter and other poor leaders. They have chosen to try and magnify the Obama factor for several reasons.
The first reason to blame the head of their party is that if it is Obama’s fault, then they have no responsibility in being the first Democrats to lose like this in Liberty County since before William McKinley was assassinated in 1901. If that is true, if most voters voted differently than before because of the former Chicago based Senator, then local Democrats can continue the myth that they have always had better candidates. They can also continue to act as if their party has not had one scandal after another for years.
But prior to the last election, two more important things happened than the Obama factor. First, simultaneously the economy went south and local Democrat officials continued to raise spending and borrowing levels. Some would argue that ties into hearing about all of the spending and borrowing voters heard about in Washington. No argument here, local Democrats have always tried to say they were not like national figures in their party. They were being deceptive. The local borrowing and spending in the last four years has been done in record numbers.
Second, over the last fifteen years Republicans have moved to Liberty County at a higher rate than Democrats and the new move-ins were enlightened and angered about the scandalous behavior from local Democrats. New folks to this are didn’t fall for the shoot the messenger spin from the local media and other Democratic image makers.
Unfortunately for some who are now associating themselves with the Republican party, knowing that Obama is not the most important reason for recent party success means the next election will not necessarily be a shoe-in just because Obama will be headlining the Democrat’s ticket. If local Republicans don’t show they are different from Democrats, the next election could be a popularity contest or it could be a rejection of recent changes.
A week has not gone by when someone has not harassed one of us about the lack of changes by our new Republicans. The comments almost surely foreshadow the campaign we will see from Democrats in about ten months. One scandal involving a Republican and it could be that running as a Democrat will be an advantage locally.
Unless of course, our newly elected Republican officials roll back county spending to 2006 levels. People that are griping it has not happened – that nothing different has happened – may be showing the GOP how to solidify the trust they so badly need to build a strong and effective political effort to better this community. In 2010 Liberty County voters said enough. Now Republicans have to do enough to earn their trust.
Local Democrat spinmeisters are oversimplifying their analysis of the last Liberty County election because it suits their purpose. Democrats around here survived Jimmy Carter and other poor leaders. They have chosen to try and magnify the Obama factor for several reasons.
The first reason to blame the head of their party is that if it is Obama’s fault, then they have no responsibility in being the first Democrats to lose like this in Liberty County since before William McKinley was assassinated in 1901. If that is true, if most voters voted differently than before because of the former Chicago based Senator, then local Democrats can continue the myth that they have always had better candidates. They can also continue to act as if their party has not had one scandal after another for years.
But prior to the last election, two more important things happened than the Obama factor. First, simultaneously the economy went south and local Democrat officials continued to raise spending and borrowing levels. Some would argue that ties into hearing about all of the spending and borrowing voters heard about in Washington. No argument here, local Democrats have always tried to say they were not like national figures in their party. They were being deceptive. The local borrowing and spending in the last four years has been done in record numbers.
Second, over the last fifteen years Republicans have moved to Liberty County at a higher rate than Democrats and the new move-ins were enlightened and angered about the scandalous behavior from local Democrats. New folks to this are didn’t fall for the shoot the messenger spin from the local media and other Democratic image makers.
Unfortunately for some who are now associating themselves with the Republican party, knowing that Obama is not the most important reason for recent party success means the next election will not necessarily be a shoe-in just because Obama will be headlining the Democrat’s ticket. If local Republicans don’t show they are different from Democrats, the next election could be a popularity contest or it could be a rejection of recent changes.
A week has not gone by when someone has not harassed one of us about the lack of changes by our new Republicans. The comments almost surely foreshadow the campaign we will see from Democrats in about ten months. One scandal involving a Republican and it could be that running as a Democrat will be an advantage locally.
Unless of course, our newly elected Republican officials roll back county spending to 2006 levels. People that are griping it has not happened – that nothing different has happened – may be showing the GOP how to solidify the trust they so badly need to build a strong and effective political effort to better this community. In 2010 Liberty County voters said enough. Now Republicans have to do enough to earn their trust.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Dear Liberty Dispatch
I was told to read your website because of a story on some of the things being reported about our young people here in Cleveland. I read it and I want your readers to know what I know.
First you need to realize The Chronicle reported a Texas Ranger and investigators were “Questioning several Cleveland High School students in connection with allegations they sexually assaulted a girl over the Thanksgiving break.” Then you need to realize this story is about the same underage minor we are again hearing about in the news.
I would guess the media knows about this timeline but is reluctant to speculate about it because they do not want to be considered in any way sympathetic toward the accused or against the alleged victim. But I have serious questions about that Texas Ranger and investigators from the District Attorney’s office and the Cleveland Police Department: If your duty is to serve and protect and to defend the innocent and prosecute the guilty, how can you have done your duty if this eleven year old girl continued to be sexually active after she appeared on your radar?
Two things that are horrible to consider appear to be more than possible when reading that officials knew about the minor’s encounters at least as far back as November 2010. No one seems to want to say it, but it may be possible that the minor had serious problems long before her alleged encounters with all of the accused. I don’t say that to put the minor on trial. Engaging in sex with someone so young is wrong and it is statutory rape. But this story has a big twist in it if the minor was aggressively seeking more sexual partners and the Texas Ranger and investigators knew this and used her as bait.
I am in no way saying that the rumored twenty to forty young men alleged to be involved in this are just as much victims as the underage girl. But I am wondering if it is true this girl continues to solicit on her facebook page. I am wondering if risking the physical and psychological welfare of our children in order to secure high profile rape cases against a significant number of our male youth is what we are electing the District Attorney to do. Is this strategy worthy of a Texas Ranger? What have they told our local police that kept them from at least calling CPS or taking some kind of protective action?
It seems to me if this had been handled better back in November 2010 or earlier, the girl would have not have experienced near as much abuse and nearly 4 dozen men would not be hiring lawyers and fighting for their freedom. I can’t be sure why something was not done but I read this site and know it could be one or more things.
Did the fact that the District Attorney has been accused of rape make him reluctant to handle this case in a timely fashion? Is this a political case and officials are timing the case to maximize publicity for political purposes? Was the investigation back in November handled so poorly that officials didn’t realize the minor may have been hunting down males and continuing to add to the list of young men who will face the possibility of life in prison?
Who knows? But I fear that a professional investigating this case will find that this girl may have been seeking sexual encounters much earlier than November 2010. I fear her problems may have been well known to school officials and to investigators before the recently publicized incidents that led to all of these arrests.
I have no intention of claiming this girl is not a victim. In fact it may be she is more of a victim than has been alleged. When looking at the time line it appears that our local officials are set to take front stage and let the cameras roll on crimes that could have been prevented. It may be the girl’s life and the lives of many of these young men were secondary to the agendas of some of our officials.
I hope there is a good explanation for their lack of action, but people in the Cleveland community have reason to doubt it. The news media has reason to question. Once we agree it is wrong for an older person to have sex with a girl this young and we get past even suspecting anyone is trying to attack her further, and then these other questions can be pursued.
First you need to realize The Chronicle reported a Texas Ranger and investigators were “Questioning several Cleveland High School students in connection with allegations they sexually assaulted a girl over the Thanksgiving break.” Then you need to realize this story is about the same underage minor we are again hearing about in the news.
I would guess the media knows about this timeline but is reluctant to speculate about it because they do not want to be considered in any way sympathetic toward the accused or against the alleged victim. But I have serious questions about that Texas Ranger and investigators from the District Attorney’s office and the Cleveland Police Department: If your duty is to serve and protect and to defend the innocent and prosecute the guilty, how can you have done your duty if this eleven year old girl continued to be sexually active after she appeared on your radar?
Two things that are horrible to consider appear to be more than possible when reading that officials knew about the minor’s encounters at least as far back as November 2010. No one seems to want to say it, but it may be possible that the minor had serious problems long before her alleged encounters with all of the accused. I don’t say that to put the minor on trial. Engaging in sex with someone so young is wrong and it is statutory rape. But this story has a big twist in it if the minor was aggressively seeking more sexual partners and the Texas Ranger and investigators knew this and used her as bait.
I am in no way saying that the rumored twenty to forty young men alleged to be involved in this are just as much victims as the underage girl. But I am wondering if it is true this girl continues to solicit on her facebook page. I am wondering if risking the physical and psychological welfare of our children in order to secure high profile rape cases against a significant number of our male youth is what we are electing the District Attorney to do. Is this strategy worthy of a Texas Ranger? What have they told our local police that kept them from at least calling CPS or taking some kind of protective action?
It seems to me if this had been handled better back in November 2010 or earlier, the girl would have not have experienced near as much abuse and nearly 4 dozen men would not be hiring lawyers and fighting for their freedom. I can’t be sure why something was not done but I read this site and know it could be one or more things.
Did the fact that the District Attorney has been accused of rape make him reluctant to handle this case in a timely fashion? Is this a political case and officials are timing the case to maximize publicity for political purposes? Was the investigation back in November handled so poorly that officials didn’t realize the minor may have been hunting down males and continuing to add to the list of young men who will face the possibility of life in prison?
Who knows? But I fear that a professional investigating this case will find that this girl may have been seeking sexual encounters much earlier than November 2010. I fear her problems may have been well known to school officials and to investigators before the recently publicized incidents that led to all of these arrests.
I have no intention of claiming this girl is not a victim. In fact it may be she is more of a victim than has been alleged. When looking at the time line it appears that our local officials are set to take front stage and let the cameras roll on crimes that could have been prevented. It may be the girl’s life and the lives of many of these young men were secondary to the agendas of some of our officials.
I hope there is a good explanation for their lack of action, but people in the Cleveland community have reason to doubt it. The news media has reason to question. Once we agree it is wrong for an older person to have sex with a girl this young and we get past even suspecting anyone is trying to attack her further, and then these other questions can be pursued.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
WARNING TO CINOS
REBUKING THE CINOS
Rebuking the Conservatives In Name Only will be the order of the Day! During the past few months I have kept my mouth shut and encouraged others to do the same in order to preserve the peace.
It was necessary to be quiet in order to make the Change from Democrat Dominance into a new Conservative Era. That has been accomplished. The need for silence and the requirement to kiss the ass of CINOS no longer exist.
NOTICE OF SEPARATION: FINAL WARNING
I will no longer turn the other cheek in regards to CINOS. We have reached an impasse. Hence forth and forever more when you do your dirty work in the dark I will make a public display of it. Your bluff will be called and people will see the battle unfold publicly.
Courtesy of Andy McCreight, Liberty County Republican Chairman
Rebuking the Conservatives In Name Only will be the order of the Day! During the past few months I have kept my mouth shut and encouraged others to do the same in order to preserve the peace.
It was necessary to be quiet in order to make the Change from Democrat Dominance into a new Conservative Era. That has been accomplished. The need for silence and the requirement to kiss the ass of CINOS no longer exist.
NOTICE OF SEPARATION: FINAL WARNING
I will no longer turn the other cheek in regards to CINOS. We have reached an impasse. Hence forth and forever more when you do your dirty work in the dark I will make a public display of it. Your bluff will be called and people will see the battle unfold publicly.
Courtesy of Andy McCreight, Liberty County Republican Chairman
Monday, February 21, 2011
A system broken...
SO FAR, THIRTEEN WARRANTS AND COUNTING- ALL AFRO-AMERICAN.
All the mentioned suspects have been indicted for the offense of Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child under 14 and arrested pursuant to those indictments. Texas Penal Code Sec. 22.021. Liberty Dispatch has watched the unfolding saga of the 12 year old Hispanic female child in Cleveland, Texas who alleges sexual assault and rape against herself.
There have been several arrests to date of black Cleveland youths related to sexual performance with a child. The arrest of many young men and other community people in general are sure to come. The long history of Liberty County DA, Mike Little's selective prosecution is already manifesting itself in light of only blacks being arrested for the crimes in question. The DA, Mike Little is also accused of Homosexual Assault on a black (prisoner) man too in a current Liberty County case. (See below, Michael Blue case)
Half of the accused related to sexual crimes with this young girl have criminal records and the rest are young men in the community with no criminal record. There are also allegations of grown men who work at the school and city employees who have reportedly had sex with the young girl.
This young girl has a facebook site where she has actively advertised for her need to make sexual meetings. Also, she has actively pursued young men to the point it interfered with her schooling.
Obviously her being raised by a father unwilling to assume his proper responsibilities has also caused harm and promoted her behavior.
It is further alleged that estimates of 30-40 males have had sexual relations with her over time when finally her sexual appetite ended with her being raped by approximately five black males. After the rape, children at CISD talked of the crime which eventually resulted in the rape being reported.
Liberty Dispatch wants to know why CPS has not taken this girl away from her father who seems either unwilling or unable to properly raise this child. We also want to know why she is still being allowed to actively pursue sexual relationships on facebook.
Liberty Dispatch has been told by sources that the Liberty County District Attorney, Mike Little was aware of sexual offensives against this young girl for some time prior to any arrest and rape. It’s also alleged that Mike Little allowed this young girl’s continued abuse for unknown or possible political reasons.
As concerns Liberty County DA, Mike Little… His own behavior related to homosexual sexual assault, civil rights violations and oppression offenses are being investigated by the 253rd District Court, Texas Attorney General’s Office, US Attorney’s Office, NAACP, ACLU and the FBI.
Mike Little has been silent without comment related to the charges against him and also that of the young girl victim. Sources indicate that Liberty County DA, Mike Little plans to push the trials of the accused in a despicable attempt to retain his hold on the Liberty County DA’s office. Liberty County District Clerk’s records indicate multiple recent subpoenas have been issued to witnesses related to charges against Liberty County DA, Mike Little.
At this point, the only bright side to this broken chain of events and people is the Liberty County Judges who will hear this case. The community can rest assured that the Liberty County Judges will handle this alleged crime and trial with the utmost judicial professionalism and discretion. Hopefully this young girl can be put back on the right path in life with the help and understanding of the courts and community.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
TAKING AIM IN THE BLAME GAME
At first the great deceivers lurking in the shadows trying to influence WE THE PEOPLE said, “ None of it is true.” They said it is just more ‘lies” from a desperate local Republican party that almost never gets any attention because they are all a bunch of nuts.
But then the votes came in. The election results were a clear indication of the voters’ distrust of the media and local Democrats and a desire to hold public officials accountable. Judge C.T. “Rusty” Hight was swept out of office! No one we talked to can remember the last time an incumbent District Judge lost his re-election bid. It was a drum beating that saw Hight lose most voting precincts and the night ended early for those hoping for his return to office.
The post-election silence signaled a shift in the blame game. In more recent days, some have gone from blaming the struggles of the entire local Democratic party on what they call “rumors” from conservatives in the area and Liberty Dispatch to blaming defeated Democrats. For these people either self-deception or manipulation is a way of life. They seem to never skip a beat when they go from saying Judge Rusty Hight never let convicted child molesters walk to District Attorney Mike Little is not responsible for the liberal rulings and unreasonable releases of horrible criminals from Hight’s court.
Oh what a difference a few weeks and an election loss can make! Those saying Hight lost because he was a disloyal traitor to the Democratic party and that he had his father-in-law and other Republican officials secretly campaigning for him – those same people just three months ago denied any of that subversive behavior was going on. Some of those same people are now saying those deceptive tricks cost Hight votes on both sides and that Mike Little’s strong three decade loyalty to the Democratic party should not be associated with Hight’s behavior. “ Our District Attorney is as loyal a Democrat as Jimmy Carter and Ted Kennedy. Republicans are just trying to use Hight to win the District Attorney position. It is all political gamesmanship.”
While Liberty Dispatch may concede that Judge Hight was the key figure in trying to play both sides of the political aisle and push key Republicans into bad mouthing his opponent, we are not convinced the District Attorney was not involved in the scheme. A small handful of the same people within the make-up of the local party have continued to push for the idea that Mike Little is an acceptable choice for Republicans in two years. Liberty Dispatch has long recognized this little ban of would be power mongers just want their friends to be in office and that they could care less about the truth in advertising involved in trying to get enough votes into win. But we think it is obvious by now, Mike Little as big a Democrat as the legends that party has produced throughout their reigning, ruling, and ruining Liberty County over the last 100 years.
People trying to place all of the blame for the inexplicably light sentences of sex offenders, child molesters, and other horrible criminals at the feet of a defeated and politically embarrassed Rusty Hight, are purposefully ignoring that many of those “deals” Hight cut were not done at the original trial. Mike Little had to either be part of the deal making or at least know about the deals unless his little image makers are arguing he is ignorant of what judges and convicted criminals do after trial. If he claims ignorance, it would leave all of us wondering about his signature on the drastic sentence reductions that have occurred just days after the trials and the sentencing were considered final by the public.
It may be convenient for Democrats and for those wanting their friends to stay in power to aim their blame at defeated candidates. That strategy may seem the best course for achieving whatever it is that are hoping to accomplish, but two things remain evident to us. Mike Little, no matter what he tries to portray as far as his political party affiliation is concerned, has been a loyal hard working member of the local Democratic machinery that has played politics with our court system. He is either sat blindly or he has been the architect of some of the most liberal ways of dealing with some of our worst criminals while at the same time he has been harsh and deceptive in trying to crucify his political enemies.
He can not blame Rusty Hight sufficiently or cover up enough to free himself from how far he has strayed from what a good public servant should be. Changing political strategies or parties or friends will not clean up the mess he has been very involved in making.
Our suggestion is a good long look in the mirror. Not alliances with those in the Republican party who have little integrity. Not continuing to spend taxpayer’s money and time trying to stomp out political opposition. Just a look at the man in the mirror.
But then the votes came in. The election results were a clear indication of the voters’ distrust of the media and local Democrats and a desire to hold public officials accountable. Judge C.T. “Rusty” Hight was swept out of office! No one we talked to can remember the last time an incumbent District Judge lost his re-election bid. It was a drum beating that saw Hight lose most voting precincts and the night ended early for those hoping for his return to office.
The post-election silence signaled a shift in the blame game. In more recent days, some have gone from blaming the struggles of the entire local Democratic party on what they call “rumors” from conservatives in the area and Liberty Dispatch to blaming defeated Democrats. For these people either self-deception or manipulation is a way of life. They seem to never skip a beat when they go from saying Judge Rusty Hight never let convicted child molesters walk to District Attorney Mike Little is not responsible for the liberal rulings and unreasonable releases of horrible criminals from Hight’s court.
Oh what a difference a few weeks and an election loss can make! Those saying Hight lost because he was a disloyal traitor to the Democratic party and that he had his father-in-law and other Republican officials secretly campaigning for him – those same people just three months ago denied any of that subversive behavior was going on. Some of those same people are now saying those deceptive tricks cost Hight votes on both sides and that Mike Little’s strong three decade loyalty to the Democratic party should not be associated with Hight’s behavior. “ Our District Attorney is as loyal a Democrat as Jimmy Carter and Ted Kennedy. Republicans are just trying to use Hight to win the District Attorney position. It is all political gamesmanship.”
While Liberty Dispatch may concede that Judge Hight was the key figure in trying to play both sides of the political aisle and push key Republicans into bad mouthing his opponent, we are not convinced the District Attorney was not involved in the scheme. A small handful of the same people within the make-up of the local party have continued to push for the idea that Mike Little is an acceptable choice for Republicans in two years. Liberty Dispatch has long recognized this little ban of would be power mongers just want their friends to be in office and that they could care less about the truth in advertising involved in trying to get enough votes into win. But we think it is obvious by now, Mike Little as big a Democrat as the legends that party has produced throughout their reigning, ruling, and ruining Liberty County over the last 100 years.
People trying to place all of the blame for the inexplicably light sentences of sex offenders, child molesters, and other horrible criminals at the feet of a defeated and politically embarrassed Rusty Hight, are purposefully ignoring that many of those “deals” Hight cut were not done at the original trial. Mike Little had to either be part of the deal making or at least know about the deals unless his little image makers are arguing he is ignorant of what judges and convicted criminals do after trial. If he claims ignorance, it would leave all of us wondering about his signature on the drastic sentence reductions that have occurred just days after the trials and the sentencing were considered final by the public.
It may be convenient for Democrats and for those wanting their friends to stay in power to aim their blame at defeated candidates. That strategy may seem the best course for achieving whatever it is that are hoping to accomplish, but two things remain evident to us. Mike Little, no matter what he tries to portray as far as his political party affiliation is concerned, has been a loyal hard working member of the local Democratic machinery that has played politics with our court system. He is either sat blindly or he has been the architect of some of the most liberal ways of dealing with some of our worst criminals while at the same time he has been harsh and deceptive in trying to crucify his political enemies.
He can not blame Rusty Hight sufficiently or cover up enough to free himself from how far he has strayed from what a good public servant should be. Changing political strategies or parties or friends will not clean up the mess he has been very involved in making.
Our suggestion is a good long look in the mirror. Not alliances with those in the Republican party who have little integrity. Not continuing to spend taxpayer’s money and time trying to stomp out political opposition. Just a look at the man in the mirror.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Liberty County children exploited as political pawns?
Liberty Dispatch has received numerous complaints from parents of children throughout Liberty County, Texas.
Its been reported by reliable sources that Liberty County DA, Mike Little has been going around to schools in the Liberty County School District and speaking to large groups of children about the DA's office in Liberty County. He is effectively feeding on the innocence of children to promote himself to them and their parents. Little is victimizing Liberty County children for political ends in anticipation of the upcoming election in 2012.
Many parents are offended by Liberty County DA, Mike Little for handling and talking to their children.
Mike Little has been accused of selective prosecution, official misconduct, official oppression and sexual offensives against a male prisoner.
LD Mike Little Story Link
Its been reported by reliable sources that Liberty County DA, Mike Little has been going around to schools in the Liberty County School District and speaking to large groups of children about the DA's office in Liberty County. He is effectively feeding on the innocence of children to promote himself to them and their parents. Little is victimizing Liberty County children for political ends in anticipation of the upcoming election in 2012.
Many parents are offended by Liberty County DA, Mike Little for handling and talking to their children.
Mike Little has been accused of selective prosecution, official misconduct, official oppression and sexual offensives against a male prisoner.
LD Mike Little Story Link
REPRINT: Message from our Liberty County Republican Chairman
Dear Newly Elected Republicans:
Please remember that the reason that the people of this Country came together in a political revolt last November is because we recognized that we were losing our Country. We recognized that our government was spending present and future Generations into poverty. We do not like what we see coming. We are not willing to sit idly by and let it happen. We threw the Socialist Democrats out on their ASSES.
Having said that, the great numbers of votes that you received in your recent election was not an endorsement of you personally. Sorry to burst your bubble. The November Political Revolution was a recognition of the fact that we will not let anyone destroy our Country politically or financially. Period.
Recently Elected Republicans don't let high voter percentages go to your head. We did not expel the Socialist Democrats to replace them with Republicans who continue on the Big Spending Path that is leading us into Third World Status.
If you take up the Spending Mantle and Act like you have a personal mandate to increase your budgets and continue to spend our money like the drunken sailors that we drove out of office; You Are On Your Own!
If you want to be the Captain of your own ship and strike out on a voyage that leads to the mystical city of Atlantis, then you do so without my support. I will not be accompanying you on your trip to the bottom of the Political Sea.
Control the spending. Impose self-restraint when it comes to spending and government jobs creation. Don't come out of the chute trying to pad your political positions. A moratorium of six months to a year on new spending and job creation is in order. Look for ways to cut spending instead and do what the American people elected you to do or your egotistical way of looking at the results of the recent elections will cost you your job.
Reprint courtesy- Chairman Andy McCreight
Please remember that the reason that the people of this Country came together in a political revolt last November is because we recognized that we were losing our Country. We recognized that our government was spending present and future Generations into poverty. We do not like what we see coming. We are not willing to sit idly by and let it happen. We threw the Socialist Democrats out on their ASSES.
Having said that, the great numbers of votes that you received in your recent election was not an endorsement of you personally. Sorry to burst your bubble. The November Political Revolution was a recognition of the fact that we will not let anyone destroy our Country politically or financially. Period.
Recently Elected Republicans don't let high voter percentages go to your head. We did not expel the Socialist Democrats to replace them with Republicans who continue on the Big Spending Path that is leading us into Third World Status.
If you take up the Spending Mantle and Act like you have a personal mandate to increase your budgets and continue to spend our money like the drunken sailors that we drove out of office; You Are On Your Own!
If you want to be the Captain of your own ship and strike out on a voyage that leads to the mystical city of Atlantis, then you do so without my support. I will not be accompanying you on your trip to the bottom of the Political Sea.
Control the spending. Impose self-restraint when it comes to spending and government jobs creation. Don't come out of the chute trying to pad your political positions. A moratorium of six months to a year on new spending and job creation is in order. Look for ways to cut spending instead and do what the American people elected you to do or your egotistical way of looking at the results of the recent elections will cost you your job.
Reprint courtesy- Chairman Andy McCreight
Sunday, February 13, 2011
THE PIG WILL SQUEAL
The cries for lowering the local county budget have become so common place we are starting to hear them from the most unlikely of places. Of course the local liberal-oriented gossip website has never been for lowering taxes or being conservative with taxpayer money, but the site is infamous for deception and Republican bashing. In honor of those who talk out of both sides of their mouth, let’s talk some details about what needs to be done and how any efforts to cut the biggest problem areas with the budget will be rebutted by arrogant out of control politicians.
First let’s look at where the budget has been doubled in the last four years. Let’s look at their slush fund money. Of course by law, the DA's office is only suppose to keep a portion of what is seized by law enforcement. The seizing agency keeps the rest.
Anyone who participates in Chapter 59 funds must file an accounting with the Attorney General annually. So the obvious next question is about the accuracy of District Attorney Mike Little’s “accounting”. Sources have indicated to Liberty Dispatch that an audit of this “accounting” might prove to be politically fatal for Little.
Just like any other cuts in the bloated government we see all around us, we can expect the pig to squeal when he is cut. The public can expect Mike Little to try and use his media buddies to head any questions about these funds off at the pass. He will correctly declare; “The State is the only one who can tell the District Attorney’s office how this money can be spent.” And Wes Hinch may try to indemnify himself and Little with a similar recital: “The State is the only one who can tell the County Attorney’s office how to spend the income from the "hot check fund".
Liberty Dispatch is used to the deflection method corrupt local officials use in Liberty County. The two politicians responsible for prosecuting some of the crime that has originated from our courthouse have saved their money for other things. Liberty Dispatch and anyone who keeps up with local politics knows they can hide their motivations and the county’s money behind an official statement: “the State and not the commissioner's court tells the prosecutor how that money can be spent.” They can say this and it will not only sound correct, it is correct. The only problem is it never addresses whether the cars, cash, crack, and other things are being used to do the business of WE THE PEOPLE. Deflecting the attention to the State when WE THE PEOPLE are the same people the State is responsible to is just useless rhetoric. Talk like this should drive us to demanding an audit.
To top it off, in their public defense and their efforts to stop any attention on their slush funds they will attempt to disconnect it from the taxpayer’s efforts to be fiscally responsible. They will undoubtedly point out that the Texas Constitution and the Texas Supreme Court mandates the commissioners’ court to provide “adequate funds” to the courts, the prosecutors, and law enforcement to be able to do their jobs. They will say in order for WE THE PEOPLE to cut their budget the commissioners, we would have to have a good reason. In fact these “public servants” are so much like crack-heads when it comes to the budgets they are in control of that if we don't watch out they will threaten to have the higher courts spank WE THE PEOPLE. If their budgets take into consideration their actual needs AFTER the income of their slush funds, they can cut their budgets more than just to the 2006 level.
ADULT ADVISORY- VIDEO
Some of the main questions left: "Will the new County Judge and the newly elected Republicans continue to be intimidated by these men?" "Will they continue to allow these men to deny them the ability to pay the workers in their office longevity pay while they dip into their slush funds and pay their help based on longevity?" "Will WE THE PEOPLE allow Mike Little and Wes Hinch to focus the time and the money that WE THE PEOPLE are responsible for to pursue income for their precious budgets or we require them to focus on the business the Constitution sets up these offices to focus?" We can only hope…
In the meantime, cut their budget back to the 2006 level and let them squeal to the State that it is unreasonable. If even the local liberal blogger wants to see budget cuts, may be that he will back this move. Not!
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| Mike Little's Song- Courtesy Deliverance Movie, 1972 |
First let’s look at where the budget has been doubled in the last four years. Let’s look at their slush fund money. Of course by law, the DA's office is only suppose to keep a portion of what is seized by law enforcement. The seizing agency keeps the rest.
Anyone who participates in Chapter 59 funds must file an accounting with the Attorney General annually. So the obvious next question is about the accuracy of District Attorney Mike Little’s “accounting”. Sources have indicated to Liberty Dispatch that an audit of this “accounting” might prove to be politically fatal for Little.
Just like any other cuts in the bloated government we see all around us, we can expect the pig to squeal when he is cut. The public can expect Mike Little to try and use his media buddies to head any questions about these funds off at the pass. He will correctly declare; “The State is the only one who can tell the District Attorney’s office how this money can be spent.” And Wes Hinch may try to indemnify himself and Little with a similar recital: “The State is the only one who can tell the County Attorney’s office how to spend the income from the "hot check fund".
Liberty Dispatch is used to the deflection method corrupt local officials use in Liberty County. The two politicians responsible for prosecuting some of the crime that has originated from our courthouse have saved their money for other things. Liberty Dispatch and anyone who keeps up with local politics knows they can hide their motivations and the county’s money behind an official statement: “the State and not the commissioner's court tells the prosecutor how that money can be spent.” They can say this and it will not only sound correct, it is correct. The only problem is it never addresses whether the cars, cash, crack, and other things are being used to do the business of WE THE PEOPLE. Deflecting the attention to the State when WE THE PEOPLE are the same people the State is responsible to is just useless rhetoric. Talk like this should drive us to demanding an audit.
To top it off, in their public defense and their efforts to stop any attention on their slush funds they will attempt to disconnect it from the taxpayer’s efforts to be fiscally responsible. They will undoubtedly point out that the Texas Constitution and the Texas Supreme Court mandates the commissioners’ court to provide “adequate funds” to the courts, the prosecutors, and law enforcement to be able to do their jobs. They will say in order for WE THE PEOPLE to cut their budget the commissioners, we would have to have a good reason. In fact these “public servants” are so much like crack-heads when it comes to the budgets they are in control of that if we don't watch out they will threaten to have the higher courts spank WE THE PEOPLE. If their budgets take into consideration their actual needs AFTER the income of their slush funds, they can cut their budgets more than just to the 2006 level.
ADULT ADVISORY- VIDEO
Some of the main questions left: "Will the new County Judge and the newly elected Republicans continue to be intimidated by these men?" "Will they continue to allow these men to deny them the ability to pay the workers in their office longevity pay while they dip into their slush funds and pay their help based on longevity?" "Will WE THE PEOPLE allow Mike Little and Wes Hinch to focus the time and the money that WE THE PEOPLE are responsible for to pursue income for their precious budgets or we require them to focus on the business the Constitution sets up these offices to focus?" We can only hope…
In the meantime, cut their budget back to the 2006 level and let them squeal to the State that it is unreasonable. If even the local liberal blogger wants to see budget cuts, may be that he will back this move. Not!
Saturday, February 12, 2011
LIBERTY COUNTY DA, MICHAEL LITTLE ACCUSED OF SEXUAL ASSAULT OF MALE PRISONER CONT.
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click here to view the post.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Liberty County Slush Fund Problems
For those who still remember long trips with our fathers when we were kids and hearing him look in the back seat and telling all us siblings, “Don’t make me come back there and deal with this". that is exactly how taxpayers ought to feel about the decision making process and our county budget. Taxpayers voted out part of the problem but much of the lack of business-like behavior still may need a stern look and a scolding finger from WE THE PEOPLE or it may continue.
A big chunk of the problem can be found when looking at two of our county offices. These two offices can hide behind the idea anything we say here is “politics”, or they could respond to the facts we present. Or better yet they could do the right thing! Let’s examine how the District Attorney’s office and the County Attorney’s office fit with the rest of the county’s budget process. Remember as we examine the facts, that the budget should be done like WE THE PEOPLE think it should be done. There is no benefit to the public when kingdoms are built within the courthouse. Fairness and good business practices should be more important when discussing this – not personalities and friendships.
District Attorney Mike Little has an undisclosed amount of money in a slush fund that can not be accounted for by County Auditor Harold Seay. Cars, cash, and coke add up to big bucks and none of it is considered when the budget pie is being divided up among the county offices. The District Attorney confiscates these things and more in drug busts and the benefit of those busts should be fully realized by taxpayers, not just Mike Little. Little is not only keeping WE THE PEOPLE in the dark, he is getting every consideration for budget increases he can with this money being out of the decision making process. Little may be doing big favors for the commissioners or he may be threatening them, but either way he knows how to get budget increases and he knows how to avoid an audit.
County Attorney Wes Hinch also has a special bird’s nest on the ground. While some of the other offices take a great deal of revenue in, they must turn it into the county coffers. Hinch’s office gets to keep the money they bring in from the pursuit of hot check writers. His dramatic public display of displeasure towards a judge needing a bigger piece of the pie to get his court up to speed seems very selfish and unsympathetic – especially in light of the slush fund he has from the income his office brings in. Hinch has also been reported to have voted against differentiating lower level employees pay by number of years of service. Hinch uses his slush fund to give bonuses and pay employees that work in his office more than others in the courthouse while blocks efforts to pay those who have tried to set things up according to normal business practices and reward people who have devoted years to public service.
It is difficult to believe that it is coincidence that the same two people who both seem to be so highly favored by the way the old guard set the budget up, are the same two people who have sat on their hands and passed on any effort to uncover and stop corruption within their ranks. Did we elect these men to build or maintain their own kingdoms and to turn a blind eye towards wrongdoing unless they are forced to deal with it because of their job description? Do we want vital areas of our county government to be underfunded or ignored because these two men are sucking up every dime they can?
Politicians who behave this way often take taxpayer money and use it to get re-elected. Take District Attorney Little’s war chest. He refuses to spend money prosecuting friends or people that could cut his budget or hurt him politically, but just wait until a big high profile case comes along. Little will be all over it. He will spend more money and time than is needed to win the case. He will use his resources to slam the jail doors on a criminal that anyone could have convicted – but he will ride the wave of publicity. You watch. When the right heinous crime comes along, Little will pull those hands out from underneath the butt he sat on as he passed big cases on, and he will wave them for the media as he soaks up the attention.
The new elected officials – the Republicans, can stop all of this. They can return a sense of fairness and good business practice to our local government. They can start by recognizing these are difficult times and cutting Little’s budget back to the 2007 level. Then they can set up some accountability system on the slush funds mentioned. If they allow the good ole boy budget to stand without a fight then why is it we elected them? A system that allows Wes Hinch to reward his staff and also allows Wes Hinch to deny others the opportunity to reward their staff is a broken and perverse system. If you require every office to pool their money in the county treasury and the rules for pay for one are the rules for all, a great deal of this will stop.
But then how could Mike Little get whatever he wants and how could the commissioners get special favors? 2011 will be the year we find out the difference between County Judge Phil Fitzgerald and County Judge Craig McNair. Odds are it will be a good year for the taxpayer. We will know soon enough.
A big chunk of the problem can be found when looking at two of our county offices. These two offices can hide behind the idea anything we say here is “politics”, or they could respond to the facts we present. Or better yet they could do the right thing! Let’s examine how the District Attorney’s office and the County Attorney’s office fit with the rest of the county’s budget process. Remember as we examine the facts, that the budget should be done like WE THE PEOPLE think it should be done. There is no benefit to the public when kingdoms are built within the courthouse. Fairness and good business practices should be more important when discussing this – not personalities and friendships.
District Attorney Mike Little has an undisclosed amount of money in a slush fund that can not be accounted for by County Auditor Harold Seay. Cars, cash, and coke add up to big bucks and none of it is considered when the budget pie is being divided up among the county offices. The District Attorney confiscates these things and more in drug busts and the benefit of those busts should be fully realized by taxpayers, not just Mike Little. Little is not only keeping WE THE PEOPLE in the dark, he is getting every consideration for budget increases he can with this money being out of the decision making process. Little may be doing big favors for the commissioners or he may be threatening them, but either way he knows how to get budget increases and he knows how to avoid an audit.
County Attorney Wes Hinch also has a special bird’s nest on the ground. While some of the other offices take a great deal of revenue in, they must turn it into the county coffers. Hinch’s office gets to keep the money they bring in from the pursuit of hot check writers. His dramatic public display of displeasure towards a judge needing a bigger piece of the pie to get his court up to speed seems very selfish and unsympathetic – especially in light of the slush fund he has from the income his office brings in. Hinch has also been reported to have voted against differentiating lower level employees pay by number of years of service. Hinch uses his slush fund to give bonuses and pay employees that work in his office more than others in the courthouse while blocks efforts to pay those who have tried to set things up according to normal business practices and reward people who have devoted years to public service.
It is difficult to believe that it is coincidence that the same two people who both seem to be so highly favored by the way the old guard set the budget up, are the same two people who have sat on their hands and passed on any effort to uncover and stop corruption within their ranks. Did we elect these men to build or maintain their own kingdoms and to turn a blind eye towards wrongdoing unless they are forced to deal with it because of their job description? Do we want vital areas of our county government to be underfunded or ignored because these two men are sucking up every dime they can?
Politicians who behave this way often take taxpayer money and use it to get re-elected. Take District Attorney Little’s war chest. He refuses to spend money prosecuting friends or people that could cut his budget or hurt him politically, but just wait until a big high profile case comes along. Little will be all over it. He will spend more money and time than is needed to win the case. He will use his resources to slam the jail doors on a criminal that anyone could have convicted – but he will ride the wave of publicity. You watch. When the right heinous crime comes along, Little will pull those hands out from underneath the butt he sat on as he passed big cases on, and he will wave them for the media as he soaks up the attention.
The new elected officials – the Republicans, can stop all of this. They can return a sense of fairness and good business practice to our local government. They can start by recognizing these are difficult times and cutting Little’s budget back to the 2007 level. Then they can set up some accountability system on the slush funds mentioned. If they allow the good ole boy budget to stand without a fight then why is it we elected them? A system that allows Wes Hinch to reward his staff and also allows Wes Hinch to deny others the opportunity to reward their staff is a broken and perverse system. If you require every office to pool their money in the county treasury and the rules for pay for one are the rules for all, a great deal of this will stop.
But then how could Mike Little get whatever he wants and how could the commissioners get special favors? 2011 will be the year we find out the difference between County Judge Phil Fitzgerald and County Judge Craig McNair. Odds are it will be a good year for the taxpayer. We will know soon enough.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Moving Ahead, 2011 and Beyond
"Let us be sure that those who come after will say of us in our time, that in our time we did everything that could be done. We finished the race; we kept them free; we kept the faith."
Ronald Reagan
After a Republican landslide election and sweep in 2010, what does the future hold for Liberty County?
Liberty County has a new future ahead filled with much promise and hope. We now embark on a conservative way of government open, honest and accountable in its architecture. There will always be money that needs to be spent on Liberty County government- but the ways of the past with unlimited budgets funded by intimidation and favoritism will not stand. Sentries in our party and community must guard against the old spending ways along with the corruption which accompanies the old liberal ways of Liberty County.
The people of Liberty County have the ability to make their county a place free from corruption, overspending, intimidation and the horrors of the past. There is still much work to do to rid Liberty County of the still lingering and rooted corruption- which refuses to go. We need to be strong and press forward in the final work ahead.
Liberty County could soon be a shining star next to its larger metro neighbor. Join those who can see a better future for Liberty County for generations to come, a place history will show moved away from a dark past. What will Liberty County do?
Contributor, Ray Akins
"I used to say that Politics is the second oldest profession [prostitution being the oldest], but I have come to realize that it bears a gross similarity to the first."
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
After a Republican landslide election and sweep in 2010, what does the future hold for Liberty County?
Liberty County has a new future ahead filled with much promise and hope. We now embark on a conservative way of government open, honest and accountable in its architecture. There will always be money that needs to be spent on Liberty County government- but the ways of the past with unlimited budgets funded by intimidation and favoritism will not stand. Sentries in our party and community must guard against the old spending ways along with the corruption which accompanies the old liberal ways of Liberty County.
The people of Liberty County have the ability to make their county a place free from corruption, overspending, intimidation and the horrors of the past. There is still much work to do to rid Liberty County of the still lingering and rooted corruption- which refuses to go. We need to be strong and press forward in the final work ahead.
Liberty County could soon be a shining star next to its larger metro neighbor. Join those who can see a better future for Liberty County for generations to come, a place history will show moved away from a dark past. What will Liberty County do?
Contributor, Ray Akins
"I used to say that Politics is the second oldest profession [prostitution being the oldest], but I have come to realize that it bears a gross similarity to the first."
Ronald Reagan
Dear LD
I don’t want to just cry with like-minded people over spilled milk. I want things fixed.
The Commissioners, or County Judge Phil Fitzgerald, or both of them have misappropriated tax money in their past budgets. It’s clear when you hear the county budget has doubled the thing in four years. To be specific when you hear the same man objecting to hiring a court reporter is the one who gets a quarter of a million dollars every four years to fix potholes a few weeks before elections, what else do you need to know?
I also read that the same District Attorney declining to prosecute some of the most high profile troubling cases of official misconduct we have had in my forty six years of living is the same District Attorney who has had his budget doubled and who has an entirely different budget that is secret and totally unaccounted for. What does he need all of that money for if he is going to pass on cases that interest the public most? Is he using public money as a war chest to use against his enemies? Or is he refusing these cases because he is saving up a treasure chests for himself?
It is time for Republicans to step up to the plate. We have complained long enough. Fix this mess!
The Commissioners, or County Judge Phil Fitzgerald, or both of them have misappropriated tax money in their past budgets. It’s clear when you hear the county budget has doubled the thing in four years. To be specific when you hear the same man objecting to hiring a court reporter is the one who gets a quarter of a million dollars every four years to fix potholes a few weeks before elections, what else do you need to know?
I also read that the same District Attorney declining to prosecute some of the most high profile troubling cases of official misconduct we have had in my forty six years of living is the same District Attorney who has had his budget doubled and who has an entirely different budget that is secret and totally unaccounted for. What does he need all of that money for if he is going to pass on cases that interest the public most? Is he using public money as a war chest to use against his enemies? Or is he refusing these cases because he is saving up a treasure chests for himself?
It is time for Republicans to step up to the plate. We have complained long enough. Fix this mess!
JUDGE FIXING “POTHOLES” PERMANENTLY
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| Proposed Liberty Co. Court Reporter |
It is difficult sometimes to understand how some people manage their own affairs when you hear how they think about public affairs. A great example is the craziness those who waste their time (like me on rare occasion) by reading the local liberal gossip site. A wave of objections to updating the County Court-at-Law court to meet state expectations must somehow sound like clear and conservative logic to some. But in actuality if these same people run their own affairs the way they insist Judge Tommy Chambers runs his office, odds are they will end up on the wrong end of a lawsuit at some point.
The personal attacks on Judge Chambers and his wife seem to be based on what the attackers think is common sense or some bizarre view of conservatism. Their thinking seems to be something like this: “Me see increase in spending, me be big hero and me gripe about it.” Their logic and their analysis sounds like something out of the primate section of the Houston zoo.
The facts of the matter are as follows- Judge Chambers took office in January and in the process of examining his office and setting it up to do the best job he can for Liberty County he did a historical and legal study on the court’s absence of a court reporter. He found that the court had a court reporter years ago. He found that because of the legal culture that courts exist in today, Liberty County could be vulnerable to lawsuits and other expensive remedies if they continued to use the rare and outdated recording method they have used in the last few years. And last, but not least the new judge found that because of the known vulnerability courts in Texas would have by foregoing the kind of court records most courts have in this day and time, the laws require commissioner’s courts across Texas to supply judges with a court reporter when a judge deems it necessary.
Bottom line, in the long run one lawsuit against the county because we are trying to skimp on recording what goes on in our courts, and years of paying court reporters would seem like a bargain. The people that advocate continuing this court with no court reporter may be the same people who drive without insuring their car, but that is their business. Even if they come up with some statistic on how rare lawsuits are in this area, they still have to insure us that justice will never be affected by less than adequate court reporting. Of course, these same people may want to save money by removing court reporters in all of our courtrooms. Who knows?
One of the gossip columns comments says that Judge Chambers “wigged out” in commissioners court. Chambers was ambushed by the commissioners because the commissioners knew this was an issue that was to be finalized, not tabled. Judge Chambers commented on his dislike for the commissioner’s grandstanding instead of helping the county court run properly. Assuming the person writing this comment is referring to Commissioner Norman Brown’s normal pontificating about how other people ought to do their job, let’s look at the facts staring with Commissioner Norman Brown’s $250,000 patch up jobs just before every election. Brown’s complaint about Judge Chambers should be considered about the same length of time those election times patches last.
Undoubtedly, Brown is counting on the fact that the media will gang up on Chambers so they can criticize Republicans. Otherwise, why would Brown act as if Judge Chambers had not been waiting patiently on commissioners court for weeks to discuss this matter. When they told Judge Chambers they wanted to table this matter as if they have not had it in front of them for plenty of time, most of us had we been there would applaud him for being stern with the court. Norman Brown is believed to have migrated to the Republican Party with the help of Liberty County Clerk, Paulette Williams and John Otto underling, Terry Bivins to prostitute the Republican Party for his and their own personal gain. All questionable self proclaimed Republicans- but actually leftover RINO/Wisegerber cronies.
For too long this court has made certain people beg and grovel for things that they should have insisted they had – and this court has given certain other people more than they should have been allowed t have. The new members of this court, County Judge Craig McNair and Commissioner Charlotte Warner may be able to inspire a new and truly conservative way of doing business, but stalling on the issue of those court being equipped properly with a court reporter is no place to start.
Liberty Dispatch has reported more than once that the county budget has doubled in the last four years. There are some new public officials in office now however. County Judge Craig McNair to his credit when we last checked with him was working on ideas of what to do with the old Wal-Mart building and other anchors around the taxpayers’ necks. But WE THE PEOPLE will not tolerate Commissioner Brown’s criticizing people who are trying to build a more an efficient better-run local government that is accountable and trustworthy. He was not elected king and he cannot subvert the integrity of our courts by spending money on temporarily filling potholes to get re-elected while refusing to fill holes in a court system vulnerable to lawsuits.
In the months ahead we will follow, study and inform Liberty Dispatch readers how the commissioners and new county judge dole out money to the elected officials in the Liberty County. We plan to establish a pork barrel rating for each person in the commissioner’s court and the money they cost Liberty County Taxpayers.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Psychic Judge?
“Finally”, is the word on many people’s lips when they hear that former County Judge Phil Fitzgerald, his brother-in-law, and Commissioner Lee Groce appeared before Federal Magistrate Earl S Hines. Judge Hines told the three that they were being released on personal recognizance bonds and he spelled out the specifics of the bonds. The terms require them to abide to five conditions: 1. to not violate any federal, state or local laws while they await trial; 2. submit themselves for a DNA sample; 3. advise the court, in writing, if they move or relocate; 4. appear in court when required and in convicted of the charges, serve their time in prison; and 5. promise to do all four of those previous requirements.
Hines warned them to take the conditions seriously. Nothing unusual there, but what followed can almost be called psychic.
“You’ve already had the book thrown at you,” Judge Hines said. “If you commit additional violations, then you face an enhanced sentence that would require you to serve consecutive sentences… If you get released and try to exact some revenge, you lay yourself open to another federal indictment.”
Judge Hines also advised them that the punishment would be harsh if they attempted to retaliate against any witness, prospective witness, public servant or informant.
Fitzgerald and Groce both pleaded “not guilty” to all of the charges against them. But the Judge, knowingly or not, has foreshadowed the modus operandi many have witnessed from different public officials in the Liberty County Courthouse - the “carrot and the stick” method, or some may refer to it as the way Pavlov treated his dog. Fitzgerald used this method by rewarding officials in the courthouse that did what he wanted them to do with taxpayer money via an increase in their budget. He punished officials by cutting their budget. Evidence of his misuse of the budget process is evident when examining his close political ally Liberty County District Attorney, Mike Little bloated budget (doubling in Fitzgerald’s first term), and the slashing of his political enemies’ budgets.
Among the “favors” Mike Little has allegedly done for Fitzgerald is the cover-up he demanded from law enforcement when he silenced them about the theft or misuse of the government generator Fitzgerald was caught using at his business. Little understands this use of power and has for years used the same approach when he selectively prosecutes citizens based off of their response to the “carrot or the stick”. Little and Fitzgerald have paved the road with support of whatever it is they pursue with the use or abuse of money and power voters gave them. Judge Hines has now let it be known he is watching.
Judge Hines set a final pre-trial hearing for Fitzgerald and Groce at 9 a.m., April 4, in U.S. District Judge Ron Clark’s court. Jury selection and trial are set for April 5. Liberty County District Attorney, Mike Little has not been indicted at the time of this post.
Presumption of innocence: All defendants are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Hines warned them to take the conditions seriously. Nothing unusual there, but what followed can almost be called psychic.
“You’ve already had the book thrown at you,” Judge Hines said. “If you commit additional violations, then you face an enhanced sentence that would require you to serve consecutive sentences… If you get released and try to exact some revenge, you lay yourself open to another federal indictment.”
Judge Hines also advised them that the punishment would be harsh if they attempted to retaliate against any witness, prospective witness, public servant or informant.
Fitzgerald and Groce both pleaded “not guilty” to all of the charges against them. But the Judge, knowingly or not, has foreshadowed the modus operandi many have witnessed from different public officials in the Liberty County Courthouse - the “carrot and the stick” method, or some may refer to it as the way Pavlov treated his dog. Fitzgerald used this method by rewarding officials in the courthouse that did what he wanted them to do with taxpayer money via an increase in their budget. He punished officials by cutting their budget. Evidence of his misuse of the budget process is evident when examining his close political ally Liberty County District Attorney, Mike Little bloated budget (doubling in Fitzgerald’s first term), and the slashing of his political enemies’ budgets.
Among the “favors” Mike Little has allegedly done for Fitzgerald is the cover-up he demanded from law enforcement when he silenced them about the theft or misuse of the government generator Fitzgerald was caught using at his business. Little understands this use of power and has for years used the same approach when he selectively prosecutes citizens based off of their response to the “carrot or the stick”. Little and Fitzgerald have paved the road with support of whatever it is they pursue with the use or abuse of money and power voters gave them. Judge Hines has now let it be known he is watching.
Judge Hines set a final pre-trial hearing for Fitzgerald and Groce at 9 a.m., April 4, in U.S. District Judge Ron Clark’s court. Jury selection and trial are set for April 5. Liberty County District Attorney, Mike Little has not been indicted at the time of this post.
Presumption of innocence: All defendants are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
GRAND INJUSTICE
For those that are just now tuning into Liberty Dispatch or those who have missed an occasional article or comments by our readers, it is important to recognize the immense power the prosecutor has in this county. His power starts with the discretion of either bringing a potential case before a Grand Jury or ignoring a potential case. Corruption can flourish where one person has an inordinate influence on justice, rather than justice being dictated by the rule of law. If you have tuned in to Liberty County politics for the last twenty years, you may have begun to suspect that we have that situation here. It doesn’t mean every case has been decided unjustly or that every case is rigged.
A grand jury is the type of jury that determines whether there is probable cause for trial. When done properly, grand juries carry out this duty by examining evidence and issuing indictments or by investigating alleged crimes. But the original purpose of the grand jury was to act as a buffer between the king (and his prosecutors) and the citizens. This safeguarding role has been erased in Liberty County, and the grand jury simply acts as a rubber stamp for the prosecutor, who in many ways has built his own kingdom here in Liberty County.
The politics swarming around Mike Little involve everything from money and budget matters to personal vendettas to the fast sinking local Democrat Party he now finds himself the unofficial head of. All those politics can create a broken system. Just look “follow the money” as they say. Little has one budget tied to the Commissioners’ County Court and another budget that is unseen and unchecked by taxpayers because it is from money recovered in drug busts, etc. The ties between District Attorney Mike Little and the budget we all see in the newspaper are worrisome. His part of the budget (the part the public sees) has more than doubled in the last four years, while Little has passed on indicting a majority of the Commissoners’ court. Is that a way of paying off Little? In other words, would these men have doubled his budget had he indicted them! The same court tried to cut the budget of District Judge Cain when he questioned their actions during the FEMA scandal.
Since the role of the Grand Jury is only to determine probable cause, there is no need for it to hear all the evidence, or even conflicting evidence. Again it is left to the good faith of the prosecutor to present conflicting evidence! There are many citizens in the county who no longer can depend on the “good faith” of Liberty County District Attorney Mike Little as a means to receiving justice.
In most jurisdictions, Grand Jurors are drawn from the same pool of potential Jurors as are any other Jury panels, and in the same manner. The pool generally consists of names culled from various databases, such as national voter lists, motor vehicle license lists and public utilities lists. In Liberty County after they get names from this pool, a citizens’ group goes through the list. Unlike potential Jurors in regular trials, Grand Jurors do not need to be screened for biases or other improper factors. So the selection of Grand Jurors is not so random and it is not necessarily made up of people with no agenda. In fact we have talked to more than one person on a Liberty Grand Jury that was left with the impression they were “invited” or “chosen”. Evidence of that are the facts about one of Liberty County citizens who has been the Grand Jury foreman no less than every other year since retirement. What are the odds? According to records obtained by Liberty Dispatch a review of records of Liberty County Grand Jury members from the District Clerk’s office, the Grand Juries chosen in Liberty County could have easily been constructed to have this man or some other influential Democrat on every one of the Juries over the last two decades. Names of former Liberty County Democrat Party Chairman, Democratic Precinct Chairmen, local well known Democrat activists, relatives of public officials and activists, and a former Liberty County Judge are all over the rosters. Think about all of this. How many of us have even been asked to serve on one Grand Jury? How many of our spouses or our brothers or sisters have been on one Grand Jury?
The Grand Jury is independent in theory, and although the instructions given to the Grand Jurors inform them they are to use their judgment, the practical realities of the situation mitigate against it. First consider that the Grand Jury hears only cases brought to it by the prosecutor. The prosecutor decides which witnesses to call. The prosecutor decides which witnesses will receive immunity. The basic questioning is done by the prosecutor on a theory he or she articulates. Later a Grand Jury may find out there was a great deal more to the case and they may even read the media accounts and find that the defendant that appeared so guilty in Grand Jury proceedings was actually innocent. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of legal fees later and after public humiliation, the prosecutor can even lose the case and feel victorious by dragging his enemies through a system he has made a torture chamber of. Who dares to go up against Mike Little when he has such powers?
A rogue District Attorney like Mike Little can burn unpopular, unknown people accused of crimes to impress the public with his “law and order” credentials. He can also afford to freely allow almost anyone to be chosen on most Grand Juries treat most cases routinely. But if he wants to have a certain outcome, he can plant most anyone in the Jury he wants. He can have them there “just in case”. They can steer the Jury if he needs them to or if things are going like he wants them to – he can sit back and enjoy.
Liberty Dispatch has decided not to post any of the names of Grand Jurors. We certainly could. But we are in hopes the committee that selects Grand Jurors will reform itself. There are plenty of respectful thoughtful people in this county of 70,000 people. Please choose a wider variety of people. We know who you are and WE THE PEOPLE need you to do a better job. Our system depends on you!
A grand jury is the type of jury that determines whether there is probable cause for trial. When done properly, grand juries carry out this duty by examining evidence and issuing indictments or by investigating alleged crimes. But the original purpose of the grand jury was to act as a buffer between the king (and his prosecutors) and the citizens. This safeguarding role has been erased in Liberty County, and the grand jury simply acts as a rubber stamp for the prosecutor, who in many ways has built his own kingdom here in Liberty County.
The politics swarming around Mike Little involve everything from money and budget matters to personal vendettas to the fast sinking local Democrat Party he now finds himself the unofficial head of. All those politics can create a broken system. Just look “follow the money” as they say. Little has one budget tied to the Commissioners’ County Court and another budget that is unseen and unchecked by taxpayers because it is from money recovered in drug busts, etc. The ties between District Attorney Mike Little and the budget we all see in the newspaper are worrisome. His part of the budget (the part the public sees) has more than doubled in the last four years, while Little has passed on indicting a majority of the Commissoners’ court. Is that a way of paying off Little? In other words, would these men have doubled his budget had he indicted them! The same court tried to cut the budget of District Judge Cain when he questioned their actions during the FEMA scandal.
Since the role of the Grand Jury is only to determine probable cause, there is no need for it to hear all the evidence, or even conflicting evidence. Again it is left to the good faith of the prosecutor to present conflicting evidence! There are many citizens in the county who no longer can depend on the “good faith” of Liberty County District Attorney Mike Little as a means to receiving justice.
In most jurisdictions, Grand Jurors are drawn from the same pool of potential Jurors as are any other Jury panels, and in the same manner. The pool generally consists of names culled from various databases, such as national voter lists, motor vehicle license lists and public utilities lists. In Liberty County after they get names from this pool, a citizens’ group goes through the list. Unlike potential Jurors in regular trials, Grand Jurors do not need to be screened for biases or other improper factors. So the selection of Grand Jurors is not so random and it is not necessarily made up of people with no agenda. In fact we have talked to more than one person on a Liberty Grand Jury that was left with the impression they were “invited” or “chosen”. Evidence of that are the facts about one of Liberty County citizens who has been the Grand Jury foreman no less than every other year since retirement. What are the odds? According to records obtained by Liberty Dispatch a review of records of Liberty County Grand Jury members from the District Clerk’s office, the Grand Juries chosen in Liberty County could have easily been constructed to have this man or some other influential Democrat on every one of the Juries over the last two decades. Names of former Liberty County Democrat Party Chairman, Democratic Precinct Chairmen, local well known Democrat activists, relatives of public officials and activists, and a former Liberty County Judge are all over the rosters. Think about all of this. How many of us have even been asked to serve on one Grand Jury? How many of our spouses or our brothers or sisters have been on one Grand Jury?
The Grand Jury is independent in theory, and although the instructions given to the Grand Jurors inform them they are to use their judgment, the practical realities of the situation mitigate against it. First consider that the Grand Jury hears only cases brought to it by the prosecutor. The prosecutor decides which witnesses to call. The prosecutor decides which witnesses will receive immunity. The basic questioning is done by the prosecutor on a theory he or she articulates. Later a Grand Jury may find out there was a great deal more to the case and they may even read the media accounts and find that the defendant that appeared so guilty in Grand Jury proceedings was actually innocent. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of legal fees later and after public humiliation, the prosecutor can even lose the case and feel victorious by dragging his enemies through a system he has made a torture chamber of. Who dares to go up against Mike Little when he has such powers?
A rogue District Attorney like Mike Little can burn unpopular, unknown people accused of crimes to impress the public with his “law and order” credentials. He can also afford to freely allow almost anyone to be chosen on most Grand Juries treat most cases routinely. But if he wants to have a certain outcome, he can plant most anyone in the Jury he wants. He can have them there “just in case”. They can steer the Jury if he needs them to or if things are going like he wants them to – he can sit back and enjoy.
Liberty Dispatch has decided not to post any of the names of Grand Jurors. We certainly could. But we are in hopes the committee that selects Grand Jurors will reform itself. There are plenty of respectful thoughtful people in this county of 70,000 people. Please choose a wider variety of people. We know who you are and WE THE PEOPLE need you to do a better job. Our system depends on you!
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Public Truth
I agree Fitzgerald’s lawyer is barking up the wrong tree when he tries to use the case he defended Toby Wilburn almost ten years ago in a selective prosecution defense. I wonder if he might better be served by using the prosecution that never happened in the Hight – stolen books case.
Judge Rusty Hight fits in the same legal class as anyone who took something that did not belong to him. Is there one person around here being paid by the public that doesn’t know about the theft? District attorney Mike Little? County Attorney Wes Hinch? John Bales? I would be surprised if any of them would claim they didn’t know.
Added to the theft of approximately $100,000 of public property is the possibility of organized crime. I am certainly no attorney, but a recent Liberty County case informs me that Mike Little knows it takes three people to be able to charge people with organized crime. Isn’t it true Richard Baker, Zeb Zbranek, and Rusty Hight all office where the books were delivered? By the way is that the equivalent of receiving stolen goods?
If all three of these men are aware of these very expensive books lodged in their workplace and available for their use as attorneys, shouldn’t they all bear some responsibility to do something? I am unaware that anyone I have mentioned did anything that resulted in the stolen property being returned until after six weeks of their absence in their rightful place. Yet, isn’t it reasonable to assume each one of these men knew enough history about local lawyers, the election, and expensive 'black’s letter law' books to know they were stolen?
Organized crime? Receiving stolen goods? I don’t know if these would be the proper charges, but I do know no average citizen could have done what was done here. It may be that Richard Baker as a former candidate for Supreme Court Justice is too big of a fish to reel in. It may be that Zeb Zbranek as a former State Representative is too big too. And it may be that Rusty Hight as a District Judge (retired) is more than anyone wants to take on in court. But this whole affair leaves us little fish questioning a system that selects who to prosecute.
Now that I have vented I can not help but realize I have the same question I am sure many of your readers have. Who is it that Fitzgerald’s lawyer felt escaped punishment because of selective prosecution. This kind of defense would indicate a whole lot of whistle blowing would be needed to make it make an any sense at all.
This is a no brainier defense for Fitzgerald and Groce, Liberty County DA, Mike Little will suppress, pass the buck, ignore and selectively bury any theft (grand larceny) charges against the actors.
Liberty Dispatch readers will remember how that Liberty County DA, Mike Little and Liberty County Attorney, Wes Hinch joined together and sent a letter to the Texas AG asking for an investigation. The Texas AG and their Solicitor General arm initiated the investigation against Fitzgerald and Groce that ultimately resulted in indictments.
Liberty County DA, Michael Little- Official oppression, maliciously prosecutes political enemies, suppresses evidence, passes the buck, selectively prosecutes and/or buries crimes... Liberty County Attorney, Wes Hinch not far behind. Both an obvious disgrace and source of embarrassment for Liberty County.
LD Contributor
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
LIVING OUTSIDE THE FOXHOLE
After years of the good ole boy system in the courthouse we all must hope the recent election will create an entirely different atmosphere in our local government. The atmosphere at the courthouse has already changed as a new spirit of cooperation replaced the old one marked by competition, jealousy, and distrust.
We can be sure our elected officials got the message from voters. When the old guard was beaten so badly in the November election there was no doubt. Citizens of Liberty County have grown tired of the corruption and the favoritism and the selective prosecution by our public officials. The voters cleaned out the courthouse because they could tolerate it no longer. Our new leaders are well aware of the message that ushered them into office: “Public officials should not build their own kingdoms and profit by the power the voters give them”.
But did they get the other message? The message by voters that says, “Get out of the foxholes!” Voters removed officeholders from office that were involved in scandals and ones that weren’t. Voters will no longer tolerate the “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil” attitude that some politicians have. Voters need elected officials to go beyond what their job description is and look out for the public interests wherever they see it being abused. The selfish politician that just keeps his filing cabinets straight and dusted, but refuses to go beyond the call of duty will not be a local favorite any longer. They must speak up. They must want to right wrongs. We voters are at our jobs trying to feed our family and we cannot be in two places at one time. Elected officials need to police themselves.
We already have heard some of the public officials complaining about the media and others criticizing public officials all of the time. Grow up! The lack of an active and critical press is how we got where we were. So do your job, and on top of that do the right thing!
Here are three quotes from the late Martin Luther King, Jr. that set a higher standard for public officials than just to “not do anything wrong”:
1) He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetuate it. He who accepts evil without protesting it is really cooperating with it.”
2) “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
3) “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.’
Public officials who fear the press and openness with the electorate are either guilty of something or they are in the wrong business. They need to abandon the foxhole where they are building a re-election campaign and look out for the people. If done well, a better community will be the by product and re-election will be your reward.
Contributor, Richard Pegues
We can be sure our elected officials got the message from voters. When the old guard was beaten so badly in the November election there was no doubt. Citizens of Liberty County have grown tired of the corruption and the favoritism and the selective prosecution by our public officials. The voters cleaned out the courthouse because they could tolerate it no longer. Our new leaders are well aware of the message that ushered them into office: “Public officials should not build their own kingdoms and profit by the power the voters give them”.
But did they get the other message? The message by voters that says, “Get out of the foxholes!” Voters removed officeholders from office that were involved in scandals and ones that weren’t. Voters will no longer tolerate the “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil” attitude that some politicians have. Voters need elected officials to go beyond what their job description is and look out for the public interests wherever they see it being abused. The selfish politician that just keeps his filing cabinets straight and dusted, but refuses to go beyond the call of duty will not be a local favorite any longer. They must speak up. They must want to right wrongs. We voters are at our jobs trying to feed our family and we cannot be in two places at one time. Elected officials need to police themselves.
We already have heard some of the public officials complaining about the media and others criticizing public officials all of the time. Grow up! The lack of an active and critical press is how we got where we were. So do your job, and on top of that do the right thing!
Here are three quotes from the late Martin Luther King, Jr. that set a higher standard for public officials than just to “not do anything wrong”:
1) He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetuate it. He who accepts evil without protesting it is really cooperating with it.”
2) “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
3) “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.’
Public officials who fear the press and openness with the electorate are either guilty of something or they are in the wrong business. They need to abandon the foxhole where they are building a re-election campaign and look out for the people. If done well, a better community will be the by product and re-election will be your reward.
Contributor, Richard Pegues
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