(DeLay) Judge has had political cases before

[kurth]

(DeLay) Judge has had political cases before
By R.G. RATCLIFFE
Houston Chronicle

AUSTIN - Bob Perkins, the wired-on-soft-drinks judge who will hear the criminal case against U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay, is no stranger to prosecutions involving politicians. Perkins, who ordered DeLay's arrest Wednesday, in the past has been involved in the prosecutions of U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison and Texas House Speaker Gib Lewis. Perkins said he approaches cases involving politicians like any other in his criminal courtroom.

"My approach to this would not be any different than any other," Perkins said. "You've just got to play by the book and do what the law says. That's the only way you can assure that you are doing the right thing."

In 1993, Perkins administered the grand jury that indicted Hutchison, a Republican, on ethics charges. Perkins removed himself from trying the case because he had given $300 to her Democratic opponent. He may face a similar appearance of conflict in the prosecution of DeLay, R-Sugar Land.

But Perkins also has presided over the prosecution of a major Democratic politician. When then-House Speaker Lewis failed to show up in court in 1991 on a misdemeanor ethics charge, Perkins had him jailed...

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/politics/3404766

[ck4829]

1. First Earle, now Perkins

:rofl:

DeLay must know he is doomed!

:rofl:

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

3. according to the article

Perkins is generally considered fair. The only ones bad mouthing him were pols who were jailed by him. What I like about Perkins is that the majority of his decisions have been upheld on appeal.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. DeLay better watch his step

Another politician that was before this judge had this happen to him:

Perkins said his handling of Lewis was simple: The law required Lewis to show up in court and he didn't, so Perkins had him jailed after multiple warnings to Lewis' lawyer.

"The reason he wouldn't come to court was he didn't want to be on TV seen walking through the courthouse," Perkins said. "It was a situation of does he run my court or do I?"

[Tight_rope]

12. "It was a situation of does he run my court or do I?".....LMBAO

Gotta love that Judge Perkins!....

Now that's someone I want to see on the Supreme Court one day. I mean if he comes out totally clean and all!

[acmejack]

4. The Houston Chronicle is a RW organ...

Of course that is their take on this.

[AlCzervik]

5. i lived in Texas for 3 years and the Chronicle was my paper, i never

found them to be rightwing, the Dallas morning News--yes.

[kurth]

9. My perception as well

Houston (at least the city proper anyway) has always been more sympathetic to Democratic interests, much more so than the Dallas-Fort Worth area (think Plano!)

Unfortunately, every major newspaper in Texas ended up endorsing the moron last November - including the Austin American-Statesman.

[Gman]

10. No. The Chronicle is NOT RW. In fact...

they have been on Delay like white on rice for the past several years. They are absolutely NOT RW.

And, I'm not only talking from simply reading the Chronicle.

[jamesinca]

6. Ok, name a judge that does not vote

Name a judge that has registered as a decline to state.
Name a judge that only votes on propositions and not candidates for partisan office.

You will be very hard pressed to do it and they will call it a partisan attack if the person voted Dem in the last election.

If the person voted Repug or gave to a Repug cause, they should be expected to recuse theirselves for the same reasons.

If DeLay were allowed to play out the partisan attack thing, like he wants to and be a helpless victim, then the case would never be tried.

[Inland]

11. That's usually the problem.

It's left up to the judge's discretion.

In Illinois, the court case on judge's pay ended up in front of the very judges whose pay was at issue. Why? There wasn't anyone else: all the Ilinois judges' pay was at issue.

In texas, the bench is elected and money/partisanship is huge. Just saying.

[ewagner]

7. Re: Delay Indictment

all I've got to say:

[cantstandbush]

8. If any of these RW judges really wanted to serve their nation and

the Constitution, they would jail this administration's minion every chance they get.

[Justitia]

13. Perkins is a no-nonsense, fair, straight shooter

He has presided over political cases because they fall under his jurisdiction in Travis County.

DeLay has nowhere to go with claiming political bias against either Perkins or Earle. He's simply trying anything at this point to weasel out of facing justice.

Suck it up Tom! You did the crime, you do the time.

No Special Treatment!!! Rule of Law!!!! Rule of Law!!!! Rule of Law!!!!