Stimulus, Texas Republicans, and playing it both ways: new report offers yet more examples

The nonpartisan Center for Public Integrity has dug out more evidence of Republican lawmakers from Texas and across the country quietly prodding the federal government to release stimulus money for pet projects -- even as they hammered Democrats for the stimulus as wasteful or even an illegitimate use of federal authority.
Todd Gillman reports: http://dallasne.ws/9FUbpi

Dallas billionaire biggest donor to Rove political committee

Slater:
Swiftboat Veterans moneyman Harold Simmons has emerged as the biggest donor to a political committee linked to Karl Rove that is targeting top Democrats.
http://dallasne.ws/cgcT0Y

Miner confrontation

Hoppe reports from Corpus:
Rick Perry spokesman Mark Miner came to Corpus Christi to attend the Democratic Party state convention, but the problem with being on TV all the time knocking Bill White is that people tend to recognize you.
http://tinyurl.com/35k57u6

House GOP flap: Solomons, Berman swap insults

Garrett has the story:
Rep. Burt Solomons, R-Carrollton , made public today a letter in which he denounced his Republican colleague, Tyler's Leo Berman, as a chronic liar who has falsely accused state GOP leaders of helping deep-six bills to discourage illegal immigration and acquiescing in last session's death of a "voter ID" bill.
http://tinyurl.com/2dx3gy9

Circle of Perry associates grows in the Green Party scandal

Slater: The circle of Republicans close to Rick Perry who are involved in the Green Party petition scandal continues to grow.
http://tinyurl.com/26awm7t

Senate Republicans cite deficit, kill state fiscal aid

Garrett reports:
Senate Republicans in Washington late today successfully beat back an election-year bill that, among other things, would keep Texas' looming budget shortfall from growing by nearly $1 billion.
http://tinyurl.com/23lyppv

Texas Democratic governor candidate Bill White's main stance hails back 15 years

Slater takes a look at Bill White:
When Bill White became state Democratic chairman nearly 15 years ago, he predicted that the party's worst days were over and that momentum "is definitely on our side."


He was wrong.

The Democratic Party was in political free fall when White took over after Republican George W. Bush's election as governor. White left the position as the GOP was on the verge of sweeping every statewide office in 1998.
http://tinyurl.com/32d5x8d

Q&A: New Texas GOP chief addresses party's challenges

Hoppe sat down with new TX state GOP chair Steve Munisteri and asked him some questions:

AUSTIN – Newly elected Texas Republican Party Chairman Steve Munisteri, who triumphed over an incumbent for the first time in party history at the state convention 10 days ago in Dallas, spoke Tuesday about the party's challenges, including its $700,000 debt, and its future direction.
http://tinyurl.com/2eaq5j8

Roundup of DMN coverage of last weekend's State Republican Convention in Dallas

 From the beginning -- 
DAY ONE:

Texas Republican convention arrives in Dallas; first up, show of unity between Perry, Hutchison
Our fearless leader Ryan Rusak sets the scene:
6:00 AM Fri, Jun 11, 2010
Good morning, political junkies. It's a great day to be a politico in Dallas: 15,000 delegates, alternates and guests (along with us media types) are here for the two-day Texas Republican Convention.


The action starts right away, with a Texas Federation of Republican Women breakfast featuring Rick Perry and Kay Bailey Hutchison. The two have not appeared together since the incumbent governor soundly defeated the senator in their heated primary battle in March. And Hutchison hasn't said much publicly about the campaign since her loss. As Wayne Slater noted earlier this week, expect the "Kay Bailout" and "Slick Rick" talk of those days to yield to pledges of unity and warm, if somewhat forced, interaction between the two.
http://tinyurl.com/2g4u23b



Republicans slinging red meat
12:47 PM Fri, Jun 11, 2010
Jeffers reports on TX GOP Chairman Cathie Adams' opening remarks at convention.
http://tinyurl.com/2bbzplc


Anita Perry introduces husband
Jeffers:
12:57 PM Fri, Jun 11, 2010
Texas First Lady Anita Perry is introducing her husband, Rick Perry, to convention delegates.
http://tinyurl.com/22sb3vn


Hutchison gives robust defense of Texas congressional delegation
Meanwhile, Rusak reports from Texas Federation of Republican Women breakfast:
1:08 PM Fri, Jun 11, 2010
Kay Bailey Hutchison's endorsement of her primary foe, Rick Perry, was the main highlight of their joint appearance at this morning's Texas Federation of Republican Women breakfast in conjunction with the state GOP convention here in Dallas. But Hutchison's robust defense of her colleague's in the state's congressional delegation was noteworthy, too.
http://tinyurl.com/29aqc63



Cornyn continues GOP pep rally
Jeffers has it:
2:09 PM Fri, Jun 11, 2010
The message for delegates at the GOP convention is simple: Don't stray away from Texas values.


Sen. John Cornyn said President Barack Obama was bringing a Chicago approach to the White House. He went on to talk about patronage, ward bosses etc. Kind of made me homesick.
http://tinyurl.com/23rzous


Stay away from Greg Abbott's daughter
Jeffers warns us the AG is apperently packing.
3:02 PM Fri, Jun 11, 2010
http://tinyurl.com/25vuxhf


Todd Staples talks tough
Jeffers continues to monitor the manliness:
3:35 PM Fri, Jun 11, 2010
"If they think they can mandate and legislate away our individual freedoms, I have one thing to say," he said. "Come and take it."

http://tinyurl.com/2fm2n9r


House Speaker Straus hears some boos
Jeffers reports:
3:42 PM Fri, Jun 11, 2010
House Speaker Joe Straus is not the most popular Republican at this convention.
http://tinyurl.com/2bprvlf


Texas lite governor's showdown with Rahm Emanuel: face-poking nearly cost him a finger, David Dewhurst says
Gillman gives us a fascinating glimpse at the world of big-time politics:
3:56 PM Fri, Jun 11, 2010
Most Rahm Emanuel stories involve cussing. One involves a buck naked lobbying effort at the congressional gym. Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst's involves a confrontation featuring behavior so menacing, he came close to snapping Emanuel's finger.
http://tinyurl.com/2ag9una


Dems get into the act with a trailer, an elephant and fake money
via Rusak: Intern reporter Neena Satija brings us this report on the Democrats' efforts to crash the Texas GOP party on Friday:
5:50 PM Fri, Jun 11, 2010
Lest the Texas Republicans steal all the headlines this weekend, the Democrats had their own little show near the Dallas Convention Center on Friday afternoon. Parked outside Eddie Deen's Ranch on South Lamar Street was a 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom green-and-white mobile home that the Texas AFL-CIO is generously offering Governor Rick Perry for $1 a month.

http://tinyurl.com/28f7g8c
__________________________________________________
Meanwhile, in a galaxy far, far away...

Ex-Texas gubernatorial candidate an outlier at state GOP convention in Dallas
Hoppe reports on the insurgency:
12:00 AM CDT on Saturday, June 12, 2010
The Magnolia, as state Republican Party convention hotels go, is an outlier. And it's here in the lobby that Debra Medina, the tea party favorite who made an impressive stand in the primary for governor, is rousing the GOP rabble.
http://tinyurl.com/38oppkr

__________________________________________________

DAY TWO:

Day 2 of the Texas Republican convention: platform, elections and (more) speeches
Rusak wakes us up early for the second day of the State Republican Convention:
8:00 AM Sat, Jun 12, 2010
Might Republicans be turning into Democrats?


At least in one way, perhaps. Their tradition of tight-ship, done-before-dusk conventions could be lost today as the GOP puts off the business of its gathering at the Dallas Convention Center until the late afternoon. Debra Medina thinks it's all done on purpose; make sure you don't miss Christy Hoppe's story [see above -- jj] on Medina's counter-convention event Friday night.
http://tinyurl.com/32sh468



Mayor Leppert: Dallas has a prayer
Slater reports:
9:01 AM Sat, Jun 12, 2010
Delegates were up early Saturday morning for a prayer rally that started the day at the state Republican convention.
http://tinyurl.com/3xzrln8


Shoot, there's Jerry Patterson
Hoppe reports from the jungle:
12:52 PM Sat, Jun 12, 2010
http://tinyurl.com/3y6pbsq


GOP platform calls for Texas to adopt immigration law similar to Arizona's
Jeffers looks at the planks:
1:27 PM Sat, Jun 12, 2010
Texas Republicans are proposing a platform that calls for stiffer immigration policies and state laws that require local police officers to "verify residency status" of a person "upon arrest for another crime."
http://tinyurl.com/32jav8r


Speaker Joe Straus blasted by former state Republican Party vice chairman
Jeffers again:
2:01 PM Sat, Jun 12, 2010
Former Texas Republican Party Vice Chairman David Barton distributed four-page attack document today that casts House Speaker Joe Straus as a Republican helping Democrats defeat the conservative agenda.
http://tinyurl.com/37ycl6z


Floor fight for Republican Party chairman looming
Hoppe reports on Adams' ouster, from the beginning:
2:31 PM Sat, Jun 12, 2010
Reports out of nominations committee is that Steve Munisteri has won the chairmanship race from the caucus vote.
http://tinyurl.com/356v8sj


Marijuana activists share their message at Texas GOP convention
Neena Satija reports that Medina wasn't the only one excluded from the proceedings:
2:45 PM Sat, Jun 12, 2010
Craig Johnson of Protectyouth.org, an organization that advocates for regulation and taxation of marijuana, applied for a booth twice before he was finally rejected.

http://tinyurl.com/2bwhb4n


Nominations committee picks Steve Munisteri
...even as (Hoppe reports) the fight for chairmanship continued:
3:18 PM Sat, Jun 12, 2010
http://tinyurl.com/33uqokq


The shopping scene at the Texas Republican convention
Neena Satija took a quick trip through the marketplace at the GOP convention and found some fun items:
4:16 PM Sat, Jun 12, 2010
If you've got the urge to go on a little shopping spree this weekend, the Texas Republican Convention is the place to be. They've got T-shirts with clever slogans, posters, pins, tea party earrings - the list goes on.
http://tinyurl.com/2upwzyo


Barbour to Texas GOP: Don't let 'purity be the enemy of unity'
The AP was on this one:
5:37 PM Sat, Jun 12, 2010
Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour told Texas Republicans on Saturday that the stakes in this fall's elections were "higher than any midterm election in my lifetime."
http://tinyurl.com/35bdhd6


Munisteri wins election as Texas Republican chairman with 59 percent of vote
Hoppe continues the chair narrative:
5:47 PM Sat, Jun 12, 2010
In a rare floor fight, the state Republican Party ousted a long-time social conservative leader and instead elected Houston lawyer Steve Munisteri as its new party chairman.
http://tinyurl.com/2vozro6


Republicans slam gavel on convention
Gromer bids us adieu -- till next week, when the Dems have their convention down in Corpus.
7:50 PM Sat, Jun 12, 2010
http://tinyurl.com/34qfrqv


And, at the last, the platform:
Immigration most pressing platform issue at state GOP convention

Gromer Jeffers reports:

Texas Republicans voted Saturday to call for a state law to require local police officers to verify that people arrested on suspicion of a crime are in the country legally.

If Republicans have their way, the Legislature would make it a crime for an illegal immigrant to "intentionally or knowingly" be in the state of Texas.
http://tinyurl.com/2dc5c9f


Other GOP platform proposals:


12:00 AM CDT on Sunday, June 13, 2010
Other proposals in the Texas Republican Party platform approved Saturday:

• A law to require that a sonogram be performed and offered to a woman seeking an abortion.
• Strengthening the State Board of Education's powers.
• Fighting efforts to increase the tax on gasoline or to index it to inflation.
• Outlawing of all sexually oriented businesses, including strip clubs. Dallas is one of the adult entertainment centers of the country.
• Requiring voters to produce a photo ID before casting a ballot.

Slater updates:

Remember Kay "Bailout" Hutchison, the spendthrift from evil Washington? How about Rick "Say one thing, do another" Perry - the governor for life whose cronies run Austin? That was so yesterday.
http://tinyurl.com/2do4dmm

Bob Perry bankrolls Republican in New Mexico

Perhaps the nation's most prolific campaign giver, Bob Perry is putting big money behind a candidate for governor in New Mexico. Slater reports.
http://tinyurl.com/39pr75c

Bill White urges Rick Perry to return $161 million in unemployment money from Texas Enterprise Fund

AUSTIN – Bill White called on Rick Perry to help small businesses whose payroll taxes have doubled by returning $161 million in unemployment funds taken for the governor's Texas Enterprise Fund.

The former Houston mayor and Democratic nominee for governor joined a list of former opponents who have questioned Perry's use of the Enterprise Fund, which draws taxpayer money and a portion of payroll taxes to entice businesses to relocate or expand in Texas. Christy Hoppe reports.
http://tinyurl.com/35qvn2m

Chet Edwards trails Bill Flores, according to new GOP poll

Tom Benning follows the Waco House race from D.C.:

A new Republican poll has Rep. Chet Edwards, D-Waco, trailing his GOP opponent Bill Flores by double digits, although the Edwards campaign quickly dismissed the poll as "wishful thinking."


Flores, who defeated Rob Curnock in a runoff primary last month, leads Edwards 52-41, according to a survey of 400 likely voters by OnMessage Inc., a Republican political consulting firm. That's despite the poll finding high "favorable" ratings for Edwards, the longtime incumbent, and low name recognition for Flores, a retired oil and gas executive.
http://tinyurl.com/29tl23e

On some of Perry's attack lines on White, differences are minimal

Slater:
AUSTIN — Political campaigns are about convincing voters you’re different than your opponent — even when you’re not.

Gov. Rick Perry and challenger Bill White are very different candidates — Republican, Democrat. A conservative, a moderate. One says he shoots coyotes while jogging, the other says he stares them down and they run away.
http://tinyurl.com/2vc8h64

Straus helps Democrat facing GOP foe this fall

Garrett reports:

Speaker Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, will headline a fundraiser next week for one of his Democratic committee chairman in the House, Rep. Patrick Rose, D-Dripping Springs.


It's raising conservative activists' eyebrows because Rose has a Republican opponent this fall -- political newcomer Jason Isaac, a Dripping Springs businessman who sells on-board computers and communications systems to trucking companies.
http://tinyurl.com/2vhwkjn

Gov. Rick Perry named on ethical worst list

Hoppe reports:
Okay, a group called Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington has released its list of 11 governors with a record of ethical and campaign law violations. CREW, begun in 2003, is a nonprofit aimed at exposing government misdeeds.


On their list, Perry was lumped in with scandal-tarred Mark Sanford of South Carolina and David Paterson of New York. Paterson and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson were the only Democrats on the list. http://tinyurl.com/2eryunv
 
 
 

Wooing Latinos proves tricky for GOP

Benning reports:

WASHINGTON – Two Hispanic candidates romped to victory in Republican congressional runoffs last week, just a little more than a month after Texas' highest-ranking Hispanic officeholder blamed his GOP primary loss on bias against Hispanics.


The conflicting election results highlight the GOP's uneven results in fostering successful Hispanic candidates over the years, despite repeated efforts to do so as a way of reaching out to the fast-growing demographic.
http://tinyurl.com/y32lkc4

Sibley challenges opponent's eligibility in Senate race

Republican David Sibley of Waco, trying to recapture the senate seat he gave up a decade ago, is challenging the eligibility of perhaps his strongest opponent in a special election that will be held for the now vacant post on May 8. Sibley contends that fellow Republican Brian Birdwell of Granbury, a retired lieutenant colonel in U.S. Army, cannot serve in the Senate because he does not meet the constitutional requirement of five years of continuous residency in Texas to run. Terry Stutz reports.

Rick Green looks to Christian conservatives for Supreme Court bid

Hoppe blogs about the Place 3 Supreme Court runoff between Green and Lehrmann:

Republican Supreme Court candidate Rick Green has spent his few advertising dollars on a Christian radio station in Houston and is using the phone bank system of the Heritage Alliance, which favors breaking down many barriers between church and state.

Pete Sessions sees November as first chance to overturn health care law

This morning, President Barack Obama signed the final piece of the health care reform legislation that Congress approved last week.

But last night, U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions, R-Dallas, held a town hall meeting in Richardson to tell constituents what he liked (not much) and didn't like (most everything) about the bills that Democrats pushed through the House and Senate. Ian McCann reports.