GREETINGS FELLOW DEMOCRATS!





TDW Meeting

Saturday, October 20—THIS SATURDAY!!!!
CJs BBQ at the Bend in Bryan
11:30 a.m.

Come and eat lunch or just come
Everyone welcome
Marcia Mainord, Texas Democratic Women President, Speaker

Sign up sheets for:
1. Helpers for Naturalization bags and Naturalization Ceremony (November 1)
2. Habitat lunches – October 27
3. Petitions for Judge Susan Criss and Rep. Rick Noriega

NOTE: TDW has no official position on either of these candidates. They have asked to help with their petitions so they can avoid filing fees. If we receive other petitions we will be equal in our efforts. Judge Criss is a TDW member.

4. Be a precinct chair-the backbone of the party
5. Election workers for the March 4, 2008 primary-underpaid and underappreciated

For more info call Carol Biggs 690-6039
Bring a friend





DPS argument over tapes is weak and waste of money

By The Editorial Board | Tuesday, October 16, 2007, 03:35 PM

The Texas Department of Public Safety says its refusal to turn over videotapes of goings-on in a back hallway of the Capitol during a legislative session is a matter of state security. It’s a weak argument, and both Attorney General Greg Abbott and a state district judge have rightly rejected it.

But DPS continues to waste taxpayer money, paying $165,000 in legal fees so far to fight disclosure of the videotapes, shot from security cameras in the back hall behind the Texas House chamber at the Capitol.

The Texas Observer, the liberal publication, filed an open records request for copies of the tape in connection with a May 23, 2005, legislative battle over a bill to enact a pilot school voucher program, as American-Statesman staff writer Mark Lisheron reported in Sunday’s editions. The Observer wants to see if James Leininger, a wealthy advocate for school vouchers from San Antonio, was in the back hallway lobbying and, if so, with whom he met.

Jake Bernstein, the executive editor, said the magazine is engaged in “an exercise to see what we can find out” - a basic mission of a free press.

Citing the Homeland Security Act, DPS refused access to the videotapes. DPS and its lawyers aren’t saying much. But in court filings the department has claimed that the tapes “contain critical, sensitive information” regarding details of Capitol security.

http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/editorial/entries/2007/10/16/dps_argument_over_tapes_is_wea.html





Reminder...

On Thursday, October 18, 7:00 PM, The Brazos Valley Coaliton Against the War will meet to discuss and plan antiwar actions and activities for this fall. The meeting will be held at my home, 1708 Amber Ridge Drive, in College Station. (This is in Emerald Forest--contact me if you need directions.) If you can't attend the meeting but want to help, let me know.

David McWhirter, for the Coalition     David McWhirter     mcwhirterdavid@yahoo.com





Rep. Tony Goolsby and Kenn George Charged in Libel Suit
Lone Star Project supported legal claim details lies and defamation in GOP vote suppression scheme

(202) 547-7610 - Fax (202) 547- 8258
October 17, 2007
Contact: Matt Angle
On the web at http://www.lonestarproject.net/

A 2006 cynical smear campaign and voter suppression scheme orchestrated by Republican State House Representative Tony Goolsby (HD102, Dallas), along with Dallas County Republican Party Chair Kenn George and a Dallas GOP consultant, may have backfired. Monday, former challenger Harriet Miller, with support from the Lone Star Project, filed a lawsuit in the 192nd State District Court showing that their attack "constitutes slander" and was committed with "actual malice."