On 10/02/2006, we published this headline story which led to record readership last week.  This has been our #1 story headline in 2 years.

Newsletter: Republican Judge Specia Campaigns Against Local Republican!

October 2nd Newsletter Article

YOU must read the follow-up to this original story by SanAntonioLightning.com

It was posted online three days ago. Go to the link below. It is great. 

(Please listen to the audio section at the end of the report. It is a hoot!!)

YOU BE THE JUDGE
'When Judges Go Wild!'
Former Judge Sakai Denies Questions
Of Political Ethics Violation With Judge Specia
Exclusive Audio Recording Raises Issue Of
Prohibited Political Stumping For SA Jurist
SAL POLITICAL SNITCH – COMMENTARY
http://www.sanantoniolightning.com/jethics.html

Let me bring up three interesting points for you political junkies. They bring up even more intriguing questions.

1.   At no point did our original story bring up the potential “political ethics violation” by Judge John Specia. Our Democrat opponent brought them up in his open letter to the media. Amazing.

2.   Why would a candidate for Judge allow a sitting district court judge to speak at his political fundraiser? This makes you question the judgment of the candidate. The judge never should have been allowed to speak because of potential ethical violations.

3.   Alice Guerra, the political consultant for the Democrat candidate for judge, made the following statement about “child abuse” in her recording: “That is our platform.”
 

This is why their candidacy has a wobbly foundation. It is false.

They want us to believe that the 225th Court is devoted only to children when it is not. 

They are “spinning” us because their candidate only knows this kind of law. Even Judge Specia is spreading this illusion in his speech at the fundraiser.

Their “platform” is about making us believe something that is not true.

Click here to find out the truth about the 225^th District Court.

http://marialynbarnard.com/03the225.html

Please attend our breakfast tomorrow to meet the candidate who is most qualified for the 225th District Court. 

Her name is Marialyn Barnard. She needs our SUPPORT!!!
 

Greetings!

We are proud to invite you to a small business breakfast summit featuring Marialyn Barnard on October 10th. This event will be FREE and open to small business owners and citizens interested in small business issues in Bexar County.

TOMORROW OCTOBER 10th!! 

Location: Cha Cha's Mexican Cuisine Restaurant; 2026 Babcock

Time: 7:30am-8:45am

Cost: FREE

Hosted by Alamo City Republican Women, Joe Solis/ South Texas Republicans, & Quico Canseco

R.S.V.P. to Joe Solis: solisjoe@sbcglobal.net; 210-725-4079

Legal and Other Work Experience:

http://marialynbarnard.com/02legal.html

http://marialynbarnard.com/index.html
 

Thanks to our attendees and donors for their ongoing support.

We had many dynamic speakers and the entertainment was world class. We heard from the likes of Gary Bauer, White House Press Secretary Tony Snow, Dr. James Dobson, former U.S. Congressman James Inhofe of Oklahoma, U.S. Senator from Kansas Sam Brownback, U.S. Senator from Virginia George Allen and many more.

Schuylar with Dr. James Dobson

One of my absolute favorite speakers was Gary Bauer, head of the Campaign for Working Families and former presidential candidate. He recounted exactly where he was on 9/11 and gave such an impassioned speech about how important the war on terror is. He also spoke eloquently on our religious freedoms and how we must be careful to ensure that the very Judeo-Christian values our nation was founded upon are not eroded any further, whether by the legislature or by judicial tyranny.

Gary Bauer with Schuylar

U.S. Representative of Florida Katherine Harris, running for U.S. Senate also made a heartwarming speech. She spoke in earnest about her faith in Jesus Christ. She commented that her Presbyterian upbringing had kept her faith pretty private much of her life, but she felt God called her to get out of the prayer closet so to speak and publicly acknowledge where her strength truly came from. Congresswoman Harris showed she is not afraid to wear her Christian faith on her sleeve. I for one believe this is the kind of leadership we need in Washington…Florida is blessed to have her in the House and will be just as blessed with her in the Senate!

On a lighter note, the audience enjoyed a night of non-stop laughter as Steven Bridges, known as ‘Mr. President’ took the stage. He was absolutely amazing as an impersonator. Many of you I am sure have seen him, but for those of you who have not, unless you were really up close, you would swear you were looking right at our President! During his entire act, you could see every move and mannerism and simple plain speaking demeanor of the President was right on target. The night was truly a memorable experience.

Larnell Harris, an acclaimed Christian singer, gave a wonderful rendition of “God Bless America”  and several other patriotic tunes the evening following ‘Mr. President’. Mr. Harris was spiritually uplifting in his performance. He truly has a God-given beautiful voice and he kept the audience clapping and shouting at the end of every song.

The weekend gave me a great opportunity to network as well. I am working to bring more speakers to Texas from that event, including former Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich!

I would like to take a moment to thank those who stepped up to the plate and helped make this trip a reality for me. Your friendship and support means the world to me!
 

Please Join The Republican Business Women Of Bexar County At Their October Meeting

Honored Guest Speaker: U.S. Senator John Cornyn

Date: Thursday, Oct 12, 2006

Time: 11:00 a.m. (lunch 11:30 a.m.)

Location: San Antonio Country Club

Cost: $17.00

Please make reservations by Oct. 9, 2006 with Dee Brame at 210-493-5512 or email deeb@satx.rr.com.
 

Thursday, October 14, 2006

Cadillac Bar

212 South Flores

5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Cost $50 per person

Proceeds to benefit:

Steve Hilbig for Justice, 4th Court of Appeals

For more information, contact Marsha Hendler at (210) 496-9594 or email party@hilbigforjustice.com
 

By John Merrifield,
Professor of Economics
Director, Entrepreneurial Conservatism Institute

October 2, 2006

The economics of rush hour road (RHR) tolls is settled. Such tolls reduce construction spending and hassles, while reducing traffic jams, air pollution, fuel use, car upkeep costs, and accidents. RHR tolls are smaller than the tolls charged through wacky schemes to fund mostly empty, separate toll lanes alongside jammed free lanes.

Now, thanks to some entrepreneurial leaders in London and Stockholm, we can say that the politics of RHR tolls can be attractive as well.  ‘Can be’ because political timing and policy design are critical factors.  In both places, leaders went ahead despite strong opposition, choosing good policy over short-term political expediency. The RHR toll policy worked as predicted by basic economic theory. Public opinion changed to reflect the reality on the ground. For example, in Stockholm “widespread opposition to Stockholm’s congestion charge appears to have evaporated. 62% of Stockholm residents are planning to vote to keep the charge (www.thelocal.se).” RHR tolling is a conservative, market-based policy that appeals to non-conservatives.

So, you leader-wannabes, do you want to do well for yourself by doing good for Texas’ major cities (avoiding a largely irreversible major disaster)? Then repeal the state law that precludes use of RHR tolls for existing roads and forces us to choose between bad policies; huge freeways (23 lanes in Atlanta!?), or a mix of jammed ‘free’ lanes next to mostly empty (~18 hours daily), expensive separate toll lanes. In conjunction with that repeal, propose what Sweden did; a trial period for RHR tolls followed by a public vote to keep or terminate the RHR tolls. It’ll be a winner if tried, and you’ll be a winner for proposing this solution. That’s entrepreneurial conservatism. Take an effective, but unattractive policy opposed for being misunderstood just because it is new or because of poor economic education by our public school system, and lead people to it, and then benefit when it works.
 

Smith Votes to Increase Funding for Military Personnel

10/29/2006

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Lamar Smith (TX-21) today voted for the “National Defense Authorization Act” (H.R.5122). The bill provides pay raises for military personnel and body armor for troops in combat. It also protects TRICARE beneficiaries from premium increases.

"America’s military families sacrifice to protect our freedom,” said Congressman Smith. “They deserve affordable health care and increased pay." Smith explained, “The funding in this bill is the least we can do to demonstrate our gratitude to our men and women in uniform.”

The bill authorizes $462.8 billion in appropriations for the Department of Defense and national security programs at the Department of Energy. It includes the following:

A 2.2% pay raise for all members of the armed forces;

An increase in funding to provide troops in Iraq and Afghanistan with armored Humvees, interceptor body armor and improvised explosive device (IED) protection equipment; 

$50 billion in supplemental funding to support the Global War on Terror’s operational costs, personnel expenses and procurement of new equipment; A provision that blocks the DOD’s proposed TRICARE fee increase until October 2007; and  Prohibits an increase in co-payments for pharmaceuticals dispensed through the TRICARE retail pharmacy during fiscal year 2007.

“I will continue working to ensure our military personnel receive the health care they were promised,” concluded Smith.

Upon approval by the Senate, the bill will go to the President’s desk for his signature.  

Republican Club of Comal County Featuring Congressman Lamar Smith

Please join the Republican Club of Comal County on Tuesday, October 31, 2006, 7:00 p.m. at the Guadalupe Valley Telecommunications Cooperative, 36101 FM 3159, New Braunfels, Texas.

Cost: FREE

Speaker: Congressmen Lamar Smith

Contact: Tom or Naila Goodro, Membership Co-Chairs Republican Club of Comal County 830-438-5012
 

Please forward this to all Republican listserves, activists, poll watchers, friends, and family!

Attention Republicans of the 21st Congressional District – MAKE SURE YOUR VOTE COUNTS!

This year’s Republican Party primary results for the 21st District were canceled out by the U.S. Supreme Court’s redistricting decision.

As a result, this year’s 21st Congressional Election is a SPECIAL ELECTION. Seven candidates from various political parties will appear on the ballot. 

This means that STRAIGHT PARTY VOTES do not apply toward the Special Election.

Since there are two concurrent elections, the Special is first on the ballot and will require a separate vote. Then the General Election will follow with the straight party ballot on the General Election. Therefore, you will need to vote in BOTH elections. To vote Republican in the Special Congressional Election you MUST go directly to the part of the ballot labeled “Special Election,” which will be at the top of the ballot and select the individual candidate (Lamar Smith – R).

Unlike the General Election, if no candidate receives more than 50% there will be a runoff! Since there are seven candidates in this race, YOUR VOTE IS ESSENTIAL to help avoid this situation!

If you use an Electronic Machine and accidentally skip the Special Election, the computer will alert you that you have made “No Selection.”  But if you are using a ballot you will not be given a reminder to change your selection.

We are less than 40 DAYS away from Election Day, and we need your support to AVOID A RUNOFF!

To help you stay up-to-date on campaign activities and provide information on how you can get involved we have launched a special website. Please visit http://www.texansforlamarsmith.com to sign up for our e-newsletter, receive yard signs, receive bumper stickers, and volunteer!  If you are not sure whether you still live in the 21st District you can verify that by visiting the website.

If there is anything that we can do for you, please do not hesitate to contact us. We greatly appreciate everything that you do and understand the value of your time! Please understand how grateful we are for everything that you have done and will continue to do! Below are a few important dates to remember.

October 10th – Last Day to Register to Vote

October 23rd – First Day of Early Voting

November 3rd – Last Day of Early Voting

November 7th – Election Day

Gerardo Interiano, Campaign Manager, Texans for Lamar Smith

807 Brazos St., Suite 906,  Austin , Texas 78701

512-236-0363 (o),  512-236-1445 (f),  210-216-3409 (c)

ginteriano@texansforlamarsmith.com

http://www.texansforlamarsmith.com
 

San Antonio TX  78212

(210) 365-3907

http://www.mccurdyformayor.org/                     

Dear Friend,

Greetings!!!!  I believe that you, like myself, long for the establishment of righteousness in our local government. I know you understand how important it is to elect people who have integrity and are not controlled by special interest groups. These are my values, and I am called to run for Mayor of San Antonio. Together we can raise the standard for our city! 

We would be very honored for you to attend a fundraiser October 19th, a dinner at Joseph’s Storehouse Restaurant and Bakery at 3420 N. St. Mary’s Street Thursday evening from 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM. Music will be provided, and we will enjoy a fun time together! Please contact Reinette Alecozay today at 614-2677 or cell 241-2683 and leave word whether or not you will attend this very important event. We need to hear from you by October 15. Thank you!

God bless you, and I look forward to hearing from you today!!!!

Patrick J. McCurdy       

Mayoral Candidate   (please cut along dotted line and return lower portion)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

___ Yes, I will attend.  I would like to purchase a total of ___ tickets at $50 each.

___ No, I will not be attending. However, I would like to contribute to your campaign. Enclosed is my best gift at this time for $______.

Texas Ethics Commission requires the following for all political contributions:

_________________________      _____________________

Name                                             Employer

________________________      _______________________________

Street address                                 Occupation

_________________    _____      _____________

City                           State                Zip Code

Note:  The price of tickets purchased is considered a political contribution.

Mayoral candidates may not accept more than $50 in cash per donor, nor may they accept more than $1,000 per donor (but not per household) as political contributions during the election cycle. 

Checks payable to McCurdy Campaign mail to Reinette Alecozay, Campaign Chairman

4810 Newcome Drive San Antonio TX 78229-5334

(For your convenience, you may call Reinette to arrange to have your contribution picked up).
 

None of the established news outlets have followed up on the reductions in property tax promised and supposedly passed by our state legislators several months ago.

Dr. Kelly, the superintendent of the Boerne ISD, reports in our local "rag" that the average taxpayer's bill will increase by $85 for the coming year. Supposedly the cause is some mysterious effect called "appraisal creep" and the Governor has appointed a committee to investigate "appraisal creep.” Since I have owned various houses in the past 44 years, I could probably advise the committee that real estate generally escalates in value and that there is nothing creepy about it and the escalation is quite predictable. Maybe the committee should investigate how the Governor managed to increase overall taxes and yet convince us that we were about to get a break.

I don't know what the average citizen can do about these tax increases. Maybe the school systems could try to hold spending. Maybe state government could look for ways to decrease spending. Out of frustration I might suggest that we tar and feather someone, but I would be afraid the tar bucket would just spill on the good taxpaying citizenry.
 

Please join the Alamo City Republican Women and surrounding areas on

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

11:00am - 1:30pm at the Oak Hills Country Club, 5403, Fredericksburg Road

Keynote Speaker: The First Lady of Texas, Anita Perry.

Special Guest Speaker: Susan Howard, NRA Board Member, Actress "Dallas" TV Show

Payment in advance is recommended. Mail checks to Sharon Kemp, 2014 Adobe Trail, San Antonio, TX 78232, payable to ACRW/PAC by October 19th.

Space is limited. Deadline for Reservations Noon, Friday, October 20th.

Contact: Carolyn 493-6210 or Barbara 342-5482

OR Email reservations to: Reservations@ACRWomen.org

ALL E-MAILS MUST INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: your full name and phone number.
 

Strayhorn says in debate: “I was told to be a good girl, sit down, and be quiet” she recounted when she criticized Perry’s tax increases...

Kudos to Karen Collins of McKinney for getting in a question on the Trans Texas Corridor! First, Perry tried to explain away his land grabbing toll road nightmare by comparing public opposition to when the interstate system was built. Then in the debate, he tried to compare the TTC to instituting farm to market roads (which are usually 2 lanes, 4 max. not 10 lanes with right of way 4 football fields wide).

Nice try, Perry, but a MASSIVE superhighway whose primary purpose is to transport foreign goods at Texans’ expense and putting it under foreign control is LIKE NO OTHER ROAD PLAN IN TEXAS HISTORY! He also reiterated that Texans voted on this. See the text of Prop 15 (to which he is referring, here-- http://www.satollparty.com/post/?p=2 and scroll down to Prop. 15) and then tell me if you think you voted on this…Perry continues to demonstrate total arrogance on this issue and his total disconnect with those who elected him.

The most telling exchange in the debate was when Strayhorn was asked about her switching parties (it should be noted Perry used to be a Democrat before he was a Republican, along with many others). Her answer: “I was told to be a good girl, sit down, and be quiet” when she dared to criticize Perry and the Legislature’s tax increases (called "fees") in 2003. She didn’t abandon the Party, the Party abandoned her. She’s the only TRUE FISCAL CONSERVATIVE in this race, and the only candidate with the integrity to stick to her guns in the face of threats and intimidation by the establishment!

http://satollparty.com/post/?p=423

--Terri
 

This is a series by an anonymous political insider in Bexar County. The views of this author do not represent the views of South Texas Republicans. 

Last week, Editor Joe Solis wrote a scathing indictment on Republican Judge John Specia for attending Democrat Peter Sakai’s fundraiser at Spur Brent Barry’s house that Brent and his wife hosted in mid-September.

Editor R. G. Griffing of the SanAntonioLightning.com, in turn, jumped on it and went postal on the non-story.

Apparently, Joe’s logic was that there is policy that dictates that judges don’t get involved in other judges’ races due to some canon of law that prohibits it. When I went to the Democratic website to see the photos he mentioned, they were noticeably absent. I must assume they deleted the photos, as there was no record of Specia attending the function on the website.

Other than the photos, Joe ran in the Republican newsletter and R.G. Griffing posting Joe’s newsletter on the SA Lightning, there is no record of the alleged violation.

In this particular instance, I wholeheartedly disagree with Joe’s logic in making it an issue and SA Lightning for making it into a circus. There was no story here at all.

And what is it with R.G. Griffing?  Speaking of machismo and testosterone all rolled into one. Apparently, he is once again browbeating a spokeswoman for a judge as he did to Senatorial candidate Barbara Radnofsky months ago.

For a person who says he is running for Mayor to change things, he has a funny way of addressing the problem. Slandering one judge who attended a function for another judge and calling it unethical is hypocrisy. Using his influence as a newspaper publisher to trash an elected official whose only crime was to be somewhere is definitely pompous and disingenuous.   

Over the past 40 weeks as part of my column, I have addressed the issue of Republicans and Democrats crossing over the political line to support a candidate of the other party. Personally, I think it is healthy that it happens, even though I make fun of it. Too bad, it doesn’t happen more often.

Neither side has it all together; neither side has a monopoly on all the right solutions. We don’t even agree on what the problem is and how to fix it. Both sides need to take a deep breathe and act like adults.

I don’t know Judge Specia, but from my perspective, he is not the bad guy or the good guy in this situation. He is just an elected official who attended a candidate’s fundraiser who happens to be from the opposing party. They do it every day. The Republicrat has written about many of the crossovers and so what?

Both sides are guilty of fraternizing with each other. I am a Democrat and Joe is a Republican. We agree to disagree. Democrats and Republicans hang out at the courthouse, at each other’s events, and some, God forbid, socialize with each other. So is there a problem? It must be that we are weeks away from Election Day. Could it get worse? Probably will.

We can now move on to this business of continuing our discussion on no-name candidates. There is so many of them and not enough space to praise them or denigrate them in print. This week is no exception.

Last week, for those who were paying attention, we talked about the lesser-known candidates in the Democratic Party who we do not mention very often. Actually, we didn’t get to all of them last week either, because they weren’t worth mentioning.

I posed the question last week, “what do we know about them anyway?”

Since many of the lesser well known would be political candidates, campaigns are virtually non-existent, how do you find out about them? I read the Democratic website occasionally and there is never any information about them. There is lots of information about other candidates accusing Republicans of cowardice, brouhaha over Republicans supporting Democrats and the like. Sorry, I digress.

These invisible candidates are so under the radar screen; it takes awhile to figure out who they are and what issues they embrace, if any.

Take for instance, County Clerk aspirant Tim Ybarra. Can anybody tell me if he has a website? Has anybody attended one of his fundraisers? Has anybody received an invitation to a gathering for Tim Ybarra? Tim is a no-show to most other candidate’s events. I have seen a few signs, but that is about all.

Then there are the testosterone twins, Lauro Bustamante and Richard Garcia. (Let’s make Griffing an honorary testosterone twin) The good news is that Bustamante is so far under the radar screen that we don’t have to listen to him or vote for him, for that matter. His getting on the ballot was questionable at best, disingenuous at worst.

We already trashed candidate Milton Fagin last week. Rumor is that Judge Michael Peden is shaking in his boots. The other rumor is that Milton is seriously considering selling women’s shoes again. He isn’t touching my feet!

Reports I receive say that when Milton attends an event, he usually sits by himself or with an old eccentric woman who fancies herself an activist. Even the infamous Barrio Chairs who harass the Party Chair ignore him. Poor Milton.

And one last piece of juicy information. (Best for last!)  Weeks ago, I mentioned that the Democratic Party Chair Carla Vela was playing into the hands of her detractors and supplying them fodder for challenge. Well it has happened. Word is Carla temporarily shut down the Party Headquarters last week and changed the locks in a battle with her staff.

Appears she gets no respect. Imagine shutting down the headquarters just before Election Day. Can you say, “Meltdown?”

Rumor is that Carla is reminding everyone that she is the Chair and her decisions are final on all counts. Who knew?

If we missed anything, we will have to address it next week.

That is the moderate viewpoint. I AM the "Republicrat"!