2007 Gold Star Texan: Denise Davis

(In addition to awarding its Texan of the Year, the Texas Progressive Alliance has chosen a number of others who have contributed to Texas politics and the progressive cause during 2007. Leading to the TOY announcement this Friday, we bring you our TPA Gold Stars, one each day through Thursday. Yesterday we recognized Rick & Melissa Noriega. Our Silver Stars, announced last week, may be found here.)



Denise Davis

Few stories this year enthralled the politically inclined among us like the ongoing turmoil in the Texas House. From the speaker's race at the onset of the 80th legislative session to Rep. Pat Haggerty's call for members who wanted to remove House Speaker Tom Craddick, to taking the keys to their voting machines and following him out of the chamber ... 2007 was a watershed moment in Texas political history. While there were many elected officials who deserve (and will receive) recognition and historical remembrance for the parts they played in the pageant of chaos that was the 80th Texas Legislature, one other individual -- who happens not to be an elected official -- also deserves to be recognized for the role she played in the unprecedented drama.

Denise Davis, the former parliamentarian of the Texas House, was never an uncontroversial figure. Throughout her tenure -- nearly three sessions -- Democrats privately criticized Davis for some of her rulings and believed her to be an unrepentant loyalist to Craddick. That changed at a moment approaching midnight on May 25, 2007, when Davis walked out of the parliamentarian's office and into the pages of history. Around 9 p.m. that evening, after House Democratic leader Jim Dunnam brought a motion to vacate the chair, which Craddick refused to recognize. The speaker then abruptly left the dais -- and subsequently the assembly -- in chaos, 'adjourned' until 11 p.m. What transpired in the interim remains murky, although one thing is clear: Davis and deputy parliamentarian Chris Griesel resigned, leading Craddick to appoint two cronies (former state reps. Ron Wilson and Terry Keel) to replace them. Davis departed Craddick's service rather than legitimize his dictatorial hold over the Texas House. It was a move that took great courage, because the full power of the speaker's office -- in attempts to silence her about what happened in those final hours -- was brought to bear upon her.

When the history of the 80th Legislature is written, among the legislators who will occupy the pages of the texts that comprise this story, there will be one other person whose role will be noted, and that is Denise Davis -- for her principle and bravery.

2007 Texan of the Year: Gold Stars

In addition to awarding one Texan of the Year (coming this Friday), the Texas Progressive Alliance chose to recognize a number of others who have contributed to Texas politics and the progressive cause during 2007. This week, leading up to the TOY announcement, we bring you our Texas Progressive Alliance Gold Stars (one each day through Thursday).



Melissa and Rick Noriega

These two Houston Democrats could easily be called Texas' new political power couple. Melissa Noriega made news this year with her run for the Houston City Council seat, vacated by Shelley Sekula-Gibbs, who had resigned to complete the last six weeks of former Congressman Tom DeLay's term in 2006. Through a special election, a runoff, and a general election battle to win the council seat for the full term, Melissa's progressive message endeared her to Houston voters, earned significant media recognition, and helped mark her as part of a new generation of progressive leaders with statewide potential. She had previously served as interim state legislator while her husband served his country in Afghanistan as a reservist and lieutenant colonel in the Texas National Guard.

Rick Noriega's story is also well known: as a veteran of the "War on Terror" and the coordinator for Houston's relief effort for Hurricane Katrina victims in 2005, Rick generated buzz early in 2007 as a number of progressive netroots activists and traditional, offline Democrats created a movement to "draft" Noriega into the Democratic Party's race for US Senate. Rick answered the call and threw his hat into the ring to take on John Cornyn and the formidable Texas Republican machine in 2008, despite the fact that he could have easily won re-election to the Texas Legislature or even run for another office where the battle would have been easier. Instead, he had the courage to stand up for all Texans and declare "enough is enough".

True people-powered candidates, Rick and his wife Melissa have made significant personal sacrifices to serve the people of Texas. For this and many other reasons, the Texas Progressive Alliance is pleased to recognize Rick and Melissa Noriega among its 2007 Gold Stars.

The Weekly Wrangle

Time once again for the Texas Progressive Alliance Blog Round-Up, compiled as it always is by Vince from Capitol Annex.

It appears that Texas state Sen. Craig Estes is considering an investigation into the egregious negligence and malpractice of the Texas Railroad Commission. However, as TXsharon at Bluedaze reminds us: It's no time to rest! Keep the pressure on with your letters, emails, faxes and calls.

Now that Williamson County's secret complaint has been dismissed, the Texas Fair Defense Project's class-action lawsuit on behalf of indigent defendants is back on track. Eye on Williamson's wcnews provides an update on the slowly progressing case in The Upside-Down World of Williamson County.

The Associated Republicans of Texas met, ate, belched and applauded the venom spewed from the mouth of Karl Rove at an appearance in Austin last week. Grab your can of disinfectant and click over to Brains and Eggs, where PDiddie has the (pooper) scoop.

CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme enjoyed this headline: "Where was Hutchison, Valley veterans ask". Why aren't all US veterans asking where all 'support the troop' Republicans have been?

John Coby at Bay Area Houston has his take on a Christmas poem -- T'was the Night Before Impeachment: T'was the night before impeachment it was cold, wet, and rainy, Not a creature was testifying, not even Dick Cheney. Impeachment resolutions were hung in the House for appearing, waiting for Conyers and Waxman, and a long-awaited hearing.

BossKitty at Bluebloggin is frustrated with Congress dropping the hate crime bill H.R. 1585 Hate Crime Bill Married To Iraqi War Funding - No Joke.

Vince at Capitol Annex takes a look at the lies and errors in Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott's amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court in the groundbreaking voter ID case.

The Texas Cloverleaf calls out TxDOT for delaying DFW area construction projects even after receiving $3.197 billion from NTTA.

The Sunset Commission is taking a hard look at TXDOT and McBlogger thinks it's about time. Feel to send in your suggestions on how to fix the ailing agency.

One week into filing season, Off the Kuff reviews the filings he's waiting for.

The Texas Education Agency made national news after the forced resignation of Chris Comer, its science curriculum director, in the ever-swirling "intelligent design" controversy, reports North Texas Liberal's Texas Toad.

More Sunday Funnies

And another from the great Nick Anderson:

Sunday Funnies

Romney, Huckabee, McCain, Giuliani and more bloggerhea

-- Give Huckabee and McCain the up arrows and Romney and Giuliani the downs. Huckabee is finally catching some flak (over things like his phone call to God) after coasting all the way into December. Count Rudy out; he hasn't bottomed out yet from Sex on the City. Romney's JFK moment this week wasn't even that (a moment). Nobody else -- including Dr. No and Lazy Fred -- is going to be a factor.

If I had to hold my nose and pick one of these ultimate November losers today, it would be John McCain.

-- The latest Bush adminstration scandal involves the destruction of tapes. How Nixonian.

-- Blackwater's brother, the State Dept.'s inspector general, went on and resigned yesterday.

-- My neighborhood was voted one of America's top urban enclaves. Of course I knew this already.

-- The Republicans in Wharton county have decided to go back to paper ballots:

On whether computerized electronic voting machines are reliable and secure, the Republican leadership in Wharton County votes "no."

Precinct chairmen in the county southwest of Houston decided this week to return to using paper ballots in the March GOP primary for president, congressional seats and local races. ...

In the statewide election, businessman Jim Welch tried to vote at a fire station in Boling. Some of his votes on state constitutional amendments changed before his eyes, he said, and when election officials acknowledged the problem and offered to let him start over, he concluded the equipment was unreliable and declined. Welch later complained to county and party officials.

-- Auto loans are the next credit crisis.

-- Progressive blog readers are Satan worshippers, according to Bill O'Reilly. NBC's David Gregory blames blogs for the polarization in politics. These two fools simply don't understand that if they had simply performed as journalists, then there would have never been a need for a political blog in the first place.

"O'Reilly" and "journalist" in the same sentence. My mistake.

-- Lastly, Harvey Kronberg has noticed the power of the Texroots:

In perhaps another signal of the maturation of the netroots, QR notes that 24 Democratic candidates for the Texas House have already reported raising money through ActBlue, a national Web-based clearinghouse for Democratic campaign donations.

The fundraising leader so far is Brian Thompson, the all-but-declared challenger for Rep. Dawnna Dukes’ (D-Austin) seat in the House. He reports $4,800 in donations. While that’s not exactly a Bob Perryesque figure, it’s almost as much as the incumbent has in cash on hand on her last Ethics Commission report.

Dukes will obviously have the resources to vigorously defend her seat, but Thompson’s popularity fits an initial trend of challengers getting support from the netroots. After Thompson, the next three most successful online fundraisers are Sandra Rodriguez ($2,000), Dan Barrett ($1,674) and Sherrie Matula ($1,575).

Thompson and Rodriguez are primary challengers to Craddickrats Dawnna Dukes and Kino Flores. Barrett is in the runoff for Fort Worth's HD-97 (election day is December 10) and Matula will take on the ethically challenged John Davis in HD-129, in Pasadena.

Texas GOP lines up, pays big for more Rove lies

Longtime GOP strategist Karl Rove decried Democrats in general and Hillary Clinton in particular as big spenders and said President Bush's spirits are high at an Associated Republicans of Texas fundraising dinner Thursday.

When The Architect of a misadventure in Iraq deep into the trillions of dollars with still no end in sight calls anyone a "big spender", maybe it's time for the attendees to put on the waders. They put on their kneepads instead:

Among those attending were Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, Comptroller Susan Combs, Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson and Railroad Commissioner Elizabeth Ames Jones.

"Every time ... I see Karl, I bow just a little bit and call him 'his excellency,' " said Dewhurst.

Shame we don't live in a monarchy. Oh wait ...

"Karl was neither the man behind the curtain in as many things as he got credit for, nor is he to blame for all the things in the last couple of years he's been blamed for. He's a hard-working, smart political strategist. I would imagine he's so busy rewriting history these days that he may not have time to make any history with new candidates."

-- Democratic consultant Kelly Fero, getting it right for once

2007 Texan of the Year: Silver Stars

Since 2005, the Texas Progressive Alliance has named a "Texan of the Year" to give recognition to a worthy Texan who has made a significant contribution to the world of politics or the progressive cause.

For our third annual TOY Award, the TPA elected to not only fete one Texan -- the one who contributed the most to the progressive movement in 2007 -- but also recognize others whose contributions were important to the progressive cause and worthy of recognition.

The Texan of the Year will be announced on December 14. Between now and then, the Alliance will release its list of Texans who made contributions we believe also worthwhile. This begins today with the announcement of the TPA's Silver Stars (and next Monday, four additional "Gold Stars" will be named, followed by the TOY on Friday).

Without further ado, here are the 2007 Texas Progressive Alliance Silver Stars (in alphabetical order):

Texas Ranger Brian Burzynski. It has been said that persistence is as much a virtue as is patience. Inasmuch as that is so, it is also true that persistence pays off. In the case of Texas Ranger Brian Burzynski, persistence also saved thousands of Texas children from a certain hell at the Texas Youth Commission. Beginning in 2005, Burzynski investigated allegations of sexual misconduct in Texas' juvenile prison system. He was rebuffed by state authorities, local prosecutors, and even the United States Department of Justice. In spite of these roadblocks, Burzynski continued to press his case -- investigating, making noise, not letting go, and never taking 'no' for an answer. The end result? He broke open one of the largest criminal justice scandals in Texas history and brought forward a flood of legislative reforms. For this and more, the Texas Progressive Alliance is pleased to confer upon Ranger Brian Burzynski a 2007 Texas Progressive Alliance Silver Star.

Hank Gilbert. Though Gilbert's race for agriculture commissioner ended last November, he also persisted. During his 2006 campaign Gilbert promised Texans that -- win or lose -- he would continue to fight against toll roads, mandatory animal ID legislation, and international corporations that threatened the citizens of Texas. Gilbert organized a Texas Independence Day march on Austin. Working with farmers, ranchers, Democratic activists, and disillusioned landowners, he brought nearly 1,000 people to testify against the Trans-Texas Corridor at a session of the Texas Senate Committee on Transportation and Homeland Security the day before the march. Thousands more Texans showed up the next day to join the public protest. Gilbert has been instrumental in forming a statewide umbrella organization of anti-toll road groups to continue the battle against toll-enabling legislation. As a director for Texans Uniting for Reform and Freedom, he continues to travel the state and nation speaking out against the takeover of taxpayer-funded infrastructure by private interests. For this and more, the Texas Progressive Alliance proudly names Hank Gilbert recipient of a 2007 Texas Progressive Alliance Silver Star.

Congressman Ciro Rodriguez. In 2006, Rodriguez was the "comeback kid" of Texas politics, winning a seat in Congress after a runoff about the time the Texan of the Year for 2006 was announced. This year, Rodriguez took office as part of the first Democratic Congress in nearly a generation and has served his San Antonio-based district honorably. His race is considered one of national Republicans' top targets, although Rodriguez's constituent services and his support from Democratic leaders like Speaker Nancy Pelosi will no doubt help him retain the district.

Texas Bloggers who made a difference. For the first time Texas bloggers determined that some of their own were worthy of special recognition for their work during 2007: John Cobarruvias (Bay Area Houston Blog); Vince Leibowitz (Capitol Annex); Edmundo "Xicano Power" Rocha (XicanoPwr); and Sharon Wilson (TxSharon of BlueDaze). A note on each blogger:

John Cobarruvias almost single-handedly changed the way Texas legislators use and report their campaign/officeholder expenses. Because he held their feet to the fire with his "Spending Campaign Cash" series, organizing a group of volunteers to file complaints against offending legislators and urging media to report on spending abuses, legislators have cleaned up their acts. The Texas Ethics Commission has issued written reminders to legislators about the very problems with reporting expenses that Cobarruvias uncovered.

Vince Leibowitz. As the 80th Session of the Texas Legislature ended in turmoil -- with parliamentarians resigning, legislators walking out, and two stooges of Tom Craddick on the dais as officers of the Texas House, Leibowitz decided that the full story of those final days wasn't being told and started digging. Through public information requests, he uncovered a sheaf of documents from Craddick's office that helped piece together exactly what happened in those final hours. No mainstream media outlet did better reporting, and Leibowitz's work broke new ground and proved that Craddick's actions were the premeditated acts of a Speaker on the brink.

Edmundo Rocha. Blending heavy-handed social critiques, local and national politics, and a heaping dose of common sense in his blog, Rocha tackles heavy topics like immigration, teenage pregnancy, racial and gender politics and backs it up with a unique style and spirit. With a loyal and unwavering audience (his Texan of the Year nomination, in fact, was suggested in the comments of a blog by one of Edmundo's readers), Rocha has rapidly become one of the state's most prominent Latino bloggers. No issue is too tough and none taboo for this blogger.

Sharon Wilson. Most Texans don't know what the Texas Railroad Commission is or does. In 2007, one Texas blogger changed that. Wilson's reporting on the injection well drilling in the Barnett Shale region and its impact on the water quality and the environment in Wise County and surrounding areas has been invaluable in bringing wider attention to the dangers this practice poses across the state. Wilson has nearly single-handedly stood up to large oil companies and made the companies and state agencies -- including the Texas Railroad Commission -- take notice. Relentless in her drive to educate the public and elected officials to the damage being done to the Texas environment, Wilson's investigative reporting and blogging is worthy of greater recognition.

Texas Legislative Study Group. The policy clearinghouse for progressives, the Texas Legislative Study Group is full of unsung heroes. Helping legislators keep up with the more than 50 bills that come up each day in the Texas House, the TLSG and its policy analysts could be considered the most important behind-the-scenes players in the legislative process when it comes to safeguarding progressive principles. Legislators carry their reports around on the House floor like bibles. Their arguments against the appropriations bill, some versions of Jessica's Law, and the Castle Doctrine were masterful. Also worthy of recognition is that the brilliant minds behind the work of the TLSG aren't aged policy veterans, but rather among the best minds of more recent generations, "Generation X" in particular. The men and women who toil at the TLSG are indeed those who will shape Texas public policy for generations to come.

TexBlog PAC. Started by just a handful of Texas progressive bloggers, TexBlog PAC has harnessed the energy of the online community. In a state with one of the largest netroots communities in America -- and the most vibrant progressive blogosphere, TexBlog PAC is poised to build on victories bloggers helped happen in 2004 and 2006. Having already raised over $10,000 in its initial months, the PAC will play a key role for Democrats as they take back the House in 2008.

David Van Os. Following his defeat in the 2006 Attorney General's race, Van Os made good on his promise to "keep fighting 'em on the ice." From aiding groups like TURF in their battle against the private takeover of government infrastructure, to helping workers who were intimidated when nooses started showing up in their workplace (securing the removal of both the noose and the supervisor), Van Os never stopped fighting for working Texans. In addition, from musicians to probation officers to non-profit employees, Van Os has continued his life's work on behalf of the union laborers of Texas.

State representative Mike Villarreal. In 2003, many were ready to write Villarreal's political obituary. Fast forward to 2007, and Villarreal has become one of the progressive leaders in the Texas House. Authoring legislation that would have created contribution limits for political candidates and an independent redistricting commission, Villarreal took a lead with these progressive issues. In addition, Villarreal led on GLBT rights by authoring HB 900, which would have provided protections from discrimination in housing and employment based on sexual orientation and gender identity and expression for the GLBT community. These efforts, coupled with the compromise he sought to proffer when Republicans tried to take over the House and suspend the constitutional provision concerning the consideration of legislation early in the session, make Villarreal worthy of recognition.

Join us in expressing your thanks and congratulations to the Silver Stars of the Texas Progressive Alliance.

Diane Trautman for Harris County Tax Assessor/Collector

As with being a Texas public school administrator, and as with her 2006 statehouse run in the blood-red suburb of Kingwood, Dr. Trautman likes big challenges:

“My race for Tax Assessor-Collector will be about one thing—improving Harris County government,” Trautman explains. “We can be more efficient. We can be more responsive. We can be more transparent in the way we collect county taxes. And we can have a voter registration system that is fair and inclusive to all the citizens of Harris County."

That last sentence is going to be the most important accomplishment we can make in 2008 locally.

Paul Bettancourt, the incumbent TA/C (the post also serves as voter registrar in each Texas county) is one of the most dangerous Republicans in America. Not the county, not the state. The nation. He runs a sophisticated voter caging operation which is the envy of all who survey it. And only Republicans are allowed to survey it, trust me. It is cloaked in partisan secrecy, so much so that even the Harris County Democratic Party chairman, a wise constitutional lawyer himself, is reticent to challenge it -- or Bettancourt himself, for that matter.

Fortunately I have been able to pull back the shroud a bit, and will promise again a more detailed posting about this in the very near future.

But this is a post to congratulate and welcome his very formidable challenger, so on with her announcement:

I am passionate about providing a quality education in all of our public schools, and I believe that it is everyone’s responsibility to play a role in educating our children–especially our political leaders. That is why, when our current Tax Assessor/Collector publicly campaigns against our schools in the recent school bond elections, I think he needs to be challenged. Instead of an incumbent who has spent the last decade using his county office as a partisan pulpit, we need someone who will focus on getting the job done for all the citizens of Harris County.

Additionally, I think that the public has had enough of recent ethics scandals in county offices, and that they are ready for some accountability and ethical leadership in county government, which will be a primary focus of my campaign. What is more, it is outrageous that Harris County, the third most populous county in the country, has one of the lowest voter registration rates. We must do better if we are to have a truly effective government and democracy. My campaign will be about modeling ethical and appropriate officeholder behavior, building a voter registration system that is fair, inclusive and works for all Harris County citizens, and running an efficient, transparent office for county taxpayers.

Bravo, Dr. Trautman. The battle is joined.

It's beginning to look a lot like the War on Christmas

If there's a "War on Christmas" anywhere but in the minds of conservatives like Bill O'Reilly and John Gibson, then Christmas appears to be winning. But if, as national intelligence estimates sometimes reveal -- up is down, war is peace, and the anti-Christmas forces actually are surging -- then the war in Iraq must be nothing short of total victory at this very moment.

Did you know that the John Birch Society fired the first shot in the War on Christmas in 1959? The enemies, then as now, were American department stores and the "Godless UN". And like their sworn foe Big Retail, the Religious Right doesn't even have the decency to wait until Thanksgiving to open the season -- in the conservatives' case, whining about what words people use to describe the December holidays.

For anyone who is genuinely offended because the newspaper ad from Target fails to include the word "Christmas" and the temporary clerk at Sears dares to say "Happy Holidays," I have some advice: this Christmas, ask Santa Claus to bring you a life.