Craddick ordered to give files on speaker's race to DA

[sonias]

This is the TX PAC corruptions story Tom Craddick is the speaker of the
house in Texas. Unfortunately you have to register to read the story.
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http://www.statesman.com/metrostate/content/metro/02/0219speaker.html
Texas House Speaker Tom Craddick said he has received an order to turn over documents from the 2002 race for speaker to the Travis County district attorney's office.

"We intend to fully comply with the summons and cooperate with the DA's office," Craddick said in a written statement Thursday. "I am satisfied that I, and all other candidates for speaker of the House of Representatives for the 78th Legislature, conducted our races appropriately, and I am happy to have helped elect a Republican majority — as I have tried to do since I was first elected to the House in 1968."

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Hot Damn!!!

Sonia

[GOPisEvil]

1. Excellent!

Couldn't happen to a nicer bunch. :7

[DemoTex]

2. This IS part of the money-laundering investigation against Tom Delay!

I know that, too, stems from the 2002 election cycle.

On edit: It is! Read the email I received today from Save Texas Reps (also edited subject line):

Well, thanks to the efforts of CleanUpTexasPolitics.com and others, the corrupt practices Tom DeLay and Tom Craddick used to steal 18 state rep races in 2002 are finally starting to get the attention they deserve.

On Monday, the New York Times reported that a Travis County grand jury is focusing on DeLay's political action committee, Texans For a Republican Majority (TRMPAC) because of the illegal corporate contributions is raised and funneled to right-wing state House candidates. This was a serious violation of state law. A felony, as a matter of fact.

Then, the Austin American-Statesman followed up with reports detailing how Craddick, a candidate for House Speaker at the time, violated state law by passing out TRMPAC checks to his favored candidates. That's illegal, too -- thanks in part to a state law to prohibit Speaker candidates from buying votes that Craddick himself voted for three decades ago! Read all about Craddick and his Cartel's continuing controversy of corruption. Today the Statesman editorial board called for an investigation of Craddick.

Now, I know a lot of rumors are swirling around about Gov. Rick Perry's personal life. But no one has ever questioned his faithfulness to the Texas Association of Business (TAB), which also happens to be under investigation for possible criminal violations of state campaign finance laws. Rick Casey wrote a compelling column in the Houston Chronicle about Perry's failure to listen to the Dallas, Austin, and Houston Chambers of Commerce when they advocate for more school funding.

Nope, one Rick points out about the other, Perry's gonna dance with the ones who brung him -- TAB. After all, they pay Perry's tab. And if they say we don't need more money for Texas schools, that's the end of the debate, as far as Perry's concerned. After all, as the other Rick notes in his Houston Chronicle column, "TAB bought the Legislature fair and square with $1.9 million in corporate funds."

And the Dallas Morning News is reporting that TRMPAC sent the Republican National Committee $190,000 in CORPORATE CASH and the RNC two weeks later the RNC funnelled that money back to 7 Texas State House Races. Fred Lewis, director of the citizens interest group CleanUpTexasPolitics.com, wonders why a Texas-based group trying to elect state legislators would suddenly send $190,000 to Washington, unless it knew it couldn't donate it to races itself.

The implications of all this are wide-ranging:

1) DeLay's Texans for a Republican Majority used corporate money to illegally influence 22 state rep campaigns in 2002. They won 18 of them. This got DeLay the majority in the Texas House that passed his ultra-partisan redistricting bill.
2) Craddick personally delivered TRMPAC checks to 14 candidates, in direct violation of state law. This got Craddick the Speakership he needed to help DeLay ram redistricting through.
3) DeLay plans to use the new partisan map to knock off at least five sitting Democratic congressmen. If he succeeds, he will have used illegal corporate cash to steal the Texas House and, then, steal a majority of the U.S. Congress for a decade to come.

Campaigns for People/CleanUpTexasPolitics.com has done heroic work in helping bring these scandals to the attention of the media. They've also got a video online with former State Rep. Ann Kitchen describing how corporate money was used against her.

Please help by supporting the effort to CleanUpTexasPolitics This is as important as any political candidate you can give to this cycle.

And while we're at it. Democratic turncoat and Craddick pal Rep. Ron Wilson has a very qualified primary challenger, National Association of State Boards of Education President Alma A. Allen. Please help her so the people of her district can have a real Democrat representing them in Austin. Her site can accept online contributions via credit card at http://www.almaaallen.com If you're sick of sell out Democrats, help a real Dem fight back!

Thanks,

Save Texas Reps

[DoctorMyEyes]

4. with a cherry on top!

Now, I know a lot of rumors are swirling around about Gov. Rick Perry's personal life.

Texas is getting pretty interesting.

[UpInArms]

8. here's the rumor

http://www.gossiplist.com/blog/

about a third of the page down

[madrchsod]

6. wow!

and i thought Illinois was corrupt!! well at least the Illinois republicans under and including the ex Governor Ryan are all under indictment...hope Texas does the same....

[TexasProgressive]

3. The worst of the GOP

Looking for serious scandal, serious corruption? Come on down to Texas. The Texas Republicans are a sick bunch. Rick Perry, Dubya, Phil Gramm, Dick Armey, Tom Delay, Joe Barton, etc. etc. etc. There's quite a history here. It's not pretty.

[displacedvermoter]

10. Go back even further

Jim Bowie, William Travis, Stephen F. Austin, Sam Houston...

land grabbing, persecution of the poor and weak, racism and jingoism and militarism, vote buying both at home and in Washington, its all there from earliest days!

[newyawker99]

14. Hi TexasProgressive!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[TexasProgressive]

16. Will Do, newyawker99

Thanks for the greeting.

I'm hoping that these investigations bring down some folks. I'd love to see Perry, Delay and Craddick implode.

I lived in NYC from 94-98. New York may have a fair number of GOP idiots, but nothing like what we've got down here.

You're in Brooklyn? Try the Cornbread Cafe in Park Slope. Good Southern cooking.

[yella_dawg]

15. Speaking from personal experience

Phil Gramm is such a piece of shit.

[TexasProgressive]

17. Personal Experience, yella dog?

I'd love to hear the details.

I agree with you.

I think that Phil Gramm and Dick Armey are beyond evil. Then again, can anyone be worse than Delay?

[sonias]

5. Yes this week in Texas sure has been exciting

Let's just hope we keep up this pace of fighting back. The Party says they will run Democrat candidates in all races in the future. Let's fight for Texas. Never give up and never surrender.

And by all means to support http://CleanUpTexasPolitics.com. Both Fred Lewis of Campaigns for People and Craig McDonald of Texans for Public Justice have been tireless defenders in this fight. Both are 501(c)3 organizations and take contributions which are tax deductible.

http://www.campaignsforpeople.org (Campaigns for People)
http://www.tpj.org/index.jsp (Texans for Public Justice)

We salute you!!!

Sonia

[0007]

7. Two groups want answers from Tom Craddick - Hot Damm

Tom DeLay and now Tom Craddick from Midland an old friend of junior.

When it rains it pours! Poor babies

"AUSTIN -- Two public watchdog groups and a Democratic legislative leader Tuesday called for investigations of House Speaker Tom Craddick's role in 2002 legislative races and his activities leading to his subsequent election as the House's presiding officer.

The demands were prompted by renewed attention over Craddick's involvement with a political action committee, Texans for a Republican Majority, which was instrumental in the GOP's takeover of the Texas House in 2003 and, at least indirectly, in Craddick's election as presiding officer.

The committee, headed by U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Sugar Land, is under investigation by a Travis County grand jury for possible violations of campaign finance laws. "

more.......

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/politics/2407413

[DemoTex]

9. "DA examining donations from Delay-linked PAC"

That was the Dallas Morning News front page, above-the-fold headline this morning. The sub-headline was even better: State Republican group denies laundering money through RNC.

Damn! I'm leaving Texas just when things are getting hot. I'll still be supporting Texas Democrats, though. Count on that!

[TexasProgressive]

11. Thanks, DemoTex

Thanks for the support. Texas Democrats need all the help they can get.

And thanks for the service to your country in Vietnam.

[DemoTex]

12. Welcome to DU, TexasProgressive

Damn good name there! Jim Hightower would fight you for it. Wish I'd thought of it myself.

I'm passing the mantle on to you guys, the "remaining," as I transition back to the North Carolina mountains. I'll still be watching Texas politics, commenting, and sending small checks to good candidates. My Texas roots go far back. The second president of the Republic of Texas (and Sam Houston's VP) was a great-great-great uncle of mine; Mirabeau Bonaparte Lamar.

[TexasProgressive]

18. Good for you, DemoTex

I've spent some time in Asheville. I love that part of NC. Have fun.

I'll fight Hightower any time for the name! I couldn't believe it was available. I'll wear it proudly.

Even from a distance, I'm sure that Texas politics will continue to provide you with plenty to think about, comment on, get pissed over, laugh about, etc.

As for the investigation, here's a good link. They update it pretty regularly. You probably already know about this one, but here it is.

http://www.txdemocrats.org/

[dusty64]

13. Kick!

x

[tex46]

19. What a week

Luckily this is going to Travis County Courts. One of the last Democratic hold-outs in Texas.

[Bandit]

20. Republican Motto ~ Better to ask forgiveness than to ask permission

Even if someone goes to jail the damage is done. The election won't be overturned. Whoever ends up taking the hit will just be Pardoned by a Republican Governor. We been had again and again and again.