Monday, June 25, 2012
NOTICE: Quarterly Republican Meeting
The next quarterly meeting of the Liberty County Republican Party will be held on Tuesday, July 10, 2012, at 7:00 P.M. in Justice of the Peace Barry Graves' courtroom in the Liberty County Annex Building on F.M. 1960 in Dayton, Texas.
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Liberty County District Attorney Mike Little to Run for Office
Sources close to Liberty Dispatch state that long time Democrat- Liberty County District Attorney Mike Little is set to run for Liberty County Judicial position in 2014.
Mike Little did not seek office again as Liberty County DA after three decades in office. As a result his hand picked replacement Logan Pickett ran as a Republican candidate and narrowly won that office against challenger Karen McNair. This years election is the first time Logan Pickett has been associated with the local Republican Party.
Now sources close to Liberty Dispatch have stated that Mike Little's run for Liberty County/District judge is almost assured.
A Liberty County civil suit by petitioner Michael Lynn Blue against Mike Little states Mike Little traded sex for a favorable sentence. There has not been any credible evidence to date that Mike Little traded sex with Michael Lynn Blue for anything.
Mike Little has been a controversial Democrat for many years with extreme political bias, it is believed he will turn to the Republicans for support. Mike Little's future with the state or local Republican Party is uncertain at this point.
(Incorrect prior related Mike Little story was posted here by accident and has been retracted/deleted.)
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
CLEVELAND PASTOR SHOULD BE GIVEN A GREEN LIGHT
Cleveland Pastor Aubrey Vaughan should have plenty of signatures from Cleveland residents to remove the city’s red light camera system by now. The petition is a proposed amendment to the city charter to remove the red light cameras.
Pastor Vaughan working with a local Tea Party group began collecting quite a few of the estimated 208 signatures they would need during the May 29th primaries. At last count the group had collected nearly 500 Cleveland residents' signatures. Their arguments against red light cameras have ranged from they are unfair and they violate our constitutional right to confront your accused. They have argued the whole idea behind these cameras is not safety, its revenue - the cameras collect money by ticketing residents and then the money is taken out of the community. They also are quick to add that according to their information, accidents have gone up after the installation. (There were more crashes in the first 25 days than in the entire 18 months before there were no cameras).
Liberty Dispatch believes this red light cameras issue is a non partisan issue and that anyone that believes in freedom should help Pastor Vaughan have the red light cameras taken out of Cleveland. There is a statewide epidemic of cities that are in a budget crisis turning to things like these cameras. Democrats, Republicans, and Tea Party members ought to join together and refuse to let people we elect (and people we employ) set up a system to collect money in a manner that is against WE THE PEOPLE’S will. How can local governments possibly argue that this is in the best interest of the taxpayer?
Why does government almost always turn to increasing revenue when they can’t pay for everything they want to do? How about controlling spending instead of going after victimless traffic violations? The government’s use of cameras should be highly restricted.
* Please note: One of the final efforts to get signatures will take place June 23, 2012 beginning at the Entrance driveway to Wal-Mart at 10:00 am.
Pastor Vaughan working with a local Tea Party group began collecting quite a few of the estimated 208 signatures they would need during the May 29th primaries. At last count the group had collected nearly 500 Cleveland residents' signatures. Their arguments against red light cameras have ranged from they are unfair and they violate our constitutional right to confront your accused. They have argued the whole idea behind these cameras is not safety, its revenue - the cameras collect money by ticketing residents and then the money is taken out of the community. They also are quick to add that according to their information, accidents have gone up after the installation. (There were more crashes in the first 25 days than in the entire 18 months before there were no cameras).
Liberty Dispatch believes this red light cameras issue is a non partisan issue and that anyone that believes in freedom should help Pastor Vaughan have the red light cameras taken out of Cleveland. There is a statewide epidemic of cities that are in a budget crisis turning to things like these cameras. Democrats, Republicans, and Tea Party members ought to join together and refuse to let people we elect (and people we employ) set up a system to collect money in a manner that is against WE THE PEOPLE’S will. How can local governments possibly argue that this is in the best interest of the taxpayer?
Why does government almost always turn to increasing revenue when they can’t pay for everything they want to do? How about controlling spending instead of going after victimless traffic violations? The government’s use of cameras should be highly restricted.
* Please note: One of the final efforts to get signatures will take place June 23, 2012 beginning at the Entrance driveway to Wal-Mart at 10:00 am.
Monday, June 18, 2012
CLEANING UP LLOYD KIRKHAM’S MESS
Former Liberty County Democratic Party Chairman and perhaps the most politically partisan county judge we have ever had, now says he is a Republican. Well isn’t that special. If our readers accept that, then Kirkham will have had the amazing good fortune of always being in the majority party.
Unfortunately, Kirkham can not simply make a statement like he has about switching political parties to change all of the damage he caused when he was the chief economic officer in the county. Since he no longer holds office (at age 70), we can’t really judge whether his decision making would be Republican-like if he were in office today. But as a Democrat and a county judge, Kirkham’s tax and spend way of doing business has now caught up to Liberty County. As the Reverend Jeremiah Wright said, "the chickens have come home to roost." And now his disrespect for taxpayers’ money is surpassed in the damage that it did only by his willful avoidance of responsibility.
One of the most memorable quotes from the days when Lloyd Kirkham was in charge is when before a political debate during his 1994 election bid he said, “ Make sure there are no questions about the law, those questions are too hard.”
Just like our previous article, Kirkham wanted to avoid anything he thought was difficult – like his responsibility in the juvenile justice system. Some might say Kirkham was a back slapping, backroom wheeler dealer. But he was not even skilled enough to take on that description. He was too wimpy to have the backbone to be tough in negotiation. He used the power of the dominate Democrat party and the spell they had over the media to cover his mistakes. And he made a habit of caving into run away spending and borrowing and used bonds and the appraisal district to raise the needed tax increases to pay for it all.
Some may wonder why Kirkham’s name is coming up now. His name is coming up now because many of the problems we will face as a county in the next few years were clearly caused directly by Kirkham’s actions (or by his inaction).
History reveals that it was County Judge Lloyd Kirkham who led the way to adding another layer of bureaucracy (and that means expense) to the county jails when he pushed for privatization. As poor of a student as Kirkham was, he would likely call privatizing the jail a page out of the Republican play book. In his overly simple and very troubling way of analyzing things, it is likely he would repeat and misapply this axiom: “Government never has done anything as well as the private sector.”
Years ago, a handful of people a great deal brighter than Kirkham should have applied this principle instead of obligating the city of Liberty to a share of the ownership of a coal burning plant. Their mistake gave us years and years of some of the most expensive electrical rates in the state. These self appointed geniuses should have been suspicious that real close to zero counties the size of Liberty owned their own energy producing plant.
But Kirkham has done just the opposite. He should have asked another question:
“In the history of conservatism, has the obligation of administering the responsibilities of the jails been something Republicans argued should have been farmed out?”
But Lloyd “Tookie” Kirkham was a Democrat when this happened. His decision received the traditional blessing of the local media. And he and the commissioner bragged about all of the money paying someone else to manage the jail would save – and, of course, they immediately began shopping for how they could spend “the savings.”
Kirkham has been retired for over six years. But the messes he made are not retired, yet. Republicans warned the public about what Kirkham was doing during those days. But for twelve years the man continued to dig a hole. Now it is time to go to work and climb out of it.
If Kirkham really wants to help the Republican Party now, he should keep the grass mowed at his house, maybe play some horse shoes, and stay out of politics. Kirkham was the beginning of the end of the Democratic Party. We would like Republicans to leave a different legacy. Not one of a controlled media making things sound like they are okay. But a legacy of true progress and success that make this a county our children may want to live in when they are on their own.
Unfortunately, Kirkham can not simply make a statement like he has about switching political parties to change all of the damage he caused when he was the chief economic officer in the county. Since he no longer holds office (at age 70), we can’t really judge whether his decision making would be Republican-like if he were in office today. But as a Democrat and a county judge, Kirkham’s tax and spend way of doing business has now caught up to Liberty County. As the Reverend Jeremiah Wright said, "the chickens have come home to roost." And now his disrespect for taxpayers’ money is surpassed in the damage that it did only by his willful avoidance of responsibility.
One of the most memorable quotes from the days when Lloyd Kirkham was in charge is when before a political debate during his 1994 election bid he said, “ Make sure there are no questions about the law, those questions are too hard.”
Just like our previous article, Kirkham wanted to avoid anything he thought was difficult – like his responsibility in the juvenile justice system. Some might say Kirkham was a back slapping, backroom wheeler dealer. But he was not even skilled enough to take on that description. He was too wimpy to have the backbone to be tough in negotiation. He used the power of the dominate Democrat party and the spell they had over the media to cover his mistakes. And he made a habit of caving into run away spending and borrowing and used bonds and the appraisal district to raise the needed tax increases to pay for it all.
Some may wonder why Kirkham’s name is coming up now. His name is coming up now because many of the problems we will face as a county in the next few years were clearly caused directly by Kirkham’s actions (or by his inaction).
History reveals that it was County Judge Lloyd Kirkham who led the way to adding another layer of bureaucracy (and that means expense) to the county jails when he pushed for privatization. As poor of a student as Kirkham was, he would likely call privatizing the jail a page out of the Republican play book. In his overly simple and very troubling way of analyzing things, it is likely he would repeat and misapply this axiom: “Government never has done anything as well as the private sector.”
Years ago, a handful of people a great deal brighter than Kirkham should have applied this principle instead of obligating the city of Liberty to a share of the ownership of a coal burning plant. Their mistake gave us years and years of some of the most expensive electrical rates in the state. These self appointed geniuses should have been suspicious that real close to zero counties the size of Liberty owned their own energy producing plant.
But Kirkham has done just the opposite. He should have asked another question:
“In the history of conservatism, has the obligation of administering the responsibilities of the jails been something Republicans argued should have been farmed out?”
But Lloyd “Tookie” Kirkham was a Democrat when this happened. His decision received the traditional blessing of the local media. And he and the commissioner bragged about all of the money paying someone else to manage the jail would save – and, of course, they immediately began shopping for how they could spend “the savings.”
Kirkham has been retired for over six years. But the messes he made are not retired, yet. Republicans warned the public about what Kirkham was doing during those days. But for twelve years the man continued to dig a hole. Now it is time to go to work and climb out of it.
If Kirkham really wants to help the Republican Party now, he should keep the grass mowed at his house, maybe play some horse shoes, and stay out of politics. Kirkham was the beginning of the end of the Democratic Party. We would like Republicans to leave a different legacy. Not one of a controlled media making things sound like they are okay. But a legacy of true progress and success that make this a county our children may want to live in when they are on their own.
 |
| Lloyd Kirkham- Destroyer of Budgets |
"Be the head honcho or the king at your own house and leave us alone."
Saturday, June 16, 2012
WHO WILL PROTECT THE FREEDOM TO BLOG?
Free speech is under fire. Online thugs are targeting bloggers (mostly conservative, but not all) who have dared to expose a convicted bomber and perjuring vexatious litigant who is now enjoying a comfy life as a liberally subsidized social justice operative. Where do your elected representatives stand on this threat to our founding principles?
On Wednesday, U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-GA, bravely stepped forward to press this vital issue. In a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder, Chambliss decried the “harassing and frightening actions” of Internet menaces who recently have gone after several conservative new media citizen journalists and activists.
GOP Rep. Kenny Marchant of Texas added his voice, telling Holder in a statement that he is “very afraid of the potential chilling effects that these reported actions may have in silencing individuals who would otherwise be inclined to exercise their Constitutional right to free speech.” And the American Center for Law and Justice, a leading conservative free speech public interest law firm, announced it was providing legal representation to the National Bloggers Club — a new media association that has provided support and raised funds for targets of this coordinated harassment. (Full disclosure: I volunteer on the National Bloggers Club board of directors.)
The ACLJ described the importance of the case very simply: “Free speech is under attack.”
Chambliss and Marchant called specific attention to one terrifying tactic against these bloggers: SWAT-ting. These hoaxes occur “when a perpetrator contacts local police to report a violent incident at a target’s home.” Callers disguise their true identities and locations in order to provoke a potentially deadly SWAT/police response descending upon the targets’ homes.
As online conservatives — and now ABC News — have reported, recent SWAT-ting victims include New Jersey-based Mike Stack, a blogger and Twitter user targeted last summer after helping to expose disgraced former N.Y. Democratic Rep. Anthony Weiner’s shady social media activities; California blogger Patrick Frey, a deputy district attorney at Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office who recently posted a bone-chilling account and audio of his summer 2011 SWAT-ting on his blog, Patterico.com; and CNN contributor and RedState.com managing editor Erick Erickson, whose Georgia home was targeted by a faker claiming an “accidental shooting” there late last month.
A common thread among these and other online targets: They all have published web links, commentary or investigative pieces related to Brett Kimberlin, the infamous “Speedway Bomber.”
In 1978, Kimberlin was sentenced to more than 50 years in federal prison for drug dealing, impersonating a federal officer and a weeklong bombing spree in Speedway, Ind. The violent crimes left one victim so severely injured that he committed suicide. A civil court awarded the widow of the victim, Carl DeLong, $1.6 million. Kimberlin was released from jail in 2001, but has yet to pay up.
Investigative journalist/researcher Mandy Nagy, who blogs for the late Andrew Breitbart’s Internet media powerhouse, Breitbart.com, dared to chronicle Kimberlin’s lucrative business and political ventures over the past two years. Kimberlin has a large hand in two well-funded outfits, Velvet Revolution and the Justice Through Music Project, that have received funding from the likes of George Soros’ Tides Foundation and left-wing activist and singer Barbra Streisand. The charitable groups have viciously attacked prominent conservative individuals and groups, including Breitbart, investigative journalist James O’Keefe and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Nagy has been hounded relentlessly online and falsely accused of wild criminal conspiracies by Kimberlin associates for blowing the whistle on his shady online network.
After providing brief pro bono legal services to a liberal blogger who refused to whitewash Kimberlin’s past, conservative blogger and lawyer Aaron Walker lost his job. His employer was terrified by the thought of Kimberlin bombing his office and also fired Walker’s wife, who had worked for the same firm.
Walker is embroiled in Kafkaesque, free speech-squelching litigation with serial lawsuit-filer Kimberlin in Maryland. Last week, an inept judge who admitted abject ignorance about the Internet — and appalling apathy toward key free-speech Supreme Court cases — essentially gagged Walker from exercising his First Amendment rights and blogging about Kimberlin. Kimberlin pulled off a snow job in court, bizarrely claiming that an independent online effort to support Walker and expose Kimberlin’s past amounted to a criminal terror campaign against him. Renowned constitutional law professor Eugene Volokh of UCLA is providing pro bono help to appeal the order against Walker.
National Bloggers Club President Ali Akbar was targeted for spearheading charity efforts for Kimberlin targets; stalkers publicized his mother’s home, and Texas authorities are now investigating. Another conservative blogger who had the audacity to report on Walker’s plight, Robert Stacy McCain, was forced to move out of his home last month after Kimberlin phoned his wife’s employer and intimidated his family.
Never in the eight years that I have worked as an independent blogger have I seen such a concerted threat to the fundamental right of citizen journalists to speak their minds freely and without fear of bodily harm. As former Justice Department official J. Christian Adams points out, it is a federal violation of Title 18 U.S.C. Section 241 to conspire to deprive someone of his “free exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege secured to him by the Constitution or laws of the United States.”
Members of Congress swore an oath to uphold the Constitution — all of it. Who means it?
Michelle Malkin is the author of “Culture of Corruption: Obama and his Team of Tax Cheats, Crooks & Cronies” (Regnery 2010). Her e-mail address is malkinblog@gmail.com.
On Wednesday, U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-GA, bravely stepped forward to press this vital issue. In a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder, Chambliss decried the “harassing and frightening actions” of Internet menaces who recently have gone after several conservative new media citizen journalists and activists.
GOP Rep. Kenny Marchant of Texas added his voice, telling Holder in a statement that he is “very afraid of the potential chilling effects that these reported actions may have in silencing individuals who would otherwise be inclined to exercise their Constitutional right to free speech.” And the American Center for Law and Justice, a leading conservative free speech public interest law firm, announced it was providing legal representation to the National Bloggers Club — a new media association that has provided support and raised funds for targets of this coordinated harassment. (Full disclosure: I volunteer on the National Bloggers Club board of directors.)
The ACLJ described the importance of the case very simply: “Free speech is under attack.”
Chambliss and Marchant called specific attention to one terrifying tactic against these bloggers: SWAT-ting. These hoaxes occur “when a perpetrator contacts local police to report a violent incident at a target’s home.” Callers disguise their true identities and locations in order to provoke a potentially deadly SWAT/police response descending upon the targets’ homes.
As online conservatives — and now ABC News — have reported, recent SWAT-ting victims include New Jersey-based Mike Stack, a blogger and Twitter user targeted last summer after helping to expose disgraced former N.Y. Democratic Rep. Anthony Weiner’s shady social media activities; California blogger Patrick Frey, a deputy district attorney at Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office who recently posted a bone-chilling account and audio of his summer 2011 SWAT-ting on his blog, Patterico.com; and CNN contributor and RedState.com managing editor Erick Erickson, whose Georgia home was targeted by a faker claiming an “accidental shooting” there late last month.
A common thread among these and other online targets: They all have published web links, commentary or investigative pieces related to Brett Kimberlin, the infamous “Speedway Bomber.”
In 1978, Kimberlin was sentenced to more than 50 years in federal prison for drug dealing, impersonating a federal officer and a weeklong bombing spree in Speedway, Ind. The violent crimes left one victim so severely injured that he committed suicide. A civil court awarded the widow of the victim, Carl DeLong, $1.6 million. Kimberlin was released from jail in 2001, but has yet to pay up.
Investigative journalist/researcher Mandy Nagy, who blogs for the late Andrew Breitbart’s Internet media powerhouse, Breitbart.com, dared to chronicle Kimberlin’s lucrative business and political ventures over the past two years. Kimberlin has a large hand in two well-funded outfits, Velvet Revolution and the Justice Through Music Project, that have received funding from the likes of George Soros’ Tides Foundation and left-wing activist and singer Barbra Streisand. The charitable groups have viciously attacked prominent conservative individuals and groups, including Breitbart, investigative journalist James O’Keefe and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Nagy has been hounded relentlessly online and falsely accused of wild criminal conspiracies by Kimberlin associates for blowing the whistle on his shady online network.
After providing brief pro bono legal services to a liberal blogger who refused to whitewash Kimberlin’s past, conservative blogger and lawyer Aaron Walker lost his job. His employer was terrified by the thought of Kimberlin bombing his office and also fired Walker’s wife, who had worked for the same firm.
Walker is embroiled in Kafkaesque, free speech-squelching litigation with serial lawsuit-filer Kimberlin in Maryland. Last week, an inept judge who admitted abject ignorance about the Internet — and appalling apathy toward key free-speech Supreme Court cases — essentially gagged Walker from exercising his First Amendment rights and blogging about Kimberlin. Kimberlin pulled off a snow job in court, bizarrely claiming that an independent online effort to support Walker and expose Kimberlin’s past amounted to a criminal terror campaign against him. Renowned constitutional law professor Eugene Volokh of UCLA is providing pro bono help to appeal the order against Walker.
National Bloggers Club President Ali Akbar was targeted for spearheading charity efforts for Kimberlin targets; stalkers publicized his mother’s home, and Texas authorities are now investigating. Another conservative blogger who had the audacity to report on Walker’s plight, Robert Stacy McCain, was forced to move out of his home last month after Kimberlin phoned his wife’s employer and intimidated his family.
Never in the eight years that I have worked as an independent blogger have I seen such a concerted threat to the fundamental right of citizen journalists to speak their minds freely and without fear of bodily harm. As former Justice Department official J. Christian Adams points out, it is a federal violation of Title 18 U.S.C. Section 241 to conspire to deprive someone of his “free exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege secured to him by the Constitution or laws of the United States.”
Members of Congress swore an oath to uphold the Constitution — all of it. Who means it?
Michelle Malkin is the author of “Culture of Corruption: Obama and his Team of Tax Cheats, Crooks & Cronies” (Regnery 2010). Her e-mail address is malkinblog@gmail.com.
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
PROBLEM SOLVING MADE EASIER WITH KIRKHAM GONE
In August 2008 Liberty County officials failed to navigate the strong opposition former County Judge Lloyd “Tookie” Kirkham had gathered to what look like a solution to a long standing problem in Liberty County.
Prior Liberty County Judge Kirkham loved the camera and he loved the politics. While in office, the six foot six inch Tarkington native compared politics to his competing on the basketball court in Tarkington in the 1960’s. The only problem was that as good at Kirkham was at dominating local newspapers with his picture and winning re-election, he was equally bad at holding the cost of local government down and at solving problems. Local Republicans often joked that “Tookie is in most of our family portraits”, but no one joked about the unsolved problems.
County Judge, Kirkham was a no show in dealing with juveniles in his official capacity while county judge. In fact, while he talked a good game about dealing with juveniles, he was instrumental in closing down the only juvenile detention center in Liberty, County. His analogy about basketball never extended into the realm of problem solving. Perhaps being six foot six inches in the 1960’s in Tarkington Texas was such a huge advantage it left very little need for any other effort, the Liberty County juvenile problem is not as easily resolved. There were plenty of excuses Kirkham could have used had the media or taxpayers or parents challenged Kirkham squashing the facility.
But there are plenty of real life damages to youths that Judge Kirkham’s decision to give away his responsibility as the chief juvenile officer of the county has caused. In 2012 there has already been more than enough times a juvenile center in Liberty County was needed. Like the 14 juveniles in the infamous Cleveland gang rape of a juvenile and on other occasions where a juvenile facility in Liberty County could have made a difference, we have nothing. Kirkham made sure we would have no support system for our troubled youth. A troubled juvenile is often left in the classroom when a county claims it has no options. Troubled juveniles left in classrooms often cause problems for other young people that they would have otherwise never had.
So why bring that up now. Well one reason would be to ask public officials to do what Judge Kirkham failed to do. Public officials should explain the facts and circumstances surrounding juvenile detention facilities. There are fewer and fewer options and less and less use of juvenile detention by Liberty County. It is no secret we have the same kind of juvenile problems most counties have. And there is not a bunch of parents volunteering to have their little darling sit next to one of these troubled souls in English class. We need to know the taxpayer responsibility for a local facility, including the benefits from leasing spots to other counties etc.
The problem seemed to miraculously resolve itself after Kirkham left. In August of 2008 Rosalyn Ruffin Barboza proposed using a building in Tarkington for a 14-bed residential treatment facility. Her application for a license from the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS), formerly Children’s Protective Services was met by the same Lloyd “Tookie” Kirkham that had killed the juvenile facility in Liberty.
Barboza had envisioned a juvenile center filled with over a dozen boys ranging from ages 9-17 and three or four adult employees overseeing them. She thought the public would embrace her idea as a solution for both troubled teenagers and those who would benefit by classrooms free of such problems- she was wrong… In just one week in August of 2008, area residents led by Kirkham and others scrambled to get 1,000 signatures on a petition to keep the facility from being licensed and have that petition placed on the Liberty County Commissioners Court agenda. Kirkham again was “competing”, just like in his high school days. And just like in his tenure as Liberty County Judge, Kirkham was not solving problems. His legacy is one of blaming others and leaving the problem solving to someone else. Kirkham can claim his leadership in running Barboza out of Liberty County is because of his newly acquired conservative philosophy, but he spent more money as County judge than any other County judge in Liberty County history. He can claim he was protecting Tarkington from attracting riff raff from all over the state and all that comes with such a facility, but the facility would at times be filled with youth from our own county. The facility was to be a treatment facility to help teenagers.
Chuong Khuat. Khuat, a DFPS licensing agent said, “This is the first time I’ve seen this,” when asked by one of the people who turned out to protest the facility if it was common to see a community so completely opposed to a residential facility.
The opposition came not just from the proposed facility’s immediate neighbors but from the Liberty County political establishment at the time. The list includes a who’s who of former officials including County Judge Phil Fitzgerald, Pct. 2 Commissioner Lee Groce, and of course County Judge Lloyd “Tookie” Kirkham- who was already out of office in August 2008.
The media reported one of the things that offended those in attendance the most was the fact that the facility would have been a for-profit enterprise. Barboza informed the crowd that if her license for the facility was approved that state of Texas would pay her $668,000 annually to house the 14 boys there.
Further analysis was not offered. Just like when Kirkham shut down any chance of a juvenile detention center when he was in office, we were all left with an unsolved problem and the assumption that it was just plain too expensive to solve. An assumption that needs to be discussed in detail before someone is harmed so dramatically that the county’s decisions end up on the Houston news and another tragedy visits our community.
Kirkham is gone, what better time to brainstorm and solve problems.
Prior Liberty County Judge Kirkham loved the camera and he loved the politics. While in office, the six foot six inch Tarkington native compared politics to his competing on the basketball court in Tarkington in the 1960’s. The only problem was that as good at Kirkham was at dominating local newspapers with his picture and winning re-election, he was equally bad at holding the cost of local government down and at solving problems. Local Republicans often joked that “Tookie is in most of our family portraits”, but no one joked about the unsolved problems.
County Judge, Kirkham was a no show in dealing with juveniles in his official capacity while county judge. In fact, while he talked a good game about dealing with juveniles, he was instrumental in closing down the only juvenile detention center in Liberty, County. His analogy about basketball never extended into the realm of problem solving. Perhaps being six foot six inches in the 1960’s in Tarkington Texas was such a huge advantage it left very little need for any other effort, the Liberty County juvenile problem is not as easily resolved. There were plenty of excuses Kirkham could have used had the media or taxpayers or parents challenged Kirkham squashing the facility.
But there are plenty of real life damages to youths that Judge Kirkham’s decision to give away his responsibility as the chief juvenile officer of the county has caused. In 2012 there has already been more than enough times a juvenile center in Liberty County was needed. Like the 14 juveniles in the infamous Cleveland gang rape of a juvenile and on other occasions where a juvenile facility in Liberty County could have made a difference, we have nothing. Kirkham made sure we would have no support system for our troubled youth. A troubled juvenile is often left in the classroom when a county claims it has no options. Troubled juveniles left in classrooms often cause problems for other young people that they would have otherwise never had.
So why bring that up now. Well one reason would be to ask public officials to do what Judge Kirkham failed to do. Public officials should explain the facts and circumstances surrounding juvenile detention facilities. There are fewer and fewer options and less and less use of juvenile detention by Liberty County. It is no secret we have the same kind of juvenile problems most counties have. And there is not a bunch of parents volunteering to have their little darling sit next to one of these troubled souls in English class. We need to know the taxpayer responsibility for a local facility, including the benefits from leasing spots to other counties etc.
The problem seemed to miraculously resolve itself after Kirkham left. In August of 2008 Rosalyn Ruffin Barboza proposed using a building in Tarkington for a 14-bed residential treatment facility. Her application for a license from the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS), formerly Children’s Protective Services was met by the same Lloyd “Tookie” Kirkham that had killed the juvenile facility in Liberty.
Barboza had envisioned a juvenile center filled with over a dozen boys ranging from ages 9-17 and three or four adult employees overseeing them. She thought the public would embrace her idea as a solution for both troubled teenagers and those who would benefit by classrooms free of such problems- she was wrong… In just one week in August of 2008, area residents led by Kirkham and others scrambled to get 1,000 signatures on a petition to keep the facility from being licensed and have that petition placed on the Liberty County Commissioners Court agenda. Kirkham again was “competing”, just like in his high school days. And just like in his tenure as Liberty County Judge, Kirkham was not solving problems. His legacy is one of blaming others and leaving the problem solving to someone else. Kirkham can claim his leadership in running Barboza out of Liberty County is because of his newly acquired conservative philosophy, but he spent more money as County judge than any other County judge in Liberty County history. He can claim he was protecting Tarkington from attracting riff raff from all over the state and all that comes with such a facility, but the facility would at times be filled with youth from our own county. The facility was to be a treatment facility to help teenagers.
Chuong Khuat. Khuat, a DFPS licensing agent said, “This is the first time I’ve seen this,” when asked by one of the people who turned out to protest the facility if it was common to see a community so completely opposed to a residential facility.
The opposition came not just from the proposed facility’s immediate neighbors but from the Liberty County political establishment at the time. The list includes a who’s who of former officials including County Judge Phil Fitzgerald, Pct. 2 Commissioner Lee Groce, and of course County Judge Lloyd “Tookie” Kirkham- who was already out of office in August 2008.
The media reported one of the things that offended those in attendance the most was the fact that the facility would have been a for-profit enterprise. Barboza informed the crowd that if her license for the facility was approved that state of Texas would pay her $668,000 annually to house the 14 boys there.
Further analysis was not offered. Just like when Kirkham shut down any chance of a juvenile detention center when he was in office, we were all left with an unsolved problem and the assumption that it was just plain too expensive to solve. An assumption that needs to be discussed in detail before someone is harmed so dramatically that the county’s decisions end up on the Houston news and another tragedy visits our community.
Kirkham is gone, what better time to brainstorm and solve problems.
PATRIOTIC SONG BANNED FOR KINDERGARTENERS
A controversial Coney Island principal has decided it is more important for five year olds to sing Justin Bieber’s song, ‘Baby” than a song that promotes patriotism. Her refusal to allow students to sing “God Bless the USA” at their graduation has caused quite a stink at a school filled with proud immigrants.
Greta Hawkins, principal of PS 90, the Edna Cohen School, won’t allow kindergartners to even tap their toes to the Lee Greenwood song, also known as “Proud to be an American,” at their moving-up ceremony.
With all due respect to Jehovahs- The principal is a Jehovah’s Witness. Jehovah’s Witnesses do not recite the pledge because their religion forbids followers to salute any nation’s flag. Employees at the Edna Cohen School say the principal is disrespectful because she doesn’t stand when the school recites the pledge.
Below please find the words that Principal Hawkins is determine to keep from exposing to small children:
God Bless The USA
by Lee Greenwood
If tomorrow all the things were gone,
I'd worked for all my life.
And I had to start again,
with just my children and my wife.
I'd thank my lucky stars,
to be livin here today.
‘Cause the flag still stands for freedom,
and they can't take that away.
And I'm proud to be an American,
where at least I know I'm free.
And I wont forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.
And I gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
‘Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land,
God bless the USA.
From the lakes of Minnesota,
to the hills of Tennessee.
Across the plains of Texas,
From sea to shining sea.
From Detroit down to Houston,
and New York to L.A.
Well there's pride in every American heart,
and its time we stand and say.
That I'm proud to be an American,
where at least I know I'm free.
And I wont forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.
And I gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
‘Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land,
God bless the USA.
And I'm proud to be and American,
where at least I know I'm free.
And I wont forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.
And I gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
‘Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land,
God bless the USA.
Greta Hawkins, principal of PS 90, the Edna Cohen School, won’t allow kindergartners to even tap their toes to the Lee Greenwood song, also known as “Proud to be an American,” at their moving-up ceremony.
With all due respect to Jehovahs- The principal is a Jehovah’s Witness. Jehovah’s Witnesses do not recite the pledge because their religion forbids followers to salute any nation’s flag. Employees at the Edna Cohen School say the principal is disrespectful because she doesn’t stand when the school recites the pledge.
Below please find the words that Principal Hawkins is determine to keep from exposing to small children:
God Bless The USA
by Lee Greenwood
If tomorrow all the things were gone,
I'd worked for all my life.
And I had to start again,
with just my children and my wife.
I'd thank my lucky stars,
to be livin here today.
‘Cause the flag still stands for freedom,
and they can't take that away.
And I'm proud to be an American,
where at least I know I'm free.
And I wont forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.
And I gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
‘Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land,
God bless the USA.
From the lakes of Minnesota,
to the hills of Tennessee.
Across the plains of Texas,
From sea to shining sea.
From Detroit down to Houston,
and New York to L.A.
Well there's pride in every American heart,
and its time we stand and say.
That I'm proud to be an American,
where at least I know I'm free.
And I wont forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.
And I gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
‘Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land,
God bless the USA.
And I'm proud to be and American,
where at least I know I'm free.
And I wont forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.
And I gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
‘Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land,
God bless the USA.
Monday, June 11, 2012
ARCHERS STILL ON THE PROWL
In an election night conversation with Liberty County Democrat Party Chairwoman Nancy Archer she revealed the reason she remains the party’s county leader and her optimism about the future for Democrats in Liberty County.
Liberty Dispatch and the entire county knew beyond the shadow of a doubt Mrs. Archer had no intention of her or her husband John serving another term in the position of chairman in the local Democrat Party when neither of them signed up to be on the 2012 ballot. Most people would conclude that would have ended over a decade and a half of the Archers’ leadership. That was the beginning of the end of over 100 years of sheer unadulterated Democrat dominance in Liberty County.
But Nancy Archer continues to occupy the position despite the fact she did not stand for election in the latest primary. Election night she explained that no one wanted the job bad enough to sign up and run. Because of the lack of interest in holding the top job in the Democrat Party in the county, according to the rules, Archer continues in her role until their executive committee finds and approves a replacement. At the time of this article there is no word of anyone wanting the reigns of the party as it tumbles into its worst decline in history. There are four Democrats on the general election ballot and there is very little evidence that Mrs. Archer is doing much more than the minimum as she fulfills her responsibilities.
But don’t mistake the Archers silence for a lack of interest or activity in politics. Republican Party activists have more than once expressed concerned that some of the gains the GOP has made locally are not real gains. Celebrations over some real converts to the party by people that have been conservatives and were liberated four years ago by Barack Obama’s extremism is subdued by concern that party switching this year is motivated by just pure predatory opportunism. The Archers still have their hands in the power structure as their Troy-like, wooden horse (or should it be elephant) has held onto some of the power via claiming to be born again Republicans.
Perhaps the wooden elephant strategy is part why Nancy Archer expresses such hope for the future of Democrats in Liberty County. The Archers have the worst record of anyone who has chaired their party in the last 125 years, but still Mrs. Archer says it is just a cycle. She says it won’t be long before the local political climate will favor Democrat again.
No word as to whether she will continue by default in her position until then. But expect to see John and her and people like former Democrat County Judge Tookie Kirkham lurking around the courthouse trying to influence things via their RINO friends in the meantime.
Drop us a comment when you see one of them on the prowl.
Liberty Dispatch and the entire county knew beyond the shadow of a doubt Mrs. Archer had no intention of her or her husband John serving another term in the position of chairman in the local Democrat Party when neither of them signed up to be on the 2012 ballot. Most people would conclude that would have ended over a decade and a half of the Archers’ leadership. That was the beginning of the end of over 100 years of sheer unadulterated Democrat dominance in Liberty County.
But Nancy Archer continues to occupy the position despite the fact she did not stand for election in the latest primary. Election night she explained that no one wanted the job bad enough to sign up and run. Because of the lack of interest in holding the top job in the Democrat Party in the county, according to the rules, Archer continues in her role until their executive committee finds and approves a replacement. At the time of this article there is no word of anyone wanting the reigns of the party as it tumbles into its worst decline in history. There are four Democrats on the general election ballot and there is very little evidence that Mrs. Archer is doing much more than the minimum as she fulfills her responsibilities.
But don’t mistake the Archers silence for a lack of interest or activity in politics. Republican Party activists have more than once expressed concerned that some of the gains the GOP has made locally are not real gains. Celebrations over some real converts to the party by people that have been conservatives and were liberated four years ago by Barack Obama’s extremism is subdued by concern that party switching this year is motivated by just pure predatory opportunism. The Archers still have their hands in the power structure as their Troy-like, wooden horse (or should it be elephant) has held onto some of the power via claiming to be born again Republicans.
Perhaps the wooden elephant strategy is part why Nancy Archer expresses such hope for the future of Democrats in Liberty County. The Archers have the worst record of anyone who has chaired their party in the last 125 years, but still Mrs. Archer says it is just a cycle. She says it won’t be long before the local political climate will favor Democrat again.
No word as to whether she will continue by default in her position until then. But expect to see John and her and people like former Democrat County Judge Tookie Kirkham lurking around the courthouse trying to influence things via their RINO friends in the meantime.
Drop us a comment when you see one of them on the prowl.
Saturday, June 9, 2012
DEMOCRATS YEARNING FOR THE GOOD OLE DAYS AND LYING ABOUT OUR REPUBLICAN COUNTY JUDGE
The liberal website that chases car wrecks and shows morbid pictures of mangled Detroit metal and distressed neighbors at accident sites is trying to convince Liberty County citizens to admit they committed a gross error in the last election. The site seems to yearn to go back to the days of the FEMA scandal and Phil Fitzgerald or even further back to empty-headed days of “duh” when Lloyd Kirkham and company spent this county into its current crisis. A steady diet of “shame on you for voting in a landslide” to make Craig McNair the County Judge is beginning to flood the liberal site. Here are some samples quoted directly from the site of how they are beginning to try and influence voters:
1) It says you should be worried and that something is wrong: “Every taxpayer needs to start paying attention to the decisions being made by your County Officials”
2) It says voters mistakes in the last election are going to cost everyone: “It's very probable that they are going to raise your taxes in order to prevent depletion of all of the excess money.”
3) It implies our problems have been caused by the people just elected (Republicans): “Why have we had a deficit each previous year?”
4) It makes the CRAZY accusation that CEC raised the jail bid $29 a bed because of hesitation by County Judge Craig McNair: “They hesitated making a decision on the jail contract for several months, and in the meantime the cost to the tax went from $46.00 a bed to $75.00. That was several thousand dollars wasted because they wouldn't face the problem.” Future reports will more than make clear what really went on with CEC.
5) It lies about the cost and the reason Jay Arnold was hired to deal with CEC at a maximum cost of $2000: “The County Judge just cost the taxpayers $10,000.00 because, instead of letting the County Attorney make the negotiation, he took it upon himself to hire a different law firm to handle delinquent tax statements.”
6) It says Judge McNair is the one who we should blame the Wal-Mart debacle on. It speculates whether or not the building is actually up for sale. But it is common knowledge that former County Judge Phil Fitzgerald and Commissioner Todd Fontenot and company are the ones who purchased the building. News reports indicate the building is not worth what these men spent our hard earned tax dollars on.
Liberty County led by multi-term Democrats like Commissioners Todd Fontenot, Lee Groce, and Melvin Hunt and County Judge Tookie Kirkham (and a single term of Fitzgerald) have been taxing and spending and borrowing for years. Where is the King of Car Wrecks’ report on all of the bonds and all of the spending and all of the raises in salaries and all of hikes in appraisal values over those years? Where in any of that site’s reports does he point out that these democrats are the ones who farmed the jail out to CEC? And where are the reports that demand answers to the details of the original Wal-Mart purchase?
I will tell where those reports are. They are in the same place any negative reporting on Barack Obama is! Not on that site. That site wants to bash Republicans and if they have to blame them for Democrats’ mistakes so be it. But hang on folks, lest I sound like the current president as he blames Bush for the hole he can’t dig out of – Judge McNair can dig out of this with our help. We just have to get rid of the commissioners that are left that got us here and the era of irresponsible tax and spend government will be over.
Lloyd Kirkham will be remembered as one of the worst County Judges to ever hold office in Liberty County history. Democrat Kirkham single underhandedly did more damage to Liberty County's financial health than any other known person. Kirkham... a chapter of embarrassment not soon forgotten in Liberty County, the epitome of ignorance in Liberty County's corrupt history.
They can’t stand the truth…
1) It says you should be worried and that something is wrong: “Every taxpayer needs to start paying attention to the decisions being made by your County Officials”
2) It says voters mistakes in the last election are going to cost everyone: “It's very probable that they are going to raise your taxes in order to prevent depletion of all of the excess money.”
3) It implies our problems have been caused by the people just elected (Republicans): “Why have we had a deficit each previous year?”
4) It makes the CRAZY accusation that CEC raised the jail bid $29 a bed because of hesitation by County Judge Craig McNair: “They hesitated making a decision on the jail contract for several months, and in the meantime the cost to the tax went from $46.00 a bed to $75.00. That was several thousand dollars wasted because they wouldn't face the problem.” Future reports will more than make clear what really went on with CEC.
5) It lies about the cost and the reason Jay Arnold was hired to deal with CEC at a maximum cost of $2000: “The County Judge just cost the taxpayers $10,000.00 because, instead of letting the County Attorney make the negotiation, he took it upon himself to hire a different law firm to handle delinquent tax statements.”
6) It says Judge McNair is the one who we should blame the Wal-Mart debacle on. It speculates whether or not the building is actually up for sale. But it is common knowledge that former County Judge Phil Fitzgerald and Commissioner Todd Fontenot and company are the ones who purchased the building. News reports indicate the building is not worth what these men spent our hard earned tax dollars on.
Liberty County led by multi-term Democrats like Commissioners Todd Fontenot, Lee Groce, and Melvin Hunt and County Judge Tookie Kirkham (and a single term of Fitzgerald) have been taxing and spending and borrowing for years. Where is the King of Car Wrecks’ report on all of the bonds and all of the spending and all of the raises in salaries and all of hikes in appraisal values over those years? Where in any of that site’s reports does he point out that these democrats are the ones who farmed the jail out to CEC? And where are the reports that demand answers to the details of the original Wal-Mart purchase?
I will tell where those reports are. They are in the same place any negative reporting on Barack Obama is! Not on that site. That site wants to bash Republicans and if they have to blame them for Democrats’ mistakes so be it. But hang on folks, lest I sound like the current president as he blames Bush for the hole he can’t dig out of – Judge McNair can dig out of this with our help. We just have to get rid of the commissioners that are left that got us here and the era of irresponsible tax and spend government will be over.
Lloyd Kirkham will be remembered as one of the worst County Judges to ever hold office in Liberty County history. Democrat Kirkham single underhandedly did more damage to Liberty County's financial health than any other known person. Kirkham... a chapter of embarrassment not soon forgotten in Liberty County, the epitome of ignorance in Liberty County's corrupt history.
They can’t stand the truth…
Friday, June 8, 2012
LD EXCLUSIVE: Texas Couple Sues Angel the Psychic and Liberty County Sheriff's Office, etal.
(Dallas County, Texas 10:20 AM) A liberty county couple who lived at a Hardin, Texas address where a psychic said 30 plus children's bodies were buried- has sued the Liberty County Sheriff's office and multiple national news outlets. The couple allege their civil rights were violated and they were defamed/libeled.
See the full story here and associated 'civil suit' public record filings.
See the full story here and associated 'civil suit' public record filings.
Thursday, June 7, 2012
NORTH LIBERTY COUNTY POLITICS
There are only four local candidates signed up in the Democrat Party to run in the general election against a candidate in a Republican Party that is on a historic run in Liberty County. The Democrats are- Precinct 1 Commissioner Todd Fontenot, Precinct 3 Commissioner Melvin Hunt, Precinct 6 Constable Royce Wheeler, and Precinct 2 Constable Les Hulsey. Two of the four Democrats are from precincts in the furthest most northern part of county.
One of the two North Liberty County candidates is longtime Commissioner Melvin Hunt, a former school teacher. Hunt has already unveiled at least one part of his campaign strategy to combat the rising tide of people wanting a change from business as usual in the courthouse in Liberty. Hunt’s strategy is to identify with the voters wanting to dump the tax and spend (and cheat FEMA) good ole boys is easily identified in one single piercing phrase he used to describe Commissioners Todd Fontenot and Lee Groce and former County Judge Phil Fitzgerald. Here is Commissioner Melvin Hunt’s phrase about three Democrat Party colleagues he has worked with for years:
“The evil empire.”
Hunt obviously hopes to pick up conservative Republican votes and hang on to Democrat votes with this kind of rhetoric as he faces the winner of the Republican primary run off. Tricky business for someone who is known as one of the chief insiders and architects of the way things have been for years in Liberty County.
Constable Royce Wheeler is the other north Liberty County Democrat hoping to stem the tide of Republican insurgence. Wheeler is a longtime unabashed Democrat office holder. He makes no beans about his party affiliation – he is proud of it. According to Wheeler, he runs as a Democrat because he is one. He is not a politician who minces words and plays games like others in his party. If Liberty Dispatch had a quote or a phrase from Royce Wheeler that identified his election strategy, it would likely be more like the following:
“I have done a good job and I am the best man to be the constable here. Compare my record with my opponents and vote for the person you want to protect and serve in your community.”
Liberty Dispatch doesn’t agree with Royce Wheeler’s politics but has respect for his sticking to his Democrat Party platform. Wheeler hasn’t become a RINO like some others in his party who have cowardly run as Republicans. The list of Liberty County RINOS has grown rapidly.
Liberty Dispatch has heard a great variety of opinions from the movers and shakers in the Cleveland area about their races and we look forward to watching them decide who they choose to hold these elected offices for the next four years.
By, Liberty Dispatch Contributors
One of the two North Liberty County candidates is longtime Commissioner Melvin Hunt, a former school teacher. Hunt has already unveiled at least one part of his campaign strategy to combat the rising tide of people wanting a change from business as usual in the courthouse in Liberty. Hunt’s strategy is to identify with the voters wanting to dump the tax and spend (and cheat FEMA) good ole boys is easily identified in one single piercing phrase he used to describe Commissioners Todd Fontenot and Lee Groce and former County Judge Phil Fitzgerald. Here is Commissioner Melvin Hunt’s phrase about three Democrat Party colleagues he has worked with for years:
“The evil empire.”
Hunt obviously hopes to pick up conservative Republican votes and hang on to Democrat votes with this kind of rhetoric as he faces the winner of the Republican primary run off. Tricky business for someone who is known as one of the chief insiders and architects of the way things have been for years in Liberty County.
Constable Royce Wheeler is the other north Liberty County Democrat hoping to stem the tide of Republican insurgence. Wheeler is a longtime unabashed Democrat office holder. He makes no beans about his party affiliation – he is proud of it. According to Wheeler, he runs as a Democrat because he is one. He is not a politician who minces words and plays games like others in his party. If Liberty Dispatch had a quote or a phrase from Royce Wheeler that identified his election strategy, it would likely be more like the following:
“I have done a good job and I am the best man to be the constable here. Compare my record with my opponents and vote for the person you want to protect and serve in your community.”
Liberty Dispatch doesn’t agree with Royce Wheeler’s politics but has respect for his sticking to his Democrat Party platform. Wheeler hasn’t become a RINO like some others in his party who have cowardly run as Republicans. The list of Liberty County RINOS has grown rapidly.
Liberty Dispatch has heard a great variety of opinions from the movers and shakers in the Cleveland area about their races and we look forward to watching them decide who they choose to hold these elected offices for the next four years.
By, Liberty Dispatch Contributors
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Ballot Draw Meeting for Republican Run-off Elections
Press Release
The Liberty County Republican Party will hold the blind draw for the order of the names on the ballots for the run-off elections on Monday, June 11, 2012, at 5:30 P.M. at the Liberty County Republican Headquarters at 1821 Trinity Avenue, Liberty, Texas 77575.
Lee Haidusek Chambers
Secretary, LCRP
The Liberty County Republican Party will hold the blind draw for the order of the names on the ballots for the run-off elections on Monday, June 11, 2012, at 5:30 P.M. at the Liberty County Republican Headquarters at 1821 Trinity Avenue, Liberty, Texas 77575.
Lee Haidusek Chambers
Secretary, LCRP
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
KOEN AND PRECINCT 3 CONSTABLE POSITION STILL ALIVE
LIBERTY, June 5, 2012 - A recount of the voting in the Republican Party Primary for the office of Constable Pct. 3 was conducted on Tuesday at 9:00 AM in the Liberty County Courthouse.
Primary election night results were as follows :
1) Incumbent Constable Danny Frankum - 49.4% or 590 votes
2) LCSO Sergeant Tommy Koen - 30.9% or 396 votes
If Danny Frankum had received one vote more than 50% of the votes in this race there would be no need for a run off election, but between the third candidate in the race (Darrell Elliot) and Koen the incumbent did not have the votes to win.
Frankum paid $500 for the recount and nothing changed in the vote tally between him and Koen. A decision was made on a provisional ballot that gave Darrell Elliot one more vote, which actually raised the threshold for Frankum to top 50%. The run-off will be July 31st.
This constable position is rumored to be a possible budget target and could be cut in the near future. This is a second job for Danny Frankum and hours devoted to it range from 12 hours per week to 30 hours (depending on who you listen to). It is thought to be the working hours in this precinct that have made it one of the top choices for consolidation and employee reduction.
Primary election night results were as follows :
1) Incumbent Constable Danny Frankum - 49.4% or 590 votes
2) LCSO Sergeant Tommy Koen - 30.9% or 396 votes
If Danny Frankum had received one vote more than 50% of the votes in this race there would be no need for a run off election, but between the third candidate in the race (Darrell Elliot) and Koen the incumbent did not have the votes to win.
Frankum paid $500 for the recount and nothing changed in the vote tally between him and Koen. A decision was made on a provisional ballot that gave Darrell Elliot one more vote, which actually raised the threshold for Frankum to top 50%. The run-off will be July 31st.
This constable position is rumored to be a possible budget target and could be cut in the near future. This is a second job for Danny Frankum and hours devoted to it range from 12 hours per week to 30 hours (depending on who you listen to). It is thought to be the working hours in this precinct that have made it one of the top choices for consolidation and employee reduction.
Monday, June 4, 2012
LIBERTY COUNTY VOTERS AND CONSTABLE RACES
Liberty County officials have talked about weighing in the role the county’s constables should play in enforcing the law locally. According to sources, there is even a possibility in the future of redistricting the six constable districts and reducing the number to four in order to save tax dollars. But what did voters say in the May 29th primary about constables?
The constable for the Liberty area, Tim Allison, won re-election easily. Those who watch politics observed with interest as voters were asked two questions. Liberty Dispatch did not post most of them, but every day at least one comment (sometimes six or seven) came in questioning Allison’s staunch allegiance to the Democratic Party as he ran in the Republican primary. But those over zealous to point this out would find out Election Day that the Liberty area had a historic percentage of Democrats and independents voting in the Republican primary. The other question about Allison was more directly related to how he does his job. That question was about Allison having another full time job, but was answered much the same way as he won his race easily against highly respected A.W. Boudain.
What appears to be the message from voters in the Liberty area about constables seems to be consistent with what voters decided in the Dayton area? The controversy surrounding incumbent Constable Chad Pafford was not about whether or not he was on the job or whether he was dedicated to his job. Instead most comments about Constable Pafford were about him spending too much time and too much of the county’s resources doing a job that was not the responsibility of the constable. Pafford was in a three man race and placed third behind Leroy Hanel and Robbie Thornton. Voters in both the Dayton and Liberty area seem to prefer a constable that is not seen or heard from too much.
The results from those two constable races are also consistent with the race for constable in Hardin. In the constable race in Hardin sources have indicated that Denise Frankum, the wife of Constable Danny Frankum, was everywhere campaigning for her husband’s re-election – even door-to-door in some areas. Most likely Frankum was concerned that voters would hear from supporters of his two challengers that he, like Tim Allison, had a full time job. Frankum may have also been concerned that both of his opponents have more training and are qualified and experienced in full time law enforcement work, while he is not. But Frankum finished first and is in a run off with Tommy Koen, Darrell Elliott finishing third. With some reports saying that Frankum is on duty as few as twelve hours a week in his role as constable, it again indicates voters may would rather not hear or see much from their constable.
Ultimately, county officials may have less opposition than some might expect if they decide to reduce the funding and consolidate the constables’ office to save tax payer money and balance the budget. No secretaries, no deputy constables, just one patrol car, and other cost saving measures besides the elimination of two constables would appear to be right in line with the message voters are sending by returning less active constables to office. Constables focused more on delivering warrants and other legal papers and being a watchman for the community with general patrol duty than traffic stops, etc.
Regardless of what happens with the constable offices, whether they are consolidated or not, Liberty County needs to make sure our constables are well trained for what can be a very dangerous job. When elections are a popularity contest sometimes voters place someone in the justice system that is ill prepared for what someday maybe on their plate.
The constable for the Liberty area, Tim Allison, won re-election easily. Those who watch politics observed with interest as voters were asked two questions. Liberty Dispatch did not post most of them, but every day at least one comment (sometimes six or seven) came in questioning Allison’s staunch allegiance to the Democratic Party as he ran in the Republican primary. But those over zealous to point this out would find out Election Day that the Liberty area had a historic percentage of Democrats and independents voting in the Republican primary. The other question about Allison was more directly related to how he does his job. That question was about Allison having another full time job, but was answered much the same way as he won his race easily against highly respected A.W. Boudain.
What appears to be the message from voters in the Liberty area about constables seems to be consistent with what voters decided in the Dayton area? The controversy surrounding incumbent Constable Chad Pafford was not about whether or not he was on the job or whether he was dedicated to his job. Instead most comments about Constable Pafford were about him spending too much time and too much of the county’s resources doing a job that was not the responsibility of the constable. Pafford was in a three man race and placed third behind Leroy Hanel and Robbie Thornton. Voters in both the Dayton and Liberty area seem to prefer a constable that is not seen or heard from too much.
The results from those two constable races are also consistent with the race for constable in Hardin. In the constable race in Hardin sources have indicated that Denise Frankum, the wife of Constable Danny Frankum, was everywhere campaigning for her husband’s re-election – even door-to-door in some areas. Most likely Frankum was concerned that voters would hear from supporters of his two challengers that he, like Tim Allison, had a full time job. Frankum may have also been concerned that both of his opponents have more training and are qualified and experienced in full time law enforcement work, while he is not. But Frankum finished first and is in a run off with Tommy Koen, Darrell Elliott finishing third. With some reports saying that Frankum is on duty as few as twelve hours a week in his role as constable, it again indicates voters may would rather not hear or see much from their constable.
Ultimately, county officials may have less opposition than some might expect if they decide to reduce the funding and consolidate the constables’ office to save tax payer money and balance the budget. No secretaries, no deputy constables, just one patrol car, and other cost saving measures besides the elimination of two constables would appear to be right in line with the message voters are sending by returning less active constables to office. Constables focused more on delivering warrants and other legal papers and being a watchman for the community with general patrol duty than traffic stops, etc.
Regardless of what happens with the constable offices, whether they are consolidated or not, Liberty County needs to make sure our constables are well trained for what can be a very dangerous job. When elections are a popularity contest sometimes voters place someone in the justice system that is ill prepared for what someday maybe on their plate.
Sunday, June 3, 2012
RUN-OFF TO REPLACE KAY BAILEY
June 3, 2012 (Liberty, Texas) -- Texas Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and former state Solicitor General Ted Cruz are heading to perhaps the most heavily financed runoff in the state's Republican primary history. In the primary Liberty County voted over 60% in favor of the better known Dewhurst, Ted Cruz has 60 days from primary night to gain the trust of 51% of voters across Texas.
The race to replace Republican U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison was all out war, with brutally aggressive attacks from both sides. Cruz and Dewhurst competed to see who could claim to be the true conservative in the race. Dewhurst called in his markers and got endorsements from popular Republican Mike Huckabee and Texas Governor Rick Perry while conservatives that didn’t owe any paybacks for previous campaign help seem to all back Cruz – that would include Sarah Palin and Rick Santorum.
Despite better name recognition and the ability to call in favors, David Dewhurst, the party establishment's choice, was short of the majority needed to earn the nomination outright. Most people credit the tea party for keeping Cruz’s campaign alive. He is hoping to have a better chance in a Republican run-off where it is less likely for Democrats in rural counties to vote. In the primary Dewhurst is said to have voted in big numbers for his opponent. He is also banking on the word getting out on the deceiving television and radio ads trying portraying him as someone who would sell out to China to win a legal fee. In short, the longer the race, the better opportunity Cruz has to let people know who he is and compare Dewhurst record to Cruz’s vision for Texas’ future.
The two men will now face a runoff election on July 31 to advance to the November general election. A runoff also will decide the Democratic primary.
The race to replace Republican U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison was all out war, with brutally aggressive attacks from both sides. Cruz and Dewhurst competed to see who could claim to be the true conservative in the race. Dewhurst called in his markers and got endorsements from popular Republican Mike Huckabee and Texas Governor Rick Perry while conservatives that didn’t owe any paybacks for previous campaign help seem to all back Cruz – that would include Sarah Palin and Rick Santorum.
Despite better name recognition and the ability to call in favors, David Dewhurst, the party establishment's choice, was short of the majority needed to earn the nomination outright. Most people credit the tea party for keeping Cruz’s campaign alive. He is hoping to have a better chance in a Republican run-off where it is less likely for Democrats in rural counties to vote. In the primary Dewhurst is said to have voted in big numbers for his opponent. He is also banking on the word getting out on the deceiving television and radio ads trying portraying him as someone who would sell out to China to win a legal fee. In short, the longer the race, the better opportunity Cruz has to let people know who he is and compare Dewhurst record to Cruz’s vision for Texas’ future.
The two men will now face a runoff election on July 31 to advance to the November general election. A runoff also will decide the Democratic primary.
Saturday, June 2, 2012
REPLACING BOBBY RADER AS JUSTICE OF THE PEACE PRECINCT #1: DIAZ VS HEBERT
There is one negative when you elect someone to another elective office who is already doing a great job in the current elective office they hold. Voters have to replace them. This is the case with Sheriff-elect Bobby Rader. Electing someone to do the job he was doing as Justice of the Peace will be quite a task. It was not mere political rhetoric that pointed to Rader’s regular 5:00 AM visits to the jail to take care of county business. He was an excellent judge who combined justice and mercy in a way that made our community a better place to live in.
The voters have culled through a large group of candidates who wanted to fill Rader’s shoes and are down to two. Darla Diaz and Stephen Hebert are both very qualified.
Darla Diaz’s knowledge of how to run the JP office comes from being the right arm of the last two men to hold that position. Diaz was the administrative assistant to both Judge Sonny Loftin and Judge Bobby Rader. She has over two decades of observing and helping the business surrounding precinct 1 Justice of the Peace. It would be difficult for anyone to argue that she is not better prepared to step into the JP #1 job than anyone else. There are two disclaimers concerning Mrs.Diaz we want readers to be aware of:
1) As LD posted before, one of our contributors considers themselves a friend of Diaz.
2) In the primary election Liberty Dispatch (and perhaps every media outlet) was bombarded with e-mails and comments about the details leading to Danny Diaz’s (Darla’s husband) resignation and we posted a story on it because so many wrote in about it. We will not revisit the specifics of that subject or post comments on that topic. The subject has been well covered and the voters have chosen Diaz as one of two people to consider for this office despite any problems her husband may or may not have had.
Stephan Hebert did not enter the JP race originally. He signed up to run during the extended time that was caused by the three judge panel in San Antonio. Nevertheless he was the top vote getter on primary election night. Stephen has several years of law enforcement under his belt and he too would be easy to get up to speed in the necessary knowledge to run this office. The state has a school that will provide training for whoever wins this office and Stephen is well capable of doing a great job. Hebert’s family is well known for all of the help they give to worthy causes in this community. The Heberts are a “roll up their sleeves and pitch in” kind of family and voters can expect Stephen would be the same kind of judge. His father, John Hebert, is the owner of the Chevron fuel distributorship that is near the Trinity River bridge on the south side of highway 90 in Liberty.
Friday, June 1, 2012
Election night thank you...
Liberty Dispatch would like to thank Lee and Judge Tommy Chambers for their hospitality and hard work in making the election night party a great success.
We would also like to thank all those who contributed to the great food and refreshments.
You are appreciated!
LD, crew and supporters.
We would also like to thank all those who contributed to the great food and refreshments.
You are appreciated!
LD, crew and supporters.
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