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May 14, 2003
Dueling Web Sites
Defend, Offend Road Trip Democrats
Two new
web sites are offering gobs of information on all things good and bad about
House Democrats and Republicans as the saga of the Killer D's drags through
day three.
SaveTexasReps.com is sponsored by
Texas Counts, which bills itself as a non-profit corporation that will be a
clearinghouse for information on redistricting. According to the web site,
the group is "spearheaded by a group of Texas citizens who
believe that redistricting should be fair, open, and free from
ultra-partisan power grabs that attempt to dilute the legitimacy of the
ballot box." In other words, it is pro-Texas Democrat.
Texas
Counts President Nathan Wilcox
directed online and electronic mail activities for the Tony Sanchez gubernatorial
campaign last year. The group has a board of directors and members
"who are concerned with current efforts to undermine this basic
underpinning of the democratic process."
Derelict Democrats
provides the opposite point of view. It is sponsored by Texas Citizen
Action Network, a self-styled "voice for the majority of real,
conservative Texas citizens who
voiced their support for limited government at the polling booth in
November 2002."
TexasCAN's President is Jim Cardle
and Pat O'Grady is
the CEO. The group is a a
"non-partisan nonprofit organization of citizen-consumers who are
committed to promoting our Founding Fathers' vision of a constitutionally
limited government and individual liberties," according to the web
site. While describing itself as non-partisan, the front page of its web
site currently lists the names and contact information for the Democrats who
broke a House quorum this week and fled to Oklahoma in protest over a
Republican redistricting bill. The listing is complete with warped mug
shots of the missing Democrats - and it is featured under a headline urging
visitors to call the Texas Rangers and report any of the Democrats they
might see.
Letter from Texas
Democratic Congressional Delegation to US Federal Authorities
May 14,
2003
Attorney General John Ashcroft
U.S. Department of Justice 950 Pennsylvania Ave,
NW Washington, DC 20530-0001
Via US Mail and Fax (202-514-4482)
Secretary Tom Ridge
U.S. Department of
Homeland Security
Washington, D.C. 20528
Via US Mail and Fax (202-772-9647)
Director
Robert Mueller
Federal Bureau of Investigation
935 Pennsylvania Ave,
NW Washington DC 20535-0001
Via US Mail and Fax (202-324-6490)
Re:
Attempts to Divert Federal Law Enforcement Resources for Private Political
Gain
Dear
Attorney General Ashcroft, Secretary Ridge, and Director Mueller,
With
great concern, we have read multiple published reports regarding attempts
to divert federal law enforcement resources for private political gain.
Apparently, diversions are already underway against the Texas State legislators
making a firm stand in Ardmore, Oklahoma:
DeLay told reporters that "bringing in either U.S. Marshals or FBI
agents is justified because redistricting is a federal issue, involving
congressional seats." Houston Chronicle, May 13, 2003
DeLay said he consulted an attorney in his office
who formerly worked with the Justice Department to determine for Texas
House Speaker Craddick whether FBI agents and U.S. marshals could be used
to arrest the Democrats out of state. AP, Suzanne Gamboa,
May 13, 2003
DeLay reportedly already has a United States
Attorney in Texas researching how he can employ federal resources. Hugh Aynesworth, Washington Times, May 14, 2003
"A
spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's office in San Antonio had no official
comment, but a source confirmed that an unidentified person had called to
inquire about federalizing the arrest warrant." Fort Worth
Star-Telegram, May 14, 2003
"One federal agency that became involved early on was the Air and
Marine Interdiction and Coordination Center, based in Riverside, California
-- which now falls under the auspices of the Homeland Security Department.
The agency received a call to locate a specific Piper turboprop aircraft.
It was determined that the plane belonged to former House Speaker Pete
Laney, D-Hale Center. The location of
Laney's plane proved to be a key piece of information because, Craddick
said, it's how he determined that the Democrats were in Ardmore." Fort Worth
Star-Telegram, May 14, 2003
We write with three requests:
Please
confirm whether the Air and Marine Interdiction and Coordination Center indeed
participated and tell us all who approved its use.
Please
let us know immediately if any other federal law enforcement resources have
been employed in any way with regard to any aspect of this matter.
We call on you to unequivocally declare that no federal law enforcement
resources will henceforth be diverted against the Texas Representatives
working today in Ardmore, Oklahoma.
Especially
with the on-going war on terrorism, any diversion of federal law
enforcement resources for private political gain is an outrage reminiscent
of Watergate. We hope you share our strong concern over this apparent abuse
of power.
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