Blogs

Farmers Branch touts itself as a homey community of parkland and wide, landscaped medians -- you know, a "charming" paradise. Only, as you no doubt well know, the suburb has seen some pretty charmless chapters over the past year or so. And as this Saturday's municipal election approaches -- including the caged death match between anti-illegal immigrant Tim O'Hare versus the kinder, gentler, balder Gene Bledsoe! -- the atmosphere is becoming downright nasty.

Today, there was this story about the mayoral candidates' mudslinging over campaign contributions. And, earlier this week, KERA-FM (90.1) ran this piece in which FB resident Maria Reyes says she's "afraid of the climate in her town." Notes the story: "A long-time American citizen born in Mexico, she says O'Hare supporters have called her illegal because of her skin color and insisted she be deported." Charming. --Megan Feldman

City of Carrollton

Carrollton Mayor Becky Miller

So, let's recap: This morning, Carrollton Mayor Becky Miller wakes up to find that on the front page of The Dallas Morning News, she's been outed as a liar -- as in, no, she did not sing backup for Linda Ronstadt or Jackson Brown; she was never engaged to Don Henley; and she never had a brother who served in Vietnam. Then, just a few hours later, she's national news courtesy an Associated Press follow-up. (Wonkette has already branded her "The New Lying Hillary Clinton!" And, a "saucy minx." And, notes one of the myriad hi-liarious comments, "Her poop is used as currency in Argentina.")

Apparently, her challenger in Saturday's election didn't stand much of a chance before today. But that was before today, when she had to issue a missive to the city council that included the phrase, "I will be consulting an attorney." --Robert Wilonsky

According to the New York Daily News today, President Bush ain't none too happy with the housing prices in his once and future hometown. Notes Tom DeFrank on the paper's D.C. blog, George W. has ...

... been muttering about the spike in real estate prices in Dallas since he and Laura sold their house in North Dallas and moved to the Governor’s Mansion in Austin in 1995. The First Lady was in Dallas last month for some discreet househunting, and her report back wasn’t comforting about what it will cost to keep a former president in semi-retired style. “The housing slump hasn’t reached Dallas yet,” he’s been ruefully reporting to sympathetic associates.

Why is Greg Abbott smiling? Something to do with watching an old lady bathe, mebbe?

If you're old, a minority and a Democrat who loves your country enough to vote regularly, you should draw the blinds when you take a bath, 'cause Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott and his boys might be peeking. Well, not Abbott personally, far as we know, but one of his investigators looking into voting fraud, a crime that apparently is committed only by black and Hispanic Dems because, you know, white Republicans are so damned honest.

Writer Steven Rosenfeld at the Texas Observer has a must-read story about the AG's prosecution of "voter fraud" and its effect on Democratic volunteers who assist elderly voters cast mail-in ballots. Seriously, you must read. There'll be a quiz. Seems that Abbott's so hot on the trail of the criminal elderly that a pair of his agents spied on a 69-year-old Fort Worth community activist as she bathed. Do state cops get medals for that sort of work?

After the jump, the Unfair Park investigation -- which means we called Darlene Ewing, Dallas County Democratic Party chair.

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Should you see a parade of limos and police officers later today, don't worry -- Dick Cheney won't be in town loading up on more weaponry. John McCain will finish off his day in Dallas after a morning stint on The View and a "a small business roundtable in Brooklyn." And what brings him from NYC to DFW? Why, a fundraiser, course -- because he's way behind the Democratic candidates, by a bunch. --Robert Wilonsky

How we missed this Huffington Post piece yesterday ... well, no idea. Anyway, any story that begins ...

... at recent hearings before a House Judiciary subcommittee, new revelations emerged about how the Justice Department failed to investigate illegal mailers sent to African-Americans in Dallas threatening criminal punishment if they registered to vote through a community reform group called ACORN ...

Going on a voting Spree: At bottom, Julie Doyle and Tim DeLaughter stump for Hillary Clinton before Saturday's senatorial district convention on the SMU campus.

I spent Saturday serving as a delegate at the Fightin’ 16th Senatorial District’s Democratic Convention at SMU’s Moody Coliseum, and I’m happy to report the festivities went baby’s-butt smoothly, with none of the long lines, restless crowds and frustrations that plagued other conventions around the state.

Psyche!

When I showed up at 8:40 a.m. or so, I was greeted by a clusterfuck of monumental proportions, with delegates and alternates grouped by precinct and bottlenecked toward the registration tables. Once I found my precinct’s tiny hand-scrawled sign, I waited a good hour and a half or so before securing my credentials and heading into the arena, where the tantalizing smells of stadium nachos and lukewarm soft pretzels hung heavy in the air.

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You know who we feel for right now? Gary Fitzsimmons, who's got a long Saturday ahead of him. Like, marathon long.

There are 178 precincts in the 23rd Senatorial District -- including Sandra Crenshaw's, No. 3549. But as it turns out, despite Crenshaw's claims in the item below, only one person has challenged the results of her precinct caucus, despite the March madness that ensued on the night of the Texas Democratic primary. And that challenge comes from a Hillary Clinton supporter, who alleges there are no minutes from the precinct caucus and wants to disallow delegates from the precinct from being seated. But the challenge -- which was sent in yesterday, the final day challenges were allowed -- doesn't provide evidence to substantiate the claim.

Which means, according Dallas County District Clerk Gary Fitzsimmons, who is also serving as chairman of the 23rd Senatorial District's credentials committee, it may not be a valid challenge after all. Which means that come Saturday's senatorial district convention at the Ellis Davis Field House, from which six delegates will be chosen for the Democratic National Convention in August, Precinct 3549 will likely seat delegates after all. It just may take "a while," Fitzsimmons says, sounding like someone really looking forward to Saturday morning.

Much more -- so, so much more -- after the jump.

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Sandra Crenshaw

OK, so ... deep breath. No doubt many of our Friends also read the FrontBurner, which means many of you are very, very familiar with the story of former city council person Sandra Crenshaw, who's spent several weeks defending herself against allegations that on March 4 she absconded with Precinct 3549's sign-in sheets before the precinct caucus. (Crenshaw is the precinct chair, but of course.) There ain't enough virtual ink in the blogosphere to recap the tale, so for newcomers late to this riveting tale, which includes threats of protests and legal action, I'd advise you to read all the FrontBurner posts, which began with a single comment Unfair Park also received on the night of the Texas primary.

All that said, the story continues -- especially as Saturday's senatorial district conventions approach (Crenshaw's will be at the Ellis Davis Field House, for those in need of plans this weekend). Moments ago, Crenshaw sent out a riveting media release in which she writes that Precinct 3549 election officials, among them Sandra Crenshaw, are asking "for extra police protection" this weekend, as she insists the Dallas County Democratic Party is planning on challenging the delegation's credentials. Only, not so much: "The county party isn't challenging anyone on anything," says Bill Howell, the former Dallas County Democratic Party chair who's now the temporary chair of the 23rd Senatorial District, in which Precinct 3549 falls.

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Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen has a super -- and superdelegate -- idea that includes Dallas.

Awful nice of the Tennessee gov to throw some bidness Dallas' way. But over on Politico.com today, there's an interview with Phil Bredesen, who's yet to cast his lot with either Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama. Bredesen's worried that neither Dem stands much chance of winning the White House in November if they keep up their game of Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots all the way to the Denver Democratic National Convention, which begins August 25. Which is why he's been in D.C. pitching his idea for a “superdelegate primary” to be held in June. Reports Politico's Jonathan Martin and Mike Allen:

Rather than allow the horse-trading and bloodletting go on all summer, he’d get it over with during a two-day business meeting in a neutral, easily reached city like Dallas.

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Housing Secretary Alphonso Jackson

Friends of Unfair Park know all too well the hot water in which former Dallas Housing Authority president and CEO Alphonso Jackson's bathing these days, so no point in rehashing it when the history lesson's but a click away. But for those in need of more recent developments, on Friday Senators Chris Dodd and Patty Murray, both Democrats, called for the Housing and Urban Development Secretary's resignation in a letter sent to Jackson's BFF, President Bush, based on the fact the South Dallas native refuses to answer Congress' questions concerning four different investigations into how Jackson's helping those who help him and hurting those who won't. Said Murray: "It is time for Secretary Jackson to go."

Today, a Friend of Unfair Park sends us this Washington Post editorial that says almost the same thing -- if nothing else, it'd like "Stonewall Jackson" to offer "some straight answers" after refusing to answer even one question put before him by the Senate Banking Committee. Reads The Post's editorial, concerning Bush's sticking with his bud and Jackson's refusal to budge: "The president's loyalty is a boon for Mr. Jackson, but the allegations and questions dogging the secretary are many and alarming." --Robert Wilonsky

Lewisville-based Institute for Policy Innovation -- the Dick Armey-founded "non-profit, non-partisan public policy 'think tank'" -- will be in D.C. this week, hosting a chitchat at the National Press Club called "Trade and the Race for the White House: Exploring the Candidates' Positions." John McCain's sending someone: a former director of the Congressional Budget Office. Barack Obama's sending someone: a former assistant to President Bill Clinton for International Economic Policy. But Hillary Clinton's thus far declined the invite and ain't sending anyone. Which is why the IPI's sending out a media release asking a variation on our favorite question: "Where's Hillary?" With Greggo, maybe? --Robert Wilonsky

The Washington Blade today looks into the rift in the gay community between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama supporters -- and it specifically deals with the how the Stonewall Democrats of Dallas have had to deal with the fact that president Jesse Garcia lists Clinton as a "political hero" while co-founder Gary Fitzsimmons, the Dallas County District Clerk, is an Obama campaign worker. The paper describes the divide as an "intense" rivalry, especially during last week's Texas primary.

But, Fitzsimmons insists in an interview with the paper, "Most people know this is a debate within the Democratic Party and they will unite behind the nominee, whichever one of the two it turns out to be." The Stonewall Democrats of Dallas in February voted to endorse Clinton. --Robert Wilonsky

Update: John Wright of Dallas Voice sends word that he made mention of this rivalry on Wednesday on the paper's new blog, Instant Tea. In the comments, Garcia writes: "No one is pissed off at Gary Fitzsimmons and every Stonewall member is proud of the work he has done for Dallas County." Notes Fitzsimmons further down: "This is why politics can be so much fun."

In this week’s paper version of Unfair Park, Buzz talks about Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins' defensiveness concerning criticism directed at him and his office. Watkins was asked about a few issues, most notably his decision to charge Lynn Flint Shaw with a misdemeanor instead of a felony for forging his name to avoid paying a debt. As we pointed out in Buzz, the events of Monday night made publishing it as a news story tragically moot. However, some of what Watkins said during our interview, including some of the comments about Shaw’s case, are worthy of discussion here on Unfair Park.

Last week, Watkins told us that Shaw was not a friend and that he never socialized with her. He dismissed any allegations that charging Shaw with a misdemeanor was a favor for his political ally and mentor, State Sen. Royce West, who was very, very close with the Shaws. Watkins said Shaw could have been charged with a felony, but he felt the misdemeanor charge was more appropriate since it didn’t involve an instrument of currency, such as a money order or check.

“I’ve read all the blogs with folks saying it should be a felony, but what they’re not saying is that it’s under the district attorney’s discretion on how to charge a certain case,” Watkins said. “We chose to go with the misdemeanor charge because we felt that the charge was provable in court.”

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Why is Harriet Miers smiling? Because she knows ain't nothing coming of this lawsuit.

Harriet Miers fought the law -- and the lawmakers ain't havin' none of it, finally. Miers, the former White House counsel and Dallas city council member now keeping a chair warm as a partner at Locke Liddell & Sapp on Ross Avenue, is named in a federal lawsuit filed today by House Democrats tired of her dodging subpoenas issued by the U.S. House Judiciary Committee. Also named in the suit, which involves the U.S. Attorneys' firings last year, is White House Chief of Josh Bolten. The civil contempt complaint can be read in its entirety here. --Robert Wilonsky