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Originally designed to promote the columns of anonymous Republican and Democratic writers, this page is now the home of a variety of columnists which currently include former Republican Party political director Royal Masset, environmental reporter Duggan Flanakin, former San Antonio Light Capitol reporter Ed Sills, and general all-around curmudgeon Edd O'Donnell. Each columnist brings decades of experience to the table.

February 26, 2010      4:20 PM

WILL LUTZ: WATCH OUT FOR UNJUST POWER PLAYS

Lone Star Report editor questions the real motives behind late money attacks on Todd Smith

Like many, long time conservative Lone Star Report Editor Will Lutz was amazed at the ferocity of the attacks on incumbent State Rep. Todd Smith by some ,including a recently formed PAC which includes Texans for Lawsuit Reform founder Dick Weekly. What Lutz calls disingenuous, others call dishonest.

In any event, Lutz wrote us today, “I think these attacks from the Citizen Leader PAC are way over the line. For example, questioning someone’s pro-life credentials because he favors exceptions for rape and incest! Joe Pojman, Kyleen Wright, and Texas Right to Life all endorsed Todd Smith, and they’re pretty hard-core, especially the Grahams. Even minor votes against life are enough to cost one some of these endorsements.”

Lutz gave up permission to reprint his column from LSR that drills in on what many believe to be the real reason late money has flooded to Smith’s opponent, Jeff Cason – Smith’s questioning of the homebuilder friendly Texas Residential Construction Commission.

We reprint the column below:

 

What started as a local race between Rep. Todd Smith (R-Euless) and Jeff Cason took on a new tone when Texans for Lawsuit Reform founder Dick Weekley and fellow TLR donors Leo Linbeck III and Harlan and Trammell Crow funded the Citizen Leader PAC, which launched attacks on Smith via the web, mailers, and phone calls.

Much larger now than Smith’s political future are the questions: Do Republicans want independent legislators who think, or will Texas government become a private fiefdom for the benefit of a handful of feudal lords? And is the tort reform movement about creating a fair balance between individuals and corporations in the legal system, or is it succumbing to special interests?

Here’s the obvious question: why isn’t TLR attacking Smith directly? After all, Smith is an attorney who has done some plaintiff work, and he has disagreed with TLR sometimes.

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Copyright February 26, 2010, Harvey Kronberg, www.quorumreport.com, All rights are reserved

February 15, 2010      11:24 AM

JOHN COPPEDGE: WORST REPUBLICAN JUDGE IN TEXAS? MY NOMINEE IS FELIPE REYNA.

Longview physician knows more about appellate court races than just about anyone

Editor's note: Retired Longview physician John Coppedge has spent nearly two decades on a crusade to clean up Texas courts. Once the Texas Supreme Court went all-Republican, he turned his attention to appellate courts around the state. This time, he is providing chapter and verse on Waco Court of Appeals Justice Felipe Reyna. Be sure to check the link at the end of the story for Coppedge's documentation...

Having been heavily involved in more Texas judicial races than I can remember over the last 22 years, I have come across some real doozies.

Who is the worst Republican judge or judicial candidate ever? 

Perennial candidate Charles Ben Howell, who once appeared on the bench in his pajamas, and once wore a “Judge Kook” sign to a political debate, would make the finals based upon his eccentricity.  He even sued me once. 

Deserving honorable mention for flamboyance is Dan Rutherford who ran against Supreme Court Chief Justice Phillips in a Republican Primary.  He told me that if elected he would get a case of whiskey, lock the members of the Supreme Court in the conference room and only let them out when they had reached unanimous opinions.  His law firm logo was lady justice, blindfold pulled down, with the scales of justice in one hand and an assault rifle in the other! 

M.C. Bruder, an unsuccessful candidate for the 6^th Court of Appeals in Texarkana, would get the “Chutzpah” award. State Bar disciplinary records show that his law license had been suspended three times for stealing money from his own clients and yet he expected people to vote for him!

But, on purely philosophical grounds, the one that heads my list is Waco Court of Appeals Justice Felipe Reyna.   My concerns about him arise not from his demeanor or behavior on the bench but from the opinions he has written.   His opinions reveal a reluctance to either understand or follow the doctrine of  stare decisis and a tendency to be an advocate rather than be an impartial judge.    And he usually sides with criminal defendants and civil plaintiffs. 

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Copyright February 15, 2010, Harvey Kronberg, www.quorumreport.com, All rights are reserved

January 22, 2010      3:40 PM

MASSET: THE MASSACHUSETTS SPECIAL AND GOP FORTUNES

Always insightful, frequently controversial, Royal Masset was fighting in the trenches for the GOP when Texas was a one-party Democratic state. We offer his take.

Every commentary you hear about the Massachusetts’ Special Election for US Senate, says it was a great Republican victory.

It was a great election and we Republicans will benefit.  But whether we will win back control of Congress in November depends on what we learn from this election.

The major fact to understand is that this election was won by Independents, not Republicans.   It helped that Obama really muffed his handling of his health care proposals.  To get his 60 Senate votes Obama was willing to give special tax cuts to union members and expensive projects to Nebraska and Louisiana.  

Deal making is hardly unknown in politics.   But these deals were so crass in the magnitude of their corruptness as to shock everyone.  I felt a tinge of nostalgia for the pre-TV fifties when this type of corruption was normal.

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By Royal Masset

Copyright January 22, 2010, Harvey Kronberg, www.quorumreport.com, All rights are reserved