We just received the fastest statement ever from TDP Chairman Charles Soechting. Here it is after we ran it through the PinkDome translator.
"I want to commend Katy Hubener on running an excellent [lackluster, uninspired] race in the [sham] special election for House District 106. Katy ran as an independent voice [she never listened to a word we said, rogue!], who could be trusted to stand up against a special interest [not getting a dime from any PACs] agenda and fight for the best interests of Texas families.
In a five-week sprint special election called by Governor Perry to benefit his hand-picked candidate in a Republican district, Katy Hubener held her opponent to a margin of only a few hundred votes [we hate you people that don't vote], signaling a trend of voter dissatisfaction with one-party Republican rule [ahem, 34% approval ratings, anyone? anyone?!] in the State of Texas. [We'll get you my pretties!]
Katy will continue to campaign as an independent voice for North Texas families [*eye roll*], and we feel confident about her chances in November. The dynamics of a general election will no doubt benefit Katy and her strong organization of supporters. [But, don't look for us, we're packing up and moving on! See ya later, Katy...good luck and all that, smooches..call us, we'll do lunch! We swear!]
As we enter an important special session on education and school finance, the voters of District 106 and every other community in Texas will be watching and waiting to hold legislators accountable. [You people are going to get fucked come next special session.] Kirk England [Who in the hell is Kirk England?] will have to face the voters again in November and answer for a record that either protects the priorities of North Texas families or reflects the special interests that control the republican leadership in Austin."
Texas Democrats are working to earn voters' trust [if we can't earn it, we'll buy it. Donate to the TDP!] and offer a real alternative to the partisan Republican "business as usual." With highly qualified candidates like Katy Hubener and Donna Howard on the ballot again in November, the pay-to-play politics established by Rick Perry and Tom Craddick will be replaced by state government with the integrity to work for all Texans." [Should we put in a 'We love Jesus" here?]
Pollas are closed in Grand Prairie now. The early vote totals should be rolling in any minute now, we'll post them when we see them. To keep tabs on how Katy Hubener is doing you can see the Secretary of State's page here and the Dallas County elections page here. Good luck Katy.
Consider this an open thread as the results move in throughout the night, let us know what you're hearing.
7:09
59.87%/39.39% England winning in early votes with 2,437 votes cast.
8:45
It's a blowout! (A reader emailed us with this: "Good candidates matter."
9:35
It's over, 52.86%/46.23% England over Hubener. Good fight Katy, we'll pick up that seat in November.
From a tipster:
Madla had an attack piece hit today questioning Carlos' Democratic credentials because he sold out Pete Laney in the 2003 race for Speaker of the House. Nevermind the fact that that's wrong, or that Madla wouldn't start sending out attack pieces if he wasn't in trouble. The real kicker is that, from what we've heard, Frank Madla had to call David Dewhurst's office and receive permission to attack the Republican party.Let me repeat that: Frank Madla had to receive permission from Republican Lt. Governor David Dewhurst to attack the Republican party in a direct-mail piece going out to potential voters in the DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY.
It's as if he just doesn't understand that he's running the Democratic Primary.
(photo of National Guard troops protecting a bus in May 1961, from Birmingham News)
This Sunday, The Birmingham News released some photographs taken during the civil rights movement that hadn't been printed at the time and were very recently discovered by an intern. It looks to be an astounding collection and great pictoral history.
[thanks to The Morning News]
Apparently, the Ciro Rodriguez/Henry Cuellar match-up is a great draw to the extremely geriatric community. 93 Democrats over the age of 90 turned out to early vote. 51 people over the age of 100 cast their ballots.
Rodriguez's campaign thinks there's something fishy with that many people over a century old showing up to vote. Colin Strother, Cuellar's guy, says this is an act of desperation by the Rodriguez camp. I'd say, isn't using dead people to vote an act of desperation in and of itself?
(Lifted off of QR).
Kronberg has gotten his hands on the mailer that Roy Blake is sending out to lash out at Wayne Christian James Leininger. You can see them here and here.
Fucking brilliant, Christian is screaming that he's a conservative and his picture just popped up next to John Kerry, also known as the anti-christ to folks in East Texas. My hat is off to the 5 incumbents that Leininger is targeting, they are hitting back hard.
If you live in Grand Prairie go vote. If you know someone in Grand Prairie call them and tell them to vote. If you know someone who knows someone who's baby daddy has a cousin in the district, tell them to go vote. Here's a map of the district, get up off of your ass and give a final push to Katy Hubener to make sure we have her here in Austin this spring. And just for the hell of it, go visit her website one more time.
Hillary says Karl Rove is obsessed with her. Since the headline burned an image into our brain we thought we'd poorly illustrate it here for you.
Send us your own photoshop version of 'politics makes strange bedfellows' and we can gouge our eyes out together!
Thought I'd throw in a reference to our favorite wigga rapper, Eminem there. You know how people are sometimes afraid of taking on the government or pissing off someone in power because they think the IRS will audit them if they do? Sure you do, it's a common plot device in many a sitcom. Now we all know without any doubt that it's not just a convenient Hollywood device, it's real. U.S. Rep. Sam Johnson of Plano used his influence to prompt a tax audit of a group that opposed Tom DeLay.
We wonder if the Texans for Public Justice went into the IRS with a shoebox full of receipts and a promise of sexual favors to the nerdy IRS Auditor in exchange for leniency?
The U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear the drama that unfolded in Texas over redistricting in 2003. We'll be hosting "Supreme Court Watch" Parties.
While we're trying to decipher those maps and census equations that are way beyond our comprehension, we'll take our glass of champagne and watch the real drama everyone cares about...Texan Anna Nicole Smith will get her chance to get her hands on all that money. Mmmmm, money.
Remember when we showed you the Madla campaign piece with the misspelled names of his supporters? Someone tips us off that the dumbass still doesn't have anyone on his staff that knows how to spell the names of the people that endorse his losing campaign.
The following names are misspelled in some way on his endorsements page:
Former San Antonio City Councilwoman Toni Moorhouse
Former Eagle Pass School Board Member Francisco Martinez
Former Maverick County Judge Rudy Bowles
Presidio County Sherriff Danny Dominguez
Jeff Davis County Attorney Bart Medley
Edwards County Commissioner F.O. “Tike� Burleson
Reeves County Sherriff Arnulfo Gomez
Pecos City Councilman Michael Benavides
Pecos County Commissioner Paul Valenzuela
Uvalde County District Attorney Anton “Tony� Hackebeil
It's nice to get endorsements and all, it's even better to have the courtesy to even give a shit how to spell their names. What a dumbass.
Rumor is that Cheney will retire after the 2006 elections. What can we say? "About damn time"? "The damage has already been done"? "Who really cares anymore?" I would link straight to the article, but apparently everybody and their dog is trying to read about it.
Tom Delay is trailing in cash on hand to Nick Lampson. Henry Cuellar is trailing in cash on hand to Ciro Rodriguez (link via Kuff & Kos). Hell hath frozeth over.
The SAEN ran a story on those outsider candidates vying to be governor. It should be headlined "Who's the craziest person in the GOP gubernatorial primary?"
Star Locke says he was on a Navy SEAL team that tried to kill Fidel Castro. Conveniently enough, there is a government cover-up and he was the only survivor. Larry Kilgore is gonna kill anyone affiliated with abortion. Rhett Smith just keeps spreading gay rumors about the governor. Laugh if you will, but remember Rick Perry wants to run for president. I honestly think they're all batty.
Best quote from the story:
"It is quite possible that someone is insane and they think they have a chance".
In a stunning move of revenge for a God-awful season of the Real World filmed in Austin, MTV announced they will cover an "Alternative Spring Break" here to protest the death penalty.
So, if instead of getting drunk and showing your tits in Cancun you can join a wild time of student activism! To read the release click 'permalink'.
Bad mix on an old pun. The IRS was investigating religious organizations for politicking and has found that 3 out of 4 were indeed doing so. So much so that they've actually recommended revoking the tax-exempt status for three organizations.
When you don't keep Church and State separate, this is the result we'd expect. If religion wants tax funds for teaching abstinence, schools and to teach the Bible in public schools then the religions have to pay part of the taxes.
Here is it just after midnight, and we've stumbled in...covered in beads and miles and ages away from New Orleans. Somehow we managed to conjure up memories of the times we've spent there. We managed to do that with the help of many adult beverages in the great places Austin has to offer those of us that go out under the cover of darkness to forget about the reality that confronts us in the brightness of the day.
Just for once, we thought, why can't we just have fun? So, we did. Wednesday begins the season of Lent. We always have a secret dread of going to get 'ashed' on our lunch break on Wednesday. The end of of something and the beginning of something is coming this week.
What will we give up for Lent? Will we still feel all the things we still feel today while we enter the season of reflection and introspection?
Of course, we're drunk right now so all that sounds pretty hollow. We also did some pretty shameless things to get these beads that must immediately be disposed of so as to not remind us on Monday what we did.
Viva Mardi Gras!
We have discovered the source of our slow server this week. A Christian website forums group is stealing bandwidth by posting one of our photos. For those of you that are not geeks here's what it means. Someone did not save the photo and upload it from their computer to the forum. Instead, they simply linked to our photo. That means, everytime it is viewed it is sucking bandwidth away from our server...slowing down the loading of Pinkdome for your viewing pleasure. We have also discovered several MySpace users using our photos as well. The photos being used are:**WARNING DO NOT CLICK ON THESE PHOTOS!! AS THEY ARE CHANGED OUT TO INAPPROPRIATE THINGS THEY WILL NOT BE SAFE FOR WORK** The Dick Cheney will kill you photo, The censorship graphic, and a photo of Patty Hearst.
You have less than 24 hours to make this right or the consequences will be humiliating for you. The last time someone did this to us we replaced the photo with gay fetish porn, embarrassing all involved. The result was an immediate deletion of the photo.
We'll keep you posted and although we are tempted, we are trying really hard to not post ass-fucking on a Christian forum site. If we do, we'll post it in our extended entry as a NSFW result in a screenshot of the site for y'all to laugh hysterically and learn, yet again, why you should not fuck with PinkDome.
Wait for it, darlings...wait for it. (UPDATE IN THE PERMALINK)
[1R-(exo,exo)]-3-(Benzoyloxy)-8-methyl-8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octane-2-carboxylic acid methyl ester Endorsed Rick Perry today. They are also know as The Texas Chemical Council, but we like the scientific name a lot better.
We thought we'd throw in the chemical makeup of the council members making the decision just for some Friday fun.
Albeit a tad late, the HouChron does a nice wrap-up of the Milton Rister/Lege Council saga.
Just so you know, up until the day Rister was appointed head of Lege Council, he was getting paid by Leininger to distort votes of incumbent moderate Republicans. An example of how those distortions were used is this mail piece that went out in Charlie Geren's district:
"With Charlie Geren Crime Pays. He voted to pay convicted felons up to $23 per hour for work done in prison. Charlie Geren voted to force the State of Texas to pay union level wages to child molesters, murderers and rapists."
I'm just rabble-rousing, but good luck in April getting your school finance amendments drafted without the whole damn thing being riddled with points of order.
So Diane Patrick and Kent Grusendorf had a couple candidate forums yesterday. Wanna know what Grusendorf did to get votes? He said "I am the only conservative in this race." That's it. Well, at least that's all he said.
Now, I still don't understand why calling yourself a conservative is a de facto reason for election, but at those candidate forums fliers were passed out that attacked Patrick. They included sexual references and two images, one of them a drawing of two nude male figures embracing. (note: we here at PinkDome are all about nude figures embracing, just not necessarily for campaign fodder).
Susan Wright, the treasurer of the Republican Women's club that hosted the event said "This is wrong. It's so beneath dignified people". Susan, don't ever fool yourself into thinking that politicians are dignified people, or that anything could be beneath them.
Donna Howard is set to be sworn in as a bona fide House Rep next week at 11:30 on Texas Independence Day. She's even got her official page on the website of the House of Representatives, although it's lacking the picture and other bells and whistles.
Apart from looking like a state rep, she's bringing in officials from the 6 school districts in HD48 to meet with John Sharp. Looks like she's well on her way, just don't forget to bring in a shaman or something to scrub the office of any leftover Todd Baxter vibes.
Hot damn! We just learned via QR that Tommy Merritt filed a defamation lawsuit against his primary opponent, Mark Williams. Way. To. Go. Show that ass-hat Jim Leininger that you won't stand for his B.S. We were emailed the statements made by Merritt and his wife, you can read them by clicking permalink (just a slight bit of nit-picking, Tommy, maybe have someone proofread your statements before they go out, there's just a couple grammatical errors).
An excerpt from Mrs. Merritt:
Shame on you Mr Williams for your lies. Shame on you Jim Leininger for funding these lies. Our dignity and integrity are not for sale to such deceit.
And just for fun, go listen to Roy Blake's radio ad against Wayne Christian and Jim Leininger.
We found this bit of news an astounding testament to the art of 'deflection' and media manipulation. A new poll states that 60% of Americans are worried about the Bird Flu becoming a global pandemnic and basically igniting the end of civilization. Interesting, only 55% of Americans polled in February think the Iraq was was a mistake.
The bird flu has killed 91 people worldwide. American soldiers killed in Iraq? 2,286
Clearly, we do need a pandemnic...at least to cull out 60% of Americans.
Please, please, please give me permission to post your photo of candidate Buddy Meyer. The mustache alone deserves to be seen by the Pinkdome readers.
Thanks, Pinkdome
Texas Monthly Editor Evan Smith interviewed Senator Joe Biden for the KLRU show Texas Monthly Talks Thursday at the LBJ Library. (Nice place, you should go...but there's no open bar..ITPT totally lied to me) The show airs next Thursday and you should catch it in its entirety just to count how many times you can a.) count Senator Biden say this administration was/is 'dead wrong' and b.) see if you can hear me sucking down the last bit of my slurpee in the background.
Senator Biden answered his questions with enough charisma that I didn't start counting the holes in the ceiling tiles and we did get to learn he is planning to run for president in 2008. He also got a chance to use the new phrase that the Bush Administration is 'tone deaf' to the American people and said the port issue was an example of how the White House is obviously not taking homeland security seriously.
Good show, even if we didn't get laid.
In a stop to tout Bush's commitment to education *cough* Senator Box Turtle made a veiled threat to universities everywhere with this, "He pledged to help Texas universities and students gain federal grants for promoting Bush's initiative..."
Quid pro quo, Clarice. Quid pro quo.
He then went on to prove, once again, that he doesn't know his ass from his elbow with this bold-faced statement:
"He pledged his dedication to the president, saying Bush has remained strong despite criticism."
Nope, lowest approval ratings ever...members of his own party criticizing him and jumping ship...multiple investigations into his failures are no reason at all not to remain dedicated to your master you submissive bottom lunatic.
[Special thanks to our rare visit to the Tyler Morning Telegraph for such a classic moment in sheer stupidity]
How does a governor's communications director let him be interviewed for The Daily Show and not tell him that it's probably going to be of a 'spoof' nature? Gov. Rod Blagojevich of Illinois was interviewed and had a deer in the headlights look throughout the interview. Wow, how could you not know? How? You can watch it here.
97 students skipped school in protest of their principal's move. Why didn't I ever get to skip school to protest?
More than a dozen girls were arrested over a lunchtime foodfight. Arrested? Whatever happened to detention? In any case, rowr!
Via TexasWeekly:
"A mailer attacking Rep. Tommy Merritt, R-Longview, features on one side a partial view of a math test. Written over the problems there is a big red "F" with a circle around it. Mark Williams, the challenger, is attacking Merritt's voting record, and you're welcome to grade that as you please, but the answers on the math test in the picture are 100 percent correct."
Re: the port deal
"Politically, for the president, it is a huge mistake for him to be defending this decision. The president will be overturned," said U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay, the former number two Republican in the House of Representatives.
Ouch.
South Dakota became the first U.S. state to pass a law banning abortion in virtually all cases, with the intention of forcing the Supreme Court to reconsider its 1973 decision legalizing the procedure.
On reports of this news, sales of wire hangers and back alley garages skyrocketed in South Dakota.
*Update* Operation Rescue is THRILLED! Read their overjoyed email to the Christian Newswire.
Proving once again that ITPT and PD are not the same person, we'll both be at the Senator Joe Biden event today and the Governor Mark Warren fundraiser at Guero's tomorrow. While Eileen says she'll be dancing nude we have yet to determine our position on nude breakfast tacos.
For the first time ever, we visited the Lampasas Dispatch newspaper to see what was on the front page there. Luckily we hit on an article about a candidate forum. Republican candidates for judge. The quotes were so good, we had to share them with you. Here's all you need to know about being a Republican:
We'd like to thank these candidates for giving us absolutely no insight whatsoever into their policy, beliefs, and hopes for the county court. It's politicians that master the art of saying nothing while talking the loudest that surely means these fellas have a real future in Texas politics. You guys can use these platitudes and work them into your everyday conversations just for fun.
Firestorms of controversy. (We love that turn of a phrase) are brewing over turning over the U.S. Ports to a company based out of Dubai. We've been reading about it everywhere. We've been watching politicians flail their arms on the news shows in outrage and disbelief. We've heard the president vow to veto any dissent and now we see them trying to persuade us it is a good deal. The president even said, "people don't need to worry about security."
Nah, why do we need to worry about security. Your administration has proven you can't even protect a city from absolute destruction when you knew the threat was coming for days ahead of time. We're sure can handle surprise attacks.
Jumping on the illegal wire-tapping bandwagon, the Austin Police Department secretly wiretapped conversations between the suspects and their attorney. Confidential attorney-client privileges don't apply when it's a matter of national security. Ah, nothing like the smell of eroding civil liberties so early in the morning.
Worst part? We had to see Terry Keel's ugly mug staring at us in the Statesman's article.
Nueces County Commissioner Court has decided to pump $3 million over three years into the Irma Lerma Rangel College of Pharmacy in Kingsville. When we got the email, this came along with it, "While it is a shame that the county has had to step in and carry the ball for what is inherently a state function, I commend the County for this leadership."
We read all this and just had one question. Where the hell is Kingsville?
Just after Reconstruction, a handful of black legislators (some newly freed slaves) made their way to Austin. Their tenure didn't last long, but their impact is still remembered today. In 2003 a resolution was passed to honor their service, and a memorial is in the works for the Texas State Cemetary. Of course, it all comes down to money. Larry Thomas, a state employee has spearheaded this effort for eight years.
"Thomas originally wanted a monument [to black legislators] to be placed at the Capitol but changed his plans after speaking with Rep. Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton. Bonnen instead suggested preparing a memorial resolution in
honor of Haller, a two-term legislator, because it was easier and cheaper."
Niiice, easier and cheaper is what comes to mind when thinking of memorials, don't you agree?
This reminds me of a project I had when I worked at the Supreme Court of a Southern State. A Republican was Chief Justice during Reconstruction. His name had been removed from the history books, and barely mentioned in any Court historical documents. My job was to try and find a portrait. None existed. Erasing history is part of our history, I guess.
Scooter Libby needs our money, y'all. His legal defense fund has a website, we learned from Countdown. Isn't his a worthy cause?
Rep. Sue Myrick (R-NC) sends what has to be the best letter ever sent to President Bush from a Republican member of Congress. (.pdf) [via redstate.com and DailyKos]
The TDP is hosting a fundraiser tonight in Austin. We got invited, but since mingling with too many political nerds gives us hives we'll trust y'all will go in our stead and then email all the details.
Individual Tickets: $50 ($35 for TDP Sustaining Member)
Students: $25 with ID
Sponsorships: $125, $250, $500 and $1,000
2 drink tickets included
To sign-up to be a sponsor or for more information, please contact Rachel Johnston at (512) 478-9800 or
Turns out Texans want public education to be the top priority of our state government. Our state governor, on the other hand, wants property taxes to be the top priority.
Via BOR we learn that 47% of active voters want public education at the top of the list, as opposed to 16% who want property tax reductions. The people polled were 47% self-identified Republicans, 30% Democrats, and 19% Independents.
So let's recap: A majority of House members listened to their constituents and passed a public education plan that gave more money to our schools and more tax relief to homeowners. That's what was wanted by 63% of active voters.
Then, the Republican leadership shut down the session after that bill, which was supported by a majority of House members and a majority of voters, because they were rendered unable to raise our taxes and give the bulk of our money to special interests and wealthy contributors.
Now there is some $2 billion dollars sitting around that Craddick and Perry have been unable to get to our schools in 3 failed special sessions. That money, according to the voice of lawmakers, the voice of Texans, and the voice of reason, should be spent on helping our schoolchildren. Instead, Perry is going to try and use it in April to try and garner more support for his November re-election bid.
Tell me how this makes sense?
Remember when Bentzin was offering donuts if you'd come by and help them block-walk and put up yard signs? Well, we just received the information that Dr. Diane Patrick in HD94 is making the same generous offer! For $10 (suggested) you can get a yard sign and a donut. Don't you know Grusendork wish he had that kind of bright ideas!
Craddick has endorsed the Republican incumbents in a sad and sly way to show he's not part of the Leininger campaign to oust the anti-voucher moderate Republicans. While he continues to work behind the scenes to support what Leininger is doing with his challenge to the five incumbents, he's publicly stating he endorses them. Take the statement where he said he supported incumbents and then got super-pissed when their campaigns released statements thanking him for his support.
Once again he comes out with a strongly endorse Charlie Geren. Whit this kind of friends, who needs enemies. Now it's a game of watching Craddick trying to hold on to the Speaker's chair. Same shit, different day.
TX-01 Candidate Roger Owen continues his shocking attack on gays in East Texas. At a candidate forum he was challenged by former Gregg County Democratic United president Donna Rosenblum for his assinine remarks that gay candidates hurt the party.
Upon being challenged that his remarks were what hurt the Democratic Party the discourse took a decidely less civil tone, "You are the piece of dirt as far as I'm concerned," Owen said to Rosenblum. Rosenblum is a longtime Democrat and member of the community. (Just between us, she's over 60) So, that's a real Texas gentleman for you...calling a lady of any age a piece of dirt. Roger...do you kiss your mother with that mouth?
Owen claims gays are special interests groups dictating policy to Democratic politicians. He then went on to renounce his affiliation with the county party. Good riddance, asshole.
I've been waiting for something to strike me, something that would make me go, 'Okay, that's what I'll do.' Well, Ron Kirk is now endorsing Chris Bell. This is my sign, I guess. I, Bluebonnet, am gonna vote for Chris Bell in the primaries. As far as the general election, who knows?
Note: PD wants me to add that we as a site will not endorse any candidate, and will continue to make fun of each one. Especially Rick Perry.
Strayhorn reminded Governor Perry that Texas students ranked 49th in the country in verbal scores on the SAT in 2005 and 46th in average math SAT scores.
She felt compelled to do so after Perry painted the rosiest of pictures about the Texas public education system to a group of business leaders.
Let's all guess: Is Perry self-medicating or are these delusions the result of some awesome prescriptions!
Once again, we think someone ought to remind King George that there is such a thing as checks and balances. Hell, the Congress can't seem to convince him. He's 'brushed off' criticism of the deal that would put a UAE company in charge of some U.S. Ports, even going so far as to say he would veto objections if Congress passed a law banning the deal.
George hasn't had the balls to veto anything his entire term and a half, not that he's had to because the Congress has been his willful puppet the entire time, but still. To see a firestorm of criticism from politicians and the people and to simply brush it off because you have ties to the company and couldn't give a rat's ass what Congress thinks is unbelievable.
Remember the good ol' days when our government was an elected representative democracy? Oh, the simpler days.
Kent Grusendorf seems a little scared and so do the people sending out pleas for your help in his district. Someone forwarded us this urgent email today and we thought we'd share it with you. If you are in District 94 (handy map here) then get out the vote your own self. Call up the David Pillow campaign and ask how you can help!
Grusendorf is facing his most serious primary challenger ever in candidate Diane Patrick. She's received the endorsement of the Texas Parent PAC and since we all know what a great champion of public education Kent is, this shouldn't be much a surprise.
Will You Help Us Get Out the Vote?
Early Voting has started and we need your help!
Chairman Grusendorf is fighting a tough opponent and we need volunteers to work our phone banks every day until Election Day.
WHAT:
Victory for Grusendorf Early Voting Task Force
WHEN & WHERE:
Everyday this week and next – February 21st through March 3rd
VOLUNTEER PHONE BANKS
Grusendorf Victory Headquarters
1221 West Nathan Lowe Road
Suite A
(We are right off of Cooper Street, behind the Discount Tire Store)
(817) 467-3065
**This reminds us, if you receive emails, phone calls or direct mail pieces share them with us so we can keep up with what's going on and where. We avoid all political mailings like the plague unless they're sent to us by you. Smooches!
Early voting starts today.
