REPRINT OF A RECENT LETTER TO THE EDITOR FROM SHERIFF HENRY PATTERSON

The recently revealed information that shows beyond all doubt that District Attorney Mike Little and Sheriff Henry Patterson failed to act on criminal acts committed by County Judge Phil Fitzgerald could be more than dereliction of duty. It could result in charges against both men. It is serious business and the public deserves to have all of the information on this matter. Henry Patterson must not have very good legal advice because he has responded via a letter to the The Advocate editor and, if it does anything, it seems to dig a deeper hole for Patterson.There may never be one charge filed against either of these men, but citizens who have complained about this kind of good ole boy trade-offs can now point to this FEMA scandal to say why Patterson and Little and their hand-picked compadres need to be driven away from positions of trusts in our government. Here is a reprint of the letter Henry Patterson sent to the Cleveland Advocate.

Below you will find our comments on his “Letter to the Editor” marked in red.

Posted: Thursday, April 26, 2012 5:08 pm | Updated: 9:13 pm, Thu Apr 26, 2012. Cleveland Advocate.

Dear editor,

"Last week, the Dayton News and Cleveland Advocate newspapers printed two articles regarding: (1) a meeting in late January or early February of 2009 between Constable Royce Wheeler, former sheriff’s deputy Philip “Chip” Fairchild, District Attorney Mike Little, and myself, which also included some of my staff as well as some of Mr. Little’s employees, and (2) a meeting that I had with then County Judge Phil Fitzgerald and District Attorney Mike Little on Feb. 17, 2009."

Here we go, here comes some classic Henry Patterson lying bullshit...

"During the first meeting with Constable Wheeler and Deputy Fairchild, they made certain allegations of misconduct on the part of Judge Fitzgerald associated with the aftermath of Hurricane Ike. Wheeler and Fairchild claimed to have known about this alleged misconduct for approximately four months, but for their own reasons, they failed to take any action during that time period even though, as police officers, they had the power and duty to arrest an individual when they had probable cause to believe that individual was violating the law."

They failed to take action because Liberty County DA Mike Little told them to wait till you were in office first. One of the officers involved was Chip Fairchild and worked FOR YOU Henry Patterson. You should have told him to go out and make the arrest. Instead you were too busy trying to find a reason to fire him and his wife Terry Fairchild.  You eventually got your way and fired both the Fairchilds and obstructed the Fitzgerald investigation/indictments.

"During this meeting, Wheeler and Fairchild presented no offense reports, no witness statements, no photographs or video recordings, no documentation whatsoever in support of their allegations against Judge Fitzgerald."

That is a bald faced lie from you Mr. Patterson, they didn’t have every investigation document in their file there at the meeting but they had enough direct information, pictures and evidence from months past ready for a grand jury- and you knew it. They had started working on the case back in November 2008. You shut the investigation down!

"Being veteran police officers, they should have known that the district attorney would not file charges without documentation in support of their allegations, especially in light of the fact that some of the circumstances they claimed to have witnessed had changed in the four and a half months since Hurricane Ike."

More lies, you were briefed on the investigation and evidence when you came into the Sheriff's Office after the election.  You helped set up the meeting in question through Texas Ranger Frank Huff, then you made a deal with Huff to give up your friend Harry Kelly to save your own bacon.

Again, you lie through the use of your smoke screen. They had the evidence and you knew it according to ALL involved. Plus, one of the main focuses and lead agencies was YOUR OFFICE; the file was in your office. DA Mike Little knew of the allegations and evidence before you even took office. Everyone considered you the lynchpin for moving forward, YOU stopped the investigation by your firing of the lead investigator Chip Fairchild who was working for YOU… The investigation and charges against Fitzgerald were HINDERED – SELECTIVE – TAMPERED WITH – AND OBSTRUCTED by you.

"In spite of the lack of documentation, I did not ignore their claims. I assigned Fairchild and another deputy the task of locating evidence in support of the claims he and Wheeler had made. Within a couple of weeks after the meeting with Wheeler and Fairchild, the district attorney and I decided to confront Judge Fitzgerald with the allegations made against him regarding the generator, and the results of that meeting are reflected in the letter mentioned in the newspaper articles last week that I sent to Judge Fitzgerald at his request."

Chip Fairchild and Royce Wheeler are some of the best investigators in Liberty County and had a complete file started back in 2008. You clearly shut down the investigation as a payoff to Frank Huff so that you would not be indicted with your friend Harry Kelly who you threw way under the bus. You and those around you seem to have a habit of throwing your friends under the bus to save your own rears.

NOTE: Shame on you Henry Patterson for being so corrupt and cowardly. The only one who failed here is you Henry Patterson, man up!

Henry Patterson
Sheriff
Liberty County, Texas

HENRY PATTERSON LIES, LITTLE POINTS FINGER

New information forwarded to Liberty Dispatch indicates Liberty County Sheriff Henry Patterson continues to lie and cover up what he knew and when he knew it concerning the most infamous FEMA fraud case in county history. Now Patterson could face charges of misleading federal prosecutors in the FEMA case by sending in a letter to the editor to The Cleveland Advocate blaming his lack of action on the incompetence of men working under him- AGAIN.

New information reveals Constable Wheeler and Sheriff’s Deputy Chip Fairchild met with District Attorney Mike Little in ‘November 2008’. They showed him pictures and tag numbers of County Judge Phil Fitzgerald's equipment and FEMA equipment. This information is in direct contradiction with Patterson’s contention that Wheeler and Fairchild had no evidence. Unless Patterson was trying a deceptive Clinton-like parsing of words, he is just bald face lying about there being no evidence at the meeting he attended early in 2009. If he is doing his version of wagging his finger at The Cleveland Advocate and saying he “never had sex with that women, Monica Lewinsky, and then he may be prepared to argue he was saying that Wheeler and Fairchild did not have the evidence with them at that very moment. In that case, some would argue that like Clinton, Patterson’s statement could technically be true because the evidence could have been in the car or elsewhere. Or perhaps he is desperate enough to argue when he told these two men there was no evidence it was because they had only showed evidence to Little. Then he would be asking us all to believe two veteran lawmen did not respond to Patterson’s need for evidence by simply showing him what they already collected. Impossible to believe, but the Patterson’s lies leave him no other choices.

New information also indicates Little told these two lawmen to wait until the new sheriff came in and then they could show him the evidence. Little, a long time Democrat, didn’t want the outgoing defeated Democrat Sheriff (Greg Arthur) to have to deal with such a hot issue. He wanted to toss this hot potato to Patterson - the man who had run as a Democrat and lost and then run again and was now promoted to be “first Republican sheriff in over 100 years.” He figured by deferring to the new sheriff, he had a planted a potential poison pill that might be used later. Little had given Patterson a choice to crucify Fitzgerald and he had washed his hands of the matter. As we all know now, he used a similar tactic when he talked Wes Hinch into joining him in a joint press release to announce both had decided not to go after all of the abuse of FEMA funds Phil Fitzgerald subsequently.

Maybe Little thought that the poison pill he planted may help Democrats when he or his hand-picked replacement- Logan Pickett ran for office in 2012. When the new sheriff refused to pursue the case it pulled Patterson into what appears to be Little’s indoctrination of him into the good ole boy club. How ironic! After Patterson had run as a Democrat for sheriff in 2004 and lost, he went to local Republican activists and vowed if they helped elect him, he would dismantle the good ole boy system of swapping off favors and looking the other way on certain crimes. Now, with him neck deep (along with his best friend Harry Kelly) and under the microscope of the federal investigation of stolen guns from the Cleveland Police Department being sold to a nearby gun dealer – Patterson found himself needing all of the help he could get to simmer down the heat on him.

It is no wonder why Patterson, despite having his “special crimes unit”, has nothing to show in four years to say he has even begun to dismantle the good ole boy system he talked about before he ran in 2008. And adding to the irony, Little decided to keep all of this quiet and let Patterson’s own record of nearly four years of incompetence and poor leadership defeat his bid for re-election. Since DA Mike Little had not used the scandal to poo poo the local Republican Party, Little advised his hand-picked replacement, Logan Pickett, to run Republican.

It is difficult to predict what charges, if any, might be filed against Patterson and Little for their obstruction, hindering and selection prosecution with their deception and lies as the federal case on FEMA fraud in Liberty County continues. But if Patterson’s Outsider friends led by perjurer and convicted criminal Eddie Shauberger continue trying to play up the imperfections and problems of some of the opposition’s messengers, this could get really serious for a sheriff who is likely to be voted out of office in about thirty days. Professional top of the line investigators will not be distracted by the irrelevant election time mudslinging against Patterson’s opponents or clever spin that tries to take their focus off of adding to what they already have.

Patterson and Little should simply tell the truth rather than compound their legal problems. How many times have we witnessed the cover up being the undoing and the source of successful prosecution in these kinds of sorted affairs?

SHERIFF PATTERSON TURNS TO CRIMINALS FOR SUPPORT RATHER THAN ANSWER FOR HIS CRIMES

Like many of the people law enforcement deal with on an almost daily basis, Sheriff Patterson (and/or his campaign consultants from out of the county) are turning to the blame game rather taking responsibility for his alleged criminal acts and/or payoffs.

Liberty Dispatch is encouraged to hear that Patterson’s people didn’t include Bobby Rader in its latest round of defending the incumbent Sheriff. After revelations by The Cleveland Advocate that Patterson and District Attorney Mike Little gave a pass to early evidence that former County Judge Phil Fitzgerald was misallocating FEMA assets, these people lashed out at Rader and blamed quite a few others that had nothing to do with Patterson screwing up. Patterson’s criminal campaign guru, Eddie Shauberger a/k/a “Chatterbox”, told Liberty Dispatch any of us supporting Rader for Sheriff would regret it because his associates (a/k/a The Outsiders) were going to “cover Rader in mud”.

We are under no illusion that these people will not start slinging their mud in the last thirty days of this campaign, but at least they had a moment of clarity and realized blaming Rader for Patterson giving Fitzgerald a pass lacked credibility. Shauberger has bragged that the Patterson campaign has all of the money it needs to paint their opponent in such a poor light few will vote for him. So even though we all dodged it this time, we expect flyers and mailers and phone banks to be unleashed by Patterson’s people soon. He has a well known reputation for active politicking and drowning us all in erroneous press releases while being a very inactive leader within his own department.

Once again however, Patterson expressed no apology to taxpayers who expect him to pursue justice according to the rule of law rather than sit quietly when someone rich and powerful and well connected appears to have committed a felony. Maybe it was because he himself had committed multiple felonies? A simple “Looking back, I wish I would have insisted that the District Attorney and I would have handled this differently,” would be a good start, but that would be an admission. But almost anything we suggest would have been better than what he said. After all, saying there was no evidence is ridiculous in light of the current federal investigation. And saying the people under you could have pursued charges against the County Judge even when the D.A. and the Sheriff discouraged it is not believable even to people who have been loyal Patterson supporters in the past.

But true to the strategy of Patterson’s campaign spinmeister, indicted “serial grand perjurer” Eddie Shauberger, his campaign is projecting their usual motivations on Ray Akins in an effort to shut Liberty Dispatch up or discredit us. None of us at Liberty Dispatch or any of our legal counsel can even make up a story of how Mr. Akins supporting Rader helps Mr. Akins in any form or fashion. But consistent with the way his criminal mind works, Shauberger is on record insisting helping Sheriff Patterson will help him. Even though Rader has no power to effect what Shauberger and his associates did in his private business and Rader is honest as the day is long, Shauberger has said he will do anything to get Patterson elected. On the other hand, Mr. Akins’s rightfully says his decision on who he supports for Sheriff is based on competence and his motivations can easily be seen all through the last twenty years of his life – he has worked consistently and with great sacrifice for over two decades as a Republican activist to elect the best conservative candidates who will be public servants while in office.

Along with promising to further demonize Liberty Dispatch and Ray Akins, Shauberger and company vowed over a year ago to “do whatever it takes to get Vanessa Brashier fired from The Advocate”. "We are going to get that bitch," Shauberger has said repeatedly.

Patterson’s own efforts (via a letter to the editor he wrote to The Advocate) to try and dismiss the importance of the revelation of evidence that shows he had an opportunity to stop Fitzgerald’s “FEMA activity” soon after Hurricane Ike, is damning. Maybe rather than focus on what Ms. Brashier and her staff write in The Advocate, Patterson himself should not send in a letter to the editor that proves what the paper contends without the paper's rebuttal or further commentary. His letter should have expressed regret to the citizens of this county that he didn't handle things differently, instead we all get to read his tortured account and wonder if he thinks everyone in the county is stupid.

In addition to Patterson’s “damage control” efforts, Liberty Dispatch has learned, true to their threats, Shauberger and Patterson’s strong arm political hit team have sent letter(s) trying to get the owners of The Advocate to fire Brashier. Apparently, they want to shut up the media (and the feds), so their own feeble attempts and political (black) mail aimed at Patterson’s opponent can be invented and unchallenged by anyone with the ability to present the truth to the voters.

Henry Patterson is still trying to leave the lack of charges and an early investigation of Phil Fitzgerald on the plate of Mike Little, Wes Hinch and some of the best law enforcement people we have in Liberty County.  Did Henry Patterson make a deal with Fitzgerald to hide Fitzgerald’s crimes and his own alleged illegal and criminal acts related to witness and evidence tampering, official misconduct- elected official, hindering an investigation, making false police reports and obstruction of justice (and alleged payoffs)?  Clearly, there is no evidence that Patterson's promise to come in and clean up the good ole boy system in this county has been fulfilled. But there are many questions about his own involvement in the same type of good ole boy trade-offs.

Lastly readers should be reminded that Henry Patterson sold out his friend Harry Kelly and forced him to take a rap that Henry Patterson should have been rightfully indicted for and now he wants Mike Little to take the rap just like he did with poor Harry Kelly. We all know how Henry Patterson turned to the “cult criminal element” called “The Outsiders”. Along with “The Outsiders”- Eddie Shauberger who is Henry Patterson’s criminal campaign adviser is learning crimes from Henry Patterson almost as fast as Patterson is learning criminal perjury from Eddie Shauberger, long recognized a conman and crook in Liberty County for the past two decades.

Henry Patterson has been a total embarrassment to Liberty County. No wonder he is rarely seen by most people. When he is gone, Liberty County and the Republican Party can breathe a big sigh of relief- in a new and joyous dawning…

NO APOLOGY, PATTERSON BLAMES HIS MEN AND DA

Last week, the Dayton News and Cleveland Advocate newspapers printed revelations that Sheriff Henry Patterson and District Attorney Mike Little were confronted with complaints about Phil Fitzgerald’s FEMA fraud long before the public had been told they knew about it. Sheriff Patterson has now confirmed via a letter to the editor that he did have a meeting in late January or early February of 2009 with Constable Royce Wheeler, his deputy Chip Fairchild and other members of his staff, District Attorney Mike Little.

Not surprising for those who know what a hands off, “it’s somebody else fault” kind of Sheriff Patterson has been, Henry Patterson sounds a great deal like Mike Little when he defends himself after the facts came out this week. He does however admit that during the first meeting with Constable Wheeler and Deputy Fairchild allegations of misconduct were made against Judge Fitzgerald that had to do with FEMA fraud and the aftermath of Hurricane Ike. Patterson and Little have never admitted that before.

Perhaps to save himself and the D.A. embarrassment, or maybe to avoid being charged with a crime, Patterson spends no time expressing regret that he did not catch Fitzgerald early on which would have potentially saved the taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars spent on complicated and lengthy trials and even more money on huge contracts that Fitzgerald, his brother-in-law, and a friend benefited from. Mike Little continues to have much the same attitude as he expresses no regret that he never pursued charges against Fitzgerald even after the feds uncovered plenty of evidence to go to trial with.

Instead of regret, Patterson takes a bizarre tack and wants to “kill the messengers”- Constable Wheeler and his own deputy, Chip Fairchild. At the time Patterson thought Fairchild was trying to trick him. We know that for a fact because Patterson expressed it to LD at the time. Patterson was paranoid about Fairchild and wanted to fire him, but did not want to get sued for wrongful termination. Patterson thought Fairchild was trying to sucker him into some kind of investigation that would embarrass him and that Fairchild wanted “to throw him under the bus for defeating his friend”, former Sheriff Greg Arthur. Rather than admit the fears that dominated his thinking at the time, when confronted by news stories that show he and Little blew a great opportunity, Patterson says these lawmen that are lower in rank had the power and duty to arrest the chief executive officer of the county without consulting Little or Patterson. He wants us to ignore what could be the mother of all selective prosecution cases and accept his reasoning that if any officer has probable cause that an individual is violating the law, they can ignore the fact the District Attorney and the County Sheriff tell to leave this case alone.

Patterson now claims he assigned Fairchild and another deputy the task of locating evidence in support of the claims he and Wheeler had made. But we know for a fact at that time Patterson was way more interested in “getting rid of Fairchild”.

Now that a letter has surfaced removing all doubt that Patterson and Little knew early on exactly what The Cleveland Advocate and The Dayton News said they knew, Patterson is spinning a tale that the letter the feds have doesn’t show his and Little’s incompetence or selective prosecution or partnership with Fitzgerald, it is simply verifies the poor investigation by Wheeler and Fairchild and that they had nothing to worry about from their testimony. What! Why in the name of justice and the rule of law would a D.A. and a sheriff want to give solace to Fitzgerald or his attorney as the FEMA fraud case moved towards trial? Looking back, the same two men who made officials feel that they should not pursue this case under the guise that it was not a case, later on are the same people who do nothing to pursue the truth and justice when the FEMA questions are compounded by all of the other good ole boy stuff.

Up until now, Henry Patterson’s name is rarely if ever mentioned when the most infamous fraud case in county history is talked about. Now Patterson is making a rare public statement in the form of his letter to the editor in what can only be called a weak attempt to appear innocent because of his ignorance. In light of what we know about the FEMA case and what we know about over three years of Patterson wearing the Liberty County sheriff star, ignorance and disinterest may be his best and most believable defense.

Henry Patterson reminds me of Sergeant Schultz on the old television series Hogan’s Heroes. If you remember that character, next time you see Henry Patterson ask him to say, “I know nothing” and visualize him in a World War II German soldier uniform. That is our sheriff. That is his defense for being right next to the theft of hundreds of guns out of the Cleveland Police Department’s evidence room and that is his excuse when presented with the opportunity to shut Fitzgerald down early in his FEMA escapades.

Lastly what may be the most bizarre of all of Sheriff Henry Patterson’s behavior in the past several years is his now infamous public chatter which includes:

1.“I didn’t know nothing”;
2.“It was someone else”;
3.“I had a key to the property room where the guns were too, but it was Harry Kelly who took them”;
4.“Its Royce Wheeler and Chip Fairchild’s fault”;
5.“It was Mike Little who decided not to pursue the charges, not me… it’s his fault”.

What kind of Looney excuses will you come up with next Sheriff Henry Patterson?

THE VINDICATOR HELPING DEMOCRATS AND PAINTSIL

“Paintsil completes Deputy Voter Registrar Training” is one story among at least three political stories in this weeks edition of what use to be the most read newspaper in Liberty County that clearly advocate for a candidate and/or a political party. This story on Connie Paintsil and the story (or non story should I say) on the Liberty County Democratic Convention are exclusives and that could imply to readers that The Vindicator has “special relationship” to those involved in these stories.

This “new story” informs its readers that “Connie Paintsil was the first one to complete the Deputy Voter Registrar Training in her office.” There is absolutely nothing new or unique about this training, but it is interesting that it is being reported that Paintsil has completed it. Connie Paintsil is the person Commissioner Todd Fontenot has made sure is on the county payroll so he can make sure she will get out the vote for Democrats. She has an office on the ground floor where she spends a significant amount of time on her “church work” which includes organizing the get out the vote for Democrat candidates and preparing for the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration. And lastly so she could get paid by Liberty County to help the Democrat party with our tax dollars.

Paintsil’s past employment as a dispatcher for the sheriff’s department and as a clerk who people paid their city bill, all had negative rumors swirling around it at the time. Her relationship to John and Nancy Archer and to a scheme that tries to influence voters as they ride in a van to the polls has also been a subject of much concern in some Republican circles.

Quotes like this one in The Vindicator where Paintsil says, “If I go out into the community and tell people how important it is to vote, they can hand their voter registrar card directly to me. I am deputized as a voter registrar,” are also disturbing.

Paintsil’s claims to be “educating the voters”, but taxpayers should be concerned she is educating them at our expense. Her message is, and always has been clear, vote for all of the Democrats. She has a first amendment right to preach that message, but should Republicans and Independents have to pay for it? Fontenot may try to justify Paintsil’s job, but if you pull people over that work in the courthouse and ask them what she does... you will easily find another place to cut the budget. It is not likely however that Paintsil’s job will be eliminated until Fontenot is defeated. Until then Obama and Fontenot may have a boiler room operation in our courthouse!

COURTS AND VINDICATOR USED BY DA TO ELECT PICKETT

There he goes again! Mike Little, the man we pay to prosecute criminals is abusing the justice system for his own gain again. He is pulling out all of the stops, including lies and deception and abusing the justice system to make sure when he leaves office his hand picked replacement will be in position to cover his tracks.

This article Liberty Dispatch (LD) wants to call attention to an article The Vindicator entitled “Jury assesses lengthy sentence for burglary”. Boy is that an understatement. Like most folks, LD usually counts hearing a convicted criminal getting his just due a victory for society. But 37 year old Mario Garcia was in the Liberty County courts at the wrong time and it is hard to call what he got “just due”. 80 years for “several items” he took in a burglary! Who is going to pay the bills to keep this man in prison for that long? Why did the prosecutors guide the jury to such a stiff penalty? Compared to other crimes we read about, this is a relatively small one, but compared to other sentencing this is a relatively harsh one.

Now the person that wrote the article for The Vindicator, District Attorney Mike Little, would like readers to put most of their focus on one thing – Logan Pickett won this case and he is tough on crime. That is the message Little is using his article and our courts to send you. If you want to risk getting sick, read the article and think back in 2008 when Democrats were writing the same kind of inflated deceptive exaggerations and lies to try and make Barack Obama seem like he suddenly was experienced enough to be elected President. Little’s protégé’ and the most inexperienced lawyer in the courthouse, Logan Pickett, is drenched with complimentary election year hyperbole by Little in this article that belongs more in a deceptive piece of campaign literature and not a legitimate newspaper.

First off, this case was an open and shut case and nothing to brag about. Second, as was said before, if you are a taxpayer can you imagine feeding and housing this burglar for eighty years for stealing “a few items.” In typical Vindicator and Little fashion, the article never says what items the man stole but unless a local homeowner has Rembrandt hanging on their walls and the Hope diamond in the jewelry box next to their bed, it is clear to see why the paper and the D.A. left that out of their Pickett promotion piece. Crime that it was, there is nothing unusual about it – except some people believe it is Pickett’s time to be D.A. and they will do and say whatever is necessary to make that happen.

This is how slobbery the article was that The Vindicator allowed the D.A. and Pickett to post (which by the way, because of how over the top it is, it clearly qualifies as an abuse of the privileges of their public office).

Here is an excerpt:
“The extensive pretrial preparation and the excellent trial work of lead counsel Logan Pickett with the assistance of Joe Warren clearly contributed to this conviction and long sentence. I am extremely proud of the long hours put in and the hard work by these assistant district attorneys which resulted in Mario Garcia being brought to justice and sentenced to a very long time in prison.”

The man had priors and he was caught with a few items that had been stolen within 24 hours of him being pulled over by an alert law enforcement officer. The case was something an inexperienced struggling new lawyer for the D.A.’s office couldn’t screw up on. But some might think the million dollars plus that it will cost taxpayers for this “lengthy sentence” is a screw up in itself. And others might wonder what kind of heavy handed sentences we may see between now and when voters go to the polls to decide between Pickett and his much more qualified opponent, Karen McNair. Others may wonder about the entire D.A.’s office and their priorities. After all, this is the same DA that looked like a professional all-world dodge ball participant in the way he avoided prosecuting the most infamous fraud case in county history. Ooops, strike that … Little may say if he had Pickett on staff back when all of that happened, he would have gone for it. He might say anything to get Pickett painted and ready for prime time.

But the fact of the matter is... Pickett has a horrible win/loss record in any court he has worked in. Even according to Little’s own campaign piece, Pickett is still yet to handle a case on his own. The fact of the matter is, Little is politicizing his office and trying to give as much credit to candidate Logan Pickett as he can. How dumb does he think Liberty County voters are?

These men should be shining examples of justice and truth and the public should never even suspect that our District Attorney’s office uses the justice system for their own personal gain- business as usual. LD is all for getting the attention of want-to-be future criminals because we all know there have been several years of a seemingly unstoppable crime wave as far as home burglaries have gone. They have been a great source of consternation and embarrassment for both the D.A.’s office and the Sheriff. But PLEASE don’t expect that leading a jury to “lengthy sentences” erases our memories of what was revealed in the Rusty Hight courts in the last couple of years and PLEASE give us a break on hyping Pickett. We remember the D.A.’s office did nothing to stop Judge Hight from undoing some of the public sentences in his court the next day when no media was there to report it. We know you can’t join the department and be the wettest behind the ears and suddenly just after Christmas is super prosecutor. Voters are not stupid!

It is likely The Vindicator will continue to allow Mike Little to soak you in his spin so be prepared. This was not a news story; it was clearly a “press release”. The proper way of balanced news reporting elements is to either have someone from the paper present to report the story or to dig out all of the political garbage packed in the press release. But this newspaper has not been doing that. It may be why we rarely hear anyone say “Hey did you read that article in the Liberty paper” anymore. The answer more and more indicates that The Vindicator is read less and less.

DA Mike Little cannot afford for anyone but Pickett to be elected as DA so that his 30 years of criminal enterprises can continue on the backs of Liberty County residents. Mike Little could be indicted for his recently relieved corrupt acts of "obstruction of justice" - "official misconduct" and other crimes. The Feds have some decisions to make about Mike Little.

Liberty County readers will be watching the other Liberty County media for the same "political bile" as produced by Mike Little and Logan Picket.

The Cleveland Advocate cut through the entire BS when they reported the same story.

IMPORTANT POLITICAL RACES TO SOON BE DECIDED

38,519 voter registration certificates were mailed to residents last Thursday. Election officials all across Texas including Liberty County Tax Assessor Collector Ricky Brown, had to wait to mail out the certificates until the (unelected)Democratic Judges in San Antonio exhausted their effort to overturn the states’ new legislative and congressional districts maps that were drawn and passed by the (elected) Texas congress.

Residents should check the certificates closely for any needed changes or any errors. If mistakes are found, corrections can be made on the back of a card. Completed cards should be signed and turned in to the Liberty County Tax Assessor Collector’s Office on the first floor of the county courthouse in Liberty. Any registered voter who hasn’t received a certificate by April 25, 2012 should call the office at (936) 336-8683 or (936) 336-4528.

Ricky Brown and his office are working under unusual circumstances and regardless of all of the problems the Democratic judges have caused by their unprecedented action, we can all be grateful Brown and company have organized their office to help make this election come off without a glitch.

Democrats and RINO’s (Republican In Name Only) are hoping the delay the judges caused will dampen the spirits of conservative voters. LD would like to encourage Liberty County to exercise their right to vote on May 29th and send a message to Washington DC and the President that we can not wait to express our opinion.

There are some very important local political races that will be decided in the primary election on May 29 which will impact the future of Liberty County for generations to come. Make sure you do your part to protect the future generations of Liberty County, be apart of the historical positive change that is near.

We have worked hard since 2006 at great sacrifice to help bring Liberty County into a new age, for a better tomorrow.

Liberty County has a chance to purge itself of the last of a major corrupt element in the courthouse. Great times are very near for Liberty County- if we act...

LAWMEN-POLITICIANS TRYING TO GET VOTES THE WRONG WAY

News today from U.S. Attorney John M. Bales as he told the world that 48-year-old Roberto Garcia of Pasadena, Texas man has plead guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana and possession with intent to distribute marijuana in the Eastern District Federal Court of Texas.

As many of our readers remember, law enforcement officers received a tip directing them to a large marijuana growing operation in the rural area near Hull, Texas. The tip led to more than 1,000 maturing marijuana plants and an operation that included a trailer outfitted with grow lights and heating/air conditioning for indoor cultivation of marijuana. But almost as eye-opening as what had fallen into the hands of law enforcement was the rush by politicians running for office to capitalize on the busts.

The problem Liberty Dispatch had with this case initially is that before news of the drug busts reached the newspapers, Sheriff Henry Patterson’s campaign team were claiming that this bust would guarantee his re-election. Another lawman running for office seemed more concerned with getting glamor shots with him and the pot for his campaign literature than securing a bust that could be successfully prosecuted in court.

When LD was the first to report a problem with the arrest, Patterson reversed course and distanced him from any potential problems. When there were no arrest and Patterson knew his office was unlikely to make arrest he was strangely quiet for a man that had pushed his people out in the public bragging he was sure to get four more years as sheriff because his office sent men out to follow up on this tip. Then when someone was arrested, his campaign people raised their ugly political heads and claimed victory for Patterson all over again. But then when a new problem arose, they got quiet again. A suppression hearing was held Friday in Beaumont after law enforcement made an unforgivable mistake. Patterson failed to get a search warrant until several hours after his Captains began cutting down the marijuana crop and searching homes on the property. One of Patterson’s men who are running office was hot to trot to cut the plants and pose for pictures.

Uh – oh! Even though the courts are allowing the evidence thanks to a loophole in the law, now Patterson will still probably prefer that we all forget this case again. There are too many screw ups in the case. Besides, those listening to what Bobby Rader says he could improve on if he is elected sheriff may say this case inadvertently help him. Rader has maintained his time as a judge makes him very aware that our sheriff department needs more training on how to approach crime scenes and investigations in ways that make the case more likely to be successful in court.

Bahena-Garcia faces a minimum of 10 years in federal prison at sentencing and he is the big loser in this case. But two politicians are losers too for the way they tried to use this case for political gain.

This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, Liberty County Sheriff's Office deputies and investigators and Texas Department of Public Safety Narcotics and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Craft. Our story is not meant to cast a shadow on any of these people. Their work and the work of U.S. Attorney John Bales are much appreciated… Sheriff Patterson and all of his campaign people’s effort to take as much credit as they could is a complete embarrassment. Please just do your job and give credit to the tipster Sheriff Patterson. The tipster was the key to the part you participated in. Without him, you and your political friends would have had no excitement.

To LD: “Common Sense” in Cleveland, Texas- I Think Not!!

Cleveland PD Chief Bradshaw

So, “former” Warrant Officer Tommi Ashmore with the Cleveland Police Department was recently terminated from the City of Cleveland after the many loyal, dedicated, and very productive years of service as an officer for the city.

The actual date of termination is still at question. Ashmore was not informed of the termination until April 9, 2012 by her attorneys, who had been advised of the termination on this date by Olson & Olson, the legal firm representing the City of Cleveland through all the many fiascos. Yet when TMPA, TMRS and AFLAC was contacted in regards to Ashmore’s benefits and services, all agencies advised that each had been contacted and informed by city officials, and was provided the termination date for Ashmore to be April 2, 2012. What is almost comical in a sad sense is the fact that the termination letter signed by the Asst. Chief D. Broussard was dated April 4, 2012. Seriously!

The City of Cleveland informed a senior officer, vested with the city that she was “terminated” by mail. I feel this is heartless and unprofessional to say the least. TMPA attorneys are representing Ashmore on the administrative issues, while Moore & Associates will be representing her on Federal violations.



According to the termination signed by Broussard, the approximately 2 ½ month Internal Investigation revealed that Ashmore had been untruthful in her original reply to the Chief’s Complaint she received on or about the end of January 2012. Be advised, that Bradshaw has invested more time and man power in attempt to get Officer Ashmore terminated than any other investigation he has initiated. Since the initial filing of the EEOC complaint by Ashmore, Bradshaw has arrogantly placed Ashmore under numerous investigations.

Within the complaint, Chief Bradshaw accused Ashmore of “leaking” a dashcam video of Sgt. Paul Lowrey blatantly using excessive force by striking a male subject in the subject’s abdomen with the end of Lowrey’s flashlight. Be advised that Sgt. Paul Lowrey was not even on duty at the time of the incident but was working security at a local bar, nor did he contact dispatch as required, and inform of his presence on this scene.

What makes this allegation so sickening was that the brutalized subject was already in handcuffs, on his knees and not resisting or displaying force to the on scene officers. Lowrey struck the subject with such force that you can hear the subject gasp for air at the point of impact. I have some much respected family members in Law Enforcement, and they each were floored that the city allows such behavior, and even more so, the subject did not even do anything to justify going to jail, much less be hit while defenseless.

Be advised this traffic stop that the alleged brutality occurred was conducted on or about December 30, 2011, and no disciplinary actions had been taken against Lowrey in regards to him abusing his power and executing excessive force until the media exposed the video of the wrong doing. Lowrey being exposed for the alleged brutality was obviously a lot less a severe infraction, rather than who dared to leak out the video exposing the brutality.

According to officers, the excessive use of force was forwarded up through the chain of command as directed, to the desk of Chief Mark Bradshaw himself. The absurd behavior demonstrated and documented on video was being ‘ignored’ by Chief Bradshaw, to protect Lowrey who is a known personal friend of Chief Bradshaw.

Bradshaw can ‘say’ the issue of Lowrey beating this subject was being internally investigated, but if so, it is more than a coincidence that Paul Lowrey has not been suspended pending his investigation, yet Officer Ashmore was promptly placed on administrative leave for allegedly ‘telling on’ Lowrey. Lowrey has still been permitted to work extra employment to supplement his income even more. It has been said that Lowrey’s annual pay exceeds that of Asst. Chief Broussard who has been employed for the city way longer.

Ashmore has adamantly denied providing the media with the video of Lowrey allegedly beating this subject while defenseless through her attorneys, and states she is not untruthful. Sgt. Matthews was assigned the duty to investigate the incident involving Lowrey, and also the Internal Investigation involving Ashmore. I, along with many others in the community feel that the FBI should be doing what they are paid to do about Lowrey. There’s a video for Christ sakes! Cleveland PD only has a few detectives, and is too small of an agency to be investigating internals of this caliber. And I’m sorry to inform that Ranger Huff also is a close acquaintance of Bradshaw’s, thus my referring to the FBI.

According to sources, the media was not questioned as to who provided the video to them. Again, citizens agree that the media should have been interviewed as well; yet Sgt. Matthews did interview personal acquaintances of Ashmore’s, asking if they had knowledge of Ashmore leaking the video. I am sure this was quite humiliating for Officer Ashmore.

Something the City of Cleveland officials need to strongly consider is that Chief Mark Bradshaw is a bully and does not have many fans, not only in Cleveland, but also in the surrounding communities as well. There are many individuals who pray he will not be damaging the city much longer, and any number of people would probably ran to the media with that video to bring justice and finally have Bradshaw and Lowrey get just a small portion of the hurt they have intentionally caused in others’ lives.

Also, according to Bradshaw’s secretary, Melissa (ironically same name as his ex-wife who divorced him in the 90’s) and the Evidence Tech Officer Vanlake (who by the way does nothing but play on the internet or her nook all day, pull her internet usage to confirm) talking very loudly and openly at a local restaurant, the two “main” doors that secure all pending county case files has been unsecured for up to a year and ½. The locks have been broken, and Chief Bradshaw had knowledge of this and did not repair them. Needless to say, this area that has been unsecured from his negligence is where the “leaked” out video is stored, along with all the other pertinent outstanding county cases. In my opinion, all these cases have been compromised due to Bradshaw’s negligence.

Of course, Bradshaw states the incident was currently being investigated, but a question that a lot of the citizens in Cleveland, as well as fellow officers have is ‘why is Lowrey still on the payroll to this day, never been suspended for the allegation while being investigated, and even up to almost a month after the incident occurred, it was known at CPD that this was a “hush” topic.

Instead of Lowrey being the one held accountable for his actions, Chief Bradshaw has terminated a good officer and has numerous other officers under investigation. I was informed that Bradshaw pushes off Lowrey’s lack of discipline onto others to “pay for”. I even heard Asst. Chief Broussard was written up for Lowrey acquiring a couple grand in overtime in ONE pay period. Not Lowrey, but Broussard. Makes any reasonable person wonder what they know on each other, Bradshaw and Lowrey that is.
Moore & Associates, representing Ashmore, diligently filed the appeal with the City of Cleveland, stating this horrendous act was indeed another form of retaliation towards Ashmore. The real city manager, Dion Miller had informed Ashmore’s attorneys of an appeal hearing regarding her termination being this past Friday. Sources say that the attorneys informed they need to reset to a future date for investigative purposes of their own.

Citizens of Cleveland need to come together and put a stop to all this drama that we did not have before Mark Bradshaw sat in that chief’s chair. From reading past articles, I am aware that Ashmore has filed an EEOC complaint, which has resulted in the filing of a Federal Lawsuit against Mark Bradshaw and the City of Cleveland. When I spoke to Ashmore about these actions, she informed she has been very hurt by Bradshaw and certain city officials who know she is right and have allowed the retaliation to continue to the point that she is now terminated. Ashmore also informed the city refused to mediate and resolve the issues upon filing the EEOC complaint, and Bradshaw, Lowrey and Primeaux continued to retaliate against her for standing up for what is right.

This isn’t Mark Bradshaw’s first rodeo with the EEOC (sexual harassment, pornography, harassment of public servant), nor is it with his own excessive use of force issues while at Humble PD. Have your attorneys do some digging in regards to Bradshaw himself abusing an inmate while in jail. Just fyi.

My words of advice to you Officer Ashmore, hang in there girl! YES, you are right and you have support. Sweetie, you will come out ahead. I seriously don’t think these people read those huge posters the Federal Government demand they place on the walls in break rooms and such. I will leave this with saying multiple counts of discrimination, multiple counts of retaliation and whistleblower act!

Anonymous for now!

THE FACTS LEAVE MORE THAN A SHADOW ON LITTLE AND PATTERSON

To really get the full impact of the information in this article the reader should think back to the last hurricane and the damage and chaos and struggle it caused most people in this area. The scramble for gas and water and food. The wet dirty smelly carpet piled in front of one house after another. The heat, the muggy, steamy, air condition-less Texas heat. And the tears of small children wanting something that was always easily available before Hurricane Ike attacked their world.

Only when one remembers what they, and their friends and family, were going through, can the full impact of the infamous FEMA fraud case be assessed properly. Only when survivors remember the struggle does the idea of key elected officials making hundreds of thousands of dollars during our time of need, have its full affect.

If you are thinking back to that time as you read, then reading the following timeline of the first hint of illegal FEMA fraud will be in its proper perspective. When you read this account of the behavior of some of our elected officials on certain days between January 2009 and April 2012, you will see that after the storm there was an opportunity to curtail the immoral acts that yielded several local people big bucks and a big headache with the law. Especially troubling is the behavior of local law enforcement – from Sheriff Henry Patterson to Texas Ranger Frank Huff to District Attorney Mike Little. 

Dates and times approximate-

January - February 2009:

Meeting in Mike Little's office:

In attendance- D.A. Mike Little, Texas Ranger Frank Huff – Sheriff Henry Patterson, Sheriff’s Captain Ken Defoor, Sheriff’s Captain Jim Cooper, Sheriff’s lead investigator Chip Fairchild and Constable Royce Wheeler.

1. Mike Little refused to take charges against Liberty County Judge Fitzgerald for criminal wrongdoing involving FEMA fraud and misuse of assets brought to him by Fairchild and Wheeler.

2. Mike Little admonished Fairchild and Wheeler for bringing probable cause affidavits and evidence of alleged criminal wrongdoing by Phil Fitzgerald. 

(Note: One theory is that D.A. Mike Little and Fitzgerald had a quid pro quo. Think about the possibilities. Fairchild is fired by Sheriff Patterson not long after this incident. And Patterson is NOT charged in the infamous Cleveland Police Department stolen guns case that Little is involved in. Constable Wheeler’s budget is cut and his daughter, who also works for the county, has her pay cut. Cooper is promoted, DeFoor resigns).

April 2009:

1. FBI was (FBI Agent, Stacy Hoepner) interviewing people around Fitzgerald.

2. According to sources Mike Little and Henry Patterson were both interviewed by the FBI and denied they had met regarding Fitzgerald and discussed any charges.

November 2009:

1. At the insistence of Fitzgerald, Sheriff Patterson authored a letter and DA Mike Little co-authored a letter clearing Fitzgerald of all charges- allegedly to get the FBI off Fitzgerald. (Letter here)

2. The letter was then sent to Fitzgerald's defense attorney for immediate use and for evidence in trial.

3. DA Mike Little was then added to the top of Fitzgerald's defense witness list.

April 2012:

1. Recently- testimony was given and evidence was entered at Fitzgerald's pre-trial hearings where a letter was read into the record which stated that Henry Patterson and Mike Little cleared Fitzgerald of all criminal wrongdoings back in 2009- then Fitzgerald's attorney demanded that the Judge grant their motion to dismiss "with prejudice" BECAUSE of the letter from Patterson and Little. Judge denied the motion. (Letter dated November 2009.)

2. Open records act request was made to Mike Little and Henry Patterson for the "letter" in question, Mike Little tenders the letter effectively admitting his ownership of the letter in question as written by Patterson with a claimed endorsement by Mike Little.

3. When Little submitted the now infamous letter to a local news organization, he could have denied his role in the letter, the substance of the letter and his endorsement... but he did not- therefore he ratified the existence of the letter and its substance.

Lately it appears from news stories as if the feds are concentrating on the misuse and illegal acts concerning FEMA generators. But while generators were powering Phil Fitzgerald’s store, a larger plot was hatching. One that would be far more lucrative for Fitzgerald than selling beer and cigarettes in the aftermath of the storm. One that would have an over $600,000 payoff from FEMA.

  

At the time of this posting, charges against Mike Little and Henry Patterson for lying to federal investigators and impeding a federal investigation have not been filed. Texas Ranger Frank Huff and Captain Jim Cooper still hold the high positions responsible for protecting this community from crime that they had before they began their years of silence and there is no evidence that they have done further investigating for a possible quid pro quo- but rather a probable part of the overall "selective prosecution" scheme hatched by Mike Little and Henry Patterson.

Side bar: Liberty Dispatch has sent an open records act request to Henry Patterson for the November 20, 2009 letter.  We will report to our viewers the outcome of that request.  (PIA Request here)


See the Cleveland Advocate's related story.

CLEVELAND VOTER WANTS TO REPLACE HUNT WITH LOWERY

Dear Liberty Dispatch,

The commissioner we have had for the last 28 years has chosen this year to refer to his fellow Democrats of the court that he has worked with hand in hand as “the evil empire.” That tells me he knows he is in trouble as he pursues to separate himself from all of think scandal and taxing and spending that has come out of that courthouse in Liberty. That tells me he is going to try look and sound as much like a conservative as he can while he tries to hang onto what he calls his “guaranteed votes” in precinct 20.

Precinct 20 may or may not wake up and react to the fact that Commissioner Melvin Hunt is stuck in a rut and he has been in his job so long he overlooks a lot of issues that need to be addressed. With Hunt bragging for years that our roads are the best in the county, the condition of our parks and the dump hours are two specific examples of local things that should have been addressed. But before we address anything we have to get hold of our spending. Hunt and “the evil empire” he referred to have been allowing the appraisal district to raise our evaluations and take the blame for higher taxes even though they could have adjusted the effective rate. They have borrowed and borrowed through bonds and we have serious problems because they have bad business practices.

That is why after researching the candidates and much thought, I have decided Eddie Lowery’s background in the field of finance is what gives him the edge and earns my vote. I think any of the Republicans would have fresh eyes and roll up there sleeves to do some of the things Hunt is blind to, but Lowery has business knowledge that gives him an expertise that is needed.

I also think electing Lowery will give us our best representation in our attempts to influence corporate America to bring industry and jobs to the county. If my children want to come back home after graduation, I want there to be more opportunities here than there are now. They shouldn’t be forced to have no options but to live elsewhere or drive into Houston. It will take time, but if anyone can help our job market, it is a good businessman like Eddie Lowery.

I have read that Lowery grew up driving tractors and had a construction company so I know that besides knowing the financial side of the county business, he knows enough about the equipment that is used to manage the rest of the job. People say we have had the best roads in the county for years and our commissioner is just coasting in his job, but it may be that Melvin doesn’t know any other way but to compete and trade-off with other commissioners to get and spend as much as he can. Lowery’s knowledge of finance will prevent us from electing someone who just hopes to be conservative based off of the way their family spends money. Instead, when Lowery says he wants to build up a rainy day fund for emergencies, I believe he will actually do it. It may take a while but a good businessman can help change this county.

Best of all, I like when he said the other night in a forum: “They need to understand this money isn’t ours. It is yours.”

ACCORDING TO LOGAN PICKETT: HE HAS THE MOST EXPERIENCE AND YOU BETTER VOTE FOR HIM OR ELSE!

Logan Pickett, the DA- liar candidate of Liberty County.

For those who do not make the campaign circuit and get to hear the locals make political speeches, here is a chance to catch up in short order.

The youngest most inexperienced Assistant District Attorney in an office that is under much scrutiny by federal agents because of allegations of selective prosecution in the FEMA fraud case and others is Logan Pickett. Mr. Pickett has not been bashful at all to claim a professional proprietorial record that could only be accomplished by taking the opportunities his family name and influence could afford him. His attempts to convince voters he has a record in his short time in the D.A.’s are all lies despite the fact his boss, Mike Little under the gun for painting false impressions in major cases currently in the courts, is aiding and abetting Pickett’s campaign propaganda.

The fact of the matter is Pickett is thirty year old and relatively new to the legal profession compared to his opponent, Karen McNair (a prosecutor for the County Attorney’s office). Among his outlandish and blatantly ridiculous and repeated claims of experience is the one where he tells audiences he has brought close to thirty cases to trial as a prosecutor for Liberty County. Hogwash! In the time he has been employed by Liberty County there MAY have been thirty cases TOTAL brought to trial. Are we now to believe the youngest lawyer in that office has been in charge of every case, or almost every case, since he hung his green behind the ears law degree in our courthouse? It is ridiculous. On top of that it cheats everyone else in that office of their rightful claim to handling cases and it insults the voters’ intelligence.

The truth on this matter is Logan Pickett is yet to go solo on one single case brought before a jury. He has had help on every case. Or to be more accurate he has helped others. He is “the rookie” on staff, he is in training. When he tells audiences of voters that when he is elected, he will “manage a department that almost runs itself”, he is speaking from the low man on the totem poles point of view. To him, Joe Warren, Raegis Fontenot, etc. are his professors as he learns about prosecuting. His claim to fame would be an admission of using privilege and starting at the top if it was true but it is not. He has been the grunt and he has been learning by (forgive the pun) trial and error. His tenure has been comprised of mostly error; his success has been dismal and an embarrassment at best.

But he is a Pickett. And therefore, Mike Little has seen fit to groom him to be his gatekeeper as Little tries to exit the political scene and not be questioned about what he has left behind. Pickett is suppose to be given this office, with a bloviated record of prosecuting built on lies and exaggeration, while Little gets the peace of knowing anybody firing at him for his past deeds as he leaves office will have to get through the firewall he has in handpicking Logan Pickett. This may not be a classic quid pro quo, but it is classic good ole boy politics. The voter is meant to hear whatever it takes for Little and the Picketts to accomplish the first leg in what they feel will surely be the start of another leg to a dynasty in Liberty County.

Young Logan Pickett has picked up on the value of negative politics to help crown him the next D.A. too. Instead of trying to overcome the fact his opponent is on a smaller staff that handles maybe 2000 cases a year and admitting he not only has practiced law maybe 10% as long and handled even a lesser percentage of cases, Pickett points at the number of cases McNair has settled without going to court. Those listening to his spiel do not understand the quantity and the modus operandi of cases hitting the County Attorney’s offices across Texas. Typical of people who are used to having their way, he just makes up stuff and without a gray hair in his head to make it believable and expects the public to give him their vote.

Pickett in all of his distortions of his and his opponents’ record reveals a flaw under the current D.A.’s reign and indicates he is not the person to fix a near dysfunctional D.A.’s office. Pickett brags that the D.A.’s office does not settle cases out of court. True in the case of the current department, but stupid and not necessarily something to brag about. Should a D.A. be bragging that they never back off a case? Is there never a case that proves to be too expensive to be in the best interest of the public to pursue? Or is there never a case where new evidence changes the direct of the case? Such the arrogance of Mike Little and Logan Pickett- both masters of “selective prosecution”.

It may be that the “training” young Pickett is receiving will leave him dependent on Joe Warren and others. It may be that his training will teach him who to forgive of crimes and who to bring the full weight of the taxpayer-funded department down on depending on politics. But one thing is for certain, Logan Pickett wants to start at the top. Never mind what the little people like the rest of us would need to do to earn this position, he is claiming unprecedented experience and he is expects voters to put him in charge. NOW OR ELSE!

NEW LIGHT SHED ON JAIL BID

If local news is not considered carefully, the way it has been served up to the public could give a skewed view of the results of recent negotiations with the company providing the county with management services for our jail.

The fact that County Judge Craig McNair’s leadership ultimately reduced the size of the proposed increases by CEC is imbedded in the negative tone of all of the news accounts. It is in there, but it appears in no way like anything successful or praiseworthy. Why, one might wonder?

Always suspicious of a liberal bias one might conclude that those who articulated the story follow their old habits of not wanting Republicans to look good. After all, despite Commissioners Todd Fontenot’s and Melvin Hunt’s election year attempts to sound like elected officials who are protective of government waste, both seemed in a hurry to sign off on the contract that would cost the county hundreds of thousands of dollars more. To analyze the new contract in comparison to the proposed one that Democrat were anxious and eager to sign would give Republicans some kudos, but it also would remind the voters of just how poorly democrats have managed the county’s fiscal affairs over the years.

But anti-Republican media could have taken a shot at a Republican if they had wanted to. Or at least they could have taken a shot at an elected official that ran one time as a Democrat and one time as a Republican. Re-read media accounts and the information that the media has provided is troubling. The potential for some bad hank panky is right there in news accounts. And it points squarely at Sheriff Henry Patterson.

Patterson according to quotes in local news accounts, did some deciphering of his own on the cost of managing the jail. And he claims it would be too costly for the Sheriff to add managing the jail to his day to day responsibilities. The interesting part of Patterson coming up with this higher figure is what did he do with it. He is a good friend to the warden of the jails, Timothy New.

According to sources, contract negotiations were at $57 a prisoner. Why did they go up to $64? Waller County pays less than $38 a prisoner for the same services and has almost exactly the same number of prisoners. Sheriff Patterson went out of his way to thank some people for their efforts on this matter, but I am not so sure we should be thankful for his input. Did he give Timothy New the cost projections he turned into the county? Did he cause the bids to go up? Or better yet, did Timothy New tell Patterson what to bid? It would be interesting for the commissioners’ court to demand his work product that shows how he calculated what he turned in.

Even with the bid inexplicably going up nearly 12% and reducing the amount we saved from the original proposal, we salute Judge McNair. True conservative leadership is long overdue in this county. As for CEC and Patterson, explain Waller County and expound on your analysis on the cost of running Liberty County’s jail or know that there are many of us that look forward to the day we have nothing more to do with you.

IS PHIL FITZGERALD ABOVE THE LAW?

Perhaps one of the big questions that have been on many of Liberty County taxpayers’ minds for years is whether Phil Fitzgerald is above the law? With the FEMA scandal nearing its crescendo someday soon, we will all have more information to form our opinion.

To avoid the cold water some throw on cases that have not been completed, Liberty Dispatch wants to respond to the standard idea from those who are defending people accused of a crime. That idea sounds very American. Here it is: “A person is innocent until proven guilty.” But aren’t there extenuating circumstances when it appears those officials who were suppose to pursue prosecution appear to have been amazingly reluctant to “prove anyone guilty”?

Here are a few problems our local officials presented to us when it comes to the FEMA/Fitzgerald, et al and other related problems from the Liberty County D.A.’s office:

*D.A.’s office and the County Attorney’s office have refused to prosecute Fitzgerald and all connected- period!

The basis of their refusal was not that Fitzgerald was innocent or there was a lack of evidence. The basis of the refusal to prosecute was as near a confession to their participation in a good ole boy system as we are likely to ever see. The D.A.’s office and the County Attorney are paid to prosecute and they are paid to seek justice. Every taxpayer in this county is likely to have a strong opinion on the FEMA contracts and the misuse of FEMA assets that happened after hurricane Ike.

*D.A. Mike Little when confronted by law enforcement with evidence against Fitzgerald tried to suppress it.

One scenario has Constable Royce Wheeler and LCSO Detective Chip Fairchild in the D.A.s office with evidence that is not only rejected, but the two men are rebuffed for bringing it. Another scenario has five men, Wheeler and Fairchild accompanied by Sheriff Henry Patterson and two right hand men, LCSO Captain Jim Cooper and Ken DeFoor at the county gun range- in a Fitzgerald discussion. Again, Patterson and the D.A. will have nothing to do with evidence against Fitzgerald- clearly a strong case of selective prosecution.

*The D.A. appears to be a witness FOR Fitzgerald’s defense!

When considering the idea that one is innocent until proven guilty when applied to people expressing their opinion on this case there are two areas worth discussing. The first one is the opinion by many in this community that regardless of what the courts decide or whether what was done was legal or not, many people believe what was done was just plain wrong.

The second area is the opinions of some that there is at the very minimum a verifiable case of selective prosecution that exist. The selective prosecution can be traced not only to the D.A. Mike Little, but to current Liberty County Sheriff Henry Patterson and some of his men. The lawmen who brought the evidence are not perfect men, but they are good men who are listened to when evidence is brought forth in a case.

Why did the D.A. try to shut down any investigation of these alleged Fitzgerald criminal acts? And then… when an investigation was inevitable, Mike Little becomes THE “star” witness for the Fitzgerald defense. Why have we never heard from Sheriff Henry Patterson? Or have we? Fairchild was fired. Wheeler and his daughter both had county “budget cuts” suddenly whack their little corner of the world. DeFoor resigned soon thereafter- all obvious “retaliation” by candidate Sheriff Henry Patterson.

Why would Patterson suddenly be a defender of the status quo – wasn’t he suppose to be the man coming into office to clean up the county?

Is the timing of Patterson’s silence on this case suspicious when one considers the D.A.’s involvement in investigating Patterson and his close friend Harry Kelly? Could there be a quid pro quo? Kelly is serving a short sentence in Leavenworth prison but there were more serious charges and potential prison time that some believed should have been laid on Henry Patterson as it related to hundreds of stolen guns from the Cleveland P.D. evidence room he was responsible for. Obviously, Henry Patterson got a deal pass…

There is a great deal of money and power that swirls around the justice system. The D.A. is retiring under many clouds of suspicion and charges of selective prosecution. Mike Little is suspiciously working overtime to install his handpicked “questionable” replacement. Mike Little is pushing the voters to elect the youngest, most inexperienced Assistant District Attorney in the history of his office, candidate Logan Pickett. In this already dysfunctional D.A.’s office the current D.A. is pushing Pickett to make sure anything he has done that is illegal is never questioned or surfaced after he is gone. As for Logan Pickett, his win-loss record in the D.A.’s office certainly does not instill confidence in the idea that the D.A. has found the ultimate protégé’. Also, there are serious allegations of spousal abuse by Logan Pickett along with terroristic threats, intimidation and strong-arming against his wife’s ex-husband.

Is Phil Fitzgerald above the law? We will soon see. Our opinions may vary, but as John Adams famously said, “Facts are stubborn things.” Many of the facts of this case are well known by the community and more importantly by the Liberty County D.A. along with his sidekick candidate Logan Pickett. The court of public opinion might think the net is yet to be cast broad enough to catch all of the wrongdoing in this case.

The Cleveland Advocate has also written a related story

TWO POLITICIANS WHO SHOULD RUN FROM THE WORD “EXPERIENCE”

With the main stream media firmly behind President Obama again and a steady stream of how the elite and the more sophisticated think we all ought to vote, Texans will still go to the polls in November and use common sense and their love and knowledge of the Constitution to assign our electoral votes to a conservative. Texans knew this country could not spend its way out of debt before administration tried it. Now experience will doom further Democrats to the cellar in the Lone Star state.

“Experience!” - is not only what Obama’s re-election team will be hollering and pounding the media about... some of our local candidates will do the same. Perhaps not coincidentally, two candidates that are already touting experience have strong connections to the Democrat party, but perhaps for nothing but the pure practical idea of being able to win, both candidates have chosen the Republican side of the ballot this time.

Yes, Republican primary voters will have all kinds of “experience” to consider. Some they may would rather GOP faithful’s overlook. Looking at two of the most interesting races and thinking about the candidates’ history of party affiliation might help shed light on these races. Henry Patterson ran as a Democrat in 2004, but now advertises himself as a Republican. Patterson is running for re-election. He has chosen to stick with the Republican Party and try and defeat longtime Republican Bobby Rader in the race for Liberty County Sheriff. Logan Pickett’s family has supported Democrats for local office for decades and has as his chief promoter Democrat Mike Little. Pickett is running for District Attorney and is running against Karen McNair, one of the key people in recent years to help build the local Republican Party.

The experience these two candidates are telling people makes them deserve our vote needs examining also. Both the quantity and the quality deserve analysis.

Liberty Dispatch has already analyzed the troubling quality of Sheriff Patterson’s experience ad-nausea. There is no point in re-hashing the whole thing again. He has told the world if he is re-elected, we would get more of the same. He is now launching a negative campaign to try and tarnish his two opponents experience while “tweaking” numbers to nearly triple his 14% success/conviction rate into a shiny 40% plus rate.

Logan Pickett, not to be out done, is trying to make us forget what we already know about his experience. First, we know he is the youngest and least experienced Assistant District Attorney on staff. Second, we know after his most recent loss he is maintaining the worst win-loss record anyone connected with us has been able to find in the history of the Liberty County District Attorney’s office. If further ado is made about his “record” we can go through the losses at the expense of causing the electorate to become even more concerned about Logan Pickett’s current contribution to stopping crime.

EXPERIENCE COUNTS. Liberty County voters have phased out much of the leadership that held office for years based off of it. We are awake and ready to vote against Obama and all politicians, local or national, who try and put lipstick on their proverbial pig-like experience. Gone are the days when politicians are guaranteed victory simply because they come from families who view themselves as elite or simply by saying “I am the incumbent.”

MIKSCH AND DIAZ SCRAPES WITH LAW COULD AFFECT ELECTIONS

Recent developments in the sentencing in the infamous FEMA fraud case and the indictment of the longtime game warden and husband of a JP candidate could infect voters in the upcoming election.

By now most Liberty County residents know that Mark Wayne Miksch, former County Judge Phil Fitzgerald’s brother-in-law, has been sentenced to 10 months in prison and fined $5,000 for failure to file a tax return. The fact that actual prison time will be served could prove to be an ominous sign to Fitzgerald and to those who have hoped to keep a lid on “the cover up” that occurred early on in this case. In the upcoming weeks we have been told that some of the very selective ways justice has been applied in Liberty County will be very evident as a result of this trial. Voters stay tuned.

Most citizens have also heard by now that a Liberty County Grand Jury indicted former game warden Danny Diaz last Wednesday on the charge of official oppression for the alleged unlawful detainment of a man named James David McCormick. The charge is in reference to an incident that occurred in November 2011 and is a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail and/or a maximum fine of $4,000. But this case will undoubtedly have an effect on the upcoming race for Justice of the Peace precinct #1. Diaz’s wife, Darla, is making her second attempt to win that position. After having run for that position as a Democrat years ago, Darla Diaz, is the second most qualified candidate in the Republican primary to be decided on May 29th. (Note: Roy House has judicial experience and years as a Houston detective and is hands down the person who could perform the JP duties from day one.)

Darla Diaz may very well have been able win a spot in what most likely will be a run-off due to the fact there is a crowded field until news of more family problems surfaced with this indictment. Her campaign was not expected to be affected by Diaz’s daughter connection to embattled former County Judge Phil Fitzgerald.

The race for JP now is expected to have three main possibilities when trying to pick a winner. The more experienced and highly regarded but not as connected socially, Roy House, the very capable and well known and liked Liberty City Councilwoman Libby Simonson, and the late to enter but well connected son of John Hebert. (Some say this is Hebert’s first shot at what he hopes to be a ladder-climbing political career).

Note: LD reported on Diaz over a month ago.

PART 3: PATTERSON SAYS WITH HIM WE WILL “GET MORE OF THE SAME”

There is a huge difference in the way two of the candidates for local office view themselves and their vision of what the want to do for the county. The incumbent, Henry Patterson admitted in one of the political forums that his re-election bid did not include promises of improving anything, while challenger Bobby Rader’s record of public service has been all about improvement and innovation- two candidates, two different views of the future.

Patterson’s campaign advisers have pointed out that the re-election of their man should be about the only re-election Liberty County voters’ support. They view Patterson and his “more of the same” campaign promise as a great start, but they also believe voters made poor decisions in the last election when they elected three Republican judges. They think cleaning the courthouse out should START now, while for many voters this will be the third election in a row they will vote to replace longtime incumbents.

“Henry Patterson’s re-election and the defeat of all three of the judges and several other people recently elected will happen if things are served up the voters the right way”, campaign adviser to Patterson, Eddie Shauberger said. “We have a couple of the right Pastors and the right businessmen behind our goals and we are unstoppable,” he continued.

Bobby Rader will have strong support from the Christian community, but his analysis of where Liberty County is politically must be very different. Rader was elected JP when there were no Republican elected officials. Democrats courted him, but unlike Patterson’s first run for office, Rader has always run Republican and he has always said his beliefs were better aligned with the GOP’s. That perspective undoubtedly has affected his view of Liberty County politics– he has seen the voters come to the polls the last two elections and agree with him. While Patterson sees the need for change, Rader recognizes the voters have already made many of the changes that were needed.

Rader has not seen the changes he believes need to happen in the Sheriff’s department however. Why else would he be running? When Rader was elect JP he adopted a Ted Poe like style of applying the law. His color blind, innovative, creative way of applying justice to the poor and the rich alike is result oriented. Like Poe, Rader wanted to protect the public and punish lawbreakers, but he also wanted to use the discretion the law gives judges to discourage the unrepentant in your face criminals while judiciously applying mercy to those who show promise of change. He is no pushover and you better not appear before him, but this law and order Republican allows common sense and compassion in the courtroom.

As sheriff, Rader would have a very different job than when he was judge, but rest assured he would make changes. Patterson keeps pointing to a statistic that would appear to mean his leadership has Liberty County’s Sheriff Department shining in the state with a 40% rate of closing their cases. And when Rader says the real figure can be computed by taking the number of cases and the number of successful arrest and convictions, Patterson implies Rader is trying to deny an obvious reason for voters to keep him in office. Patterson says that 40% number comes from the Governor’s office – and wants to know if Rader is calling the Governor a liar. But when Rader points out that the figures the Governor uses come from each sheriff’s office … the argument for any claim to fame by Patterson gets quiet.

While Patterson proudly proclaims if we vote for him we will get “more of the same”, Rader says he will use his knowledge of what kind of evidence is needed to win conviction to train deputies and other needed changes so the Sheriff’s department can start having a real 40% closure rate by convicting criminals rather than playing with numbers.

Voters may discard everything else that is said in this race, but knowing each man’s aspirations and goals is very telling.

Open Letter From LD

“Outsiders”

According to you... Liberty County Sheriff Patterson’s new official spokesman, “The Outsiders” and your new writer, Edward Shauberger in place of Robert Valdez- The Outsiders are working with unnamed “State”, “Local” and “Federal” agencies. You have openly, publicly and continually proclaimed your working with these unnamed agencies.

This is an open letter to you... Patterson’s “Outsiders”- Name the agencies you are working with and your point of contact, if you are in-fact telling the truth. As a matter of fact, name ONE “Local” agency you are working with other than the Liberty County Sheriff’s office.

Liberty Dispatch

Part 2: QUO VADIS- POLITICIANS AND CHAMELEONS

“Quo vadis?” The modern usage of the phrase refers to a Christian tradition regarding Saint Peter. According to the apocryphal book The Acts of Peter, Simon Peter is fleeing from likely crucifixion in Rome at the hands of the government, and along the road outside the city he meets the risen Jesus. Peter asks Jesus "Quo vadis?” to which He replies, "Romam vado iterum crucifigi." ("I am going to Rome to be crucified again"). Peter thereby gains the courage to continue his ministry and returns to the city, to eventually be martyred by being crucified upside-down.

Regardless of whether this account from a book that was not included when the Bible was being canonized, the idea that Peter thought he should be leaving Rome when in fact Jesus wanted him there is a cautionary tale for us all- even those who would be ministers. And especially Christians who are living in a democratic republic where their participation is part of being a good citizen and requires so many decisions to be made in less than perfect circumstances.

The recent political activity by a minister from the Cleveland area shows some of the pitfalls that can come and how Aubrey Vaughn’s certainty about what direction he should go could easily be flawed and the opposite of what he should be doing.

Pastor Vaughn has made many political decisions that people can agree or disagree with. He has no drivers’ license because to get one the state wants to verify citizenship by seeing your social security card and Pastor Vaughn refuses to have a social security number. He has been jailed because he believes if his church doesn’t have to pay taxes, why should he. So he is no stranger to drawing a line in the stand and labeling things “good or evil” like he has Bobby Rader and Henry Patterson, except with this new line most people will view he has involved himself in personal attacks.

His activism in the past leaves us with questions – like does he drive without a license? Or shouldn’t he help society pay for “our common defense”, etc. by paying his taxes? And his actions against Bobby Rader leave us with questions too. Quo vadis, Brother Aubrey?

We realize the political team of the man who you support (Sheriff Patterson), has as a common characteristic “tax dodging” tendencies. We realize also they have bragged that they would send you out into public under the well thought of moniker, “Pastor”, and that they could get you to do whatever they wanted you to do. They have indicated a little anti-government rhetoric and a common belief that Jesus is the Son of God has bound you to them so tightly that you would help villainies’ Henry Patterson’s opponent.

But just as Peter headed one way and came to know he should turn around, we ask the same of you Brother. Not about whom you are voting for, but about you casting your Pastor’s pen into this local Sheriff’s race and claiming some kind of discernment about Bobby Rader and his integrity. Bobby Rader is a very well thought of Christian businessman who has helped so many children and so many adults in this community that it would be difficult to even guess how many lives he has effected. The help he offered to people came long before he ran for a political office. His Ted Poe style of administering justice has just added to opportunities Judge Rader has had to do good works.

The political team you have associated yourself with told us months ago that they predicted the commissioners’ court would want Rader to stay on the bench until after voters selected his replacement. They also threatened/extorted and attempted blackmail through their point man Eddie Shauberger that they would use that decision by the court and political spin on certain cases Judge Rader had ruled on to humiliate and berate – "Unless he pulled out of the race against Patterson". Quo vadis, Brother Aubrey?

Bobby Rader is not just highly revered by those who know him, he is loved. Loved by many who would tell you his walk and his talk about His Lord are solid and sincere. Why would a minister of the Gospel characterize Bobby’s decision to continue his work until a replacement has been chosen? You admit it is lawful, but you act as if is not moral. That makes no sense to many of us – and to be frank, the direction you have headed in on this matter seems wrong headed. You don’t have to disavow Patterson as your candidate of choice, but seriously, are you actually going to allow these people to use your position as the Shepherd of a church flock, to try and ruin the reputation of one of the most well thought of men in the county? Based on your opinion that his work in the courts gives him an unfair media advantage over the incumbent Sheriff? Quo vadis Brother Aubrey?

These people, this political team of Patterson’s… history will record have faithfully been at the same political meetings you have attended – they do their work in secret and they have secret motivations. Pictures of Valdez and Fuddy Williams and others are hard to come by. Are they not deceivers, Pastor? They have been careful to position themselves in their writing as “grateful for the assistance of local authorities”, yet we can not find one local authority, except Henry Patterson, who wants to be associated with them. They have bragged privately that they will unseat every one of the judges the voters have just elected. But their public writing acts like they are here to help WE THE PEOPLE.

Quo vadis, Brother Aubrey? We respect your courage to take a stand, but are you going to ask the rest of us to join you and these political chameleons in the soon to come distortion of Judge Rader’s work on the bench? Judge Rader ran as a Republcian when there were no local Republicans. He refused to go along to get along. His actions as a judge are very similar to that of Ted Poe. Highly energetic, innovative, honest, and the hardest working JP in the county – Bobby Rader deserves better.

Liberty County Republican Chairman Announcement

Liberty County Republican Chairman, Ken Coleman, has announced that the 2012 Liberty County Republican Convention will be held on Saturday, April 21, 2012 at Liberty Courthouse (Judge Mark Moorefield’s Courtroom) in Liberty, TX starting at 9:00 a.m.

The Liberty County Republican Convention is held in even-numbered election years, as part of the statewide and national Republican convention process. The purposes of the convention are to choose delegates and alternates to the Republican Party of Texas (RPT) State Convention, currently scheduled for June 7-9 in Fort Worth, and to consider resolutions or statements on policy issues to send to the State Convention for eventual inclusion in the state and national Party platform.

As a result of the substantial changes in the election calendar in 2012, the Liberty County Republican Party will not be conducting precinct conventions on the evening of the May 29th Primary Election and will be incorporating all party business into the county convention on April 21. All attendees will be seated by precinct and will vote their precinct strength. Furthermore, all attendees have the right to seek to become a state delegate and to bring forth resolutions for consideration by the convention. The convention will be open to any registered voter who signs an oath of affiliation identifying them as a Republican.

In making the announcement, County Chairman, Ken Coleman said, "Although the timing of this year's convention schedule has changed for Liberty County Republicans, we are more enthusiastic than ever about coming together for this important event and ready to get to work on our duties that day. On behalf of our county party, I invite all interested Liberty County Republicans to join us on Saturday, April 21 at Judge Morefield’s Courtroom at the Liberty County Courthouse to participate in a full day of important discussions and decisions that will carry forward to our State Republican Convention and beyond."

As an additional resource, the state party stands ready to answer any questions related to the 2012 Republican Party of Texas Convention process. More convention information is available at the RPT website - TexasGOP.org

For any additional questions or information, please contact Liberty County Chairman, Ken Coleman, at 713-304-7406 or by email at kenlcoleman@gmail.com. More information can also be found at the Liberty County GOP website at LibertyCountyGOP.org