San Antonio - August 28, 2006
Attorney General Greg Abbott is joined by Sheryl Cates, left, Executive Director of the Texas Council on Family Violence (TCFV) and Marta Pelaez, right, President of Family Violence Prevention Services of Bexar County. TCFV announced the launch of a statewide campaign called "Know the Red Flags," which educates young Texans facing their first dating experiences to be aware of the signs of a relationship that could lead to abuse and even violence. Palaez recounted the consequences of domestic violence in Bexar County, where each year her group helps almost 10,000 battered women. The "Know the Red Flags" campaign seeks to halt the cycle of abuse at its earliest stages, when victims and abusers are still young.

You heard it here first. There is a populist, consumer-driven movement that is evolving within the Republican Party of Texas. The fearless and persistent leader is Attorney General Greg Abbott. 

Take a look at these recent press release headlines from the A.G.’s office:

* ATTORNEY GENERAL ABBOTT RESOLVES LAWSUIT AGAINST VONAGE OVER EMERGENCY DIALING SERVICE

Agreement addresses 9-1-1 services for users of its Internet-based phone service.

* ATTORNEY GENERAL GREG ABBOTT ANNOUNCES NEW LIST OF TEN MOST WANTED CHILD SUPPORT EVADERS

Fathers owe more than $681,000 in unpaid child support; two arrested within 48 hours.

* ATTORNEY GENERAL ABBOTT TAKES LEGAL ACTION AGAINST TWO CONTACT LENS DISPENSERS

Main Optical and New Look Cosmetics of San Antonio cited; practices halted.

* ATTORNEY GENERAL ABBOTT’S MEDICAID FRAUD UNIT UNCOVERS MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR SCHEME; 33 INDICTED

Investigation targets businesses for defrauding state healthcare program

CFO Magazine said the following about the Attorney General in their March 2006 edition. 

“Here are some of the AGs that remain the most feared by business and a few corporate pelts they’ve collected.”

“Greg Abbott, Texas: Abbott sued Sony BMG last November for placing spy ware on music Cds; the case is pending. Abbott, who holds a BBA degree in finance, has negotiated millions in settlements with pharmaceutical firms for various types of Medicaid fraud.”

There is one theme that comes up over and over again with this leader. If a business operator decides to take advantage of any Texan, especially the poor and children, this Attorney General will come after you with a vengeance. This man is not playing games with crooks, thieves and con artists. He will take you down if you “Mess with Texas.”

This is a populist style of leadership in the tradition of Teddy Roosevelt. It is about standing by the “little guy” when these business abuses occur. What he is doing is really inspiring because you just know that this man is passionate about protecting Texans. At times, you feel there is a spiritual force behind him if that makes any sense.

Why is this important? The Republican Party has always been traditionally labeled as the party of big business and special interests. General Abbott is leading us in a new direction. It is my belief that we are at a point where we need this kind of reform in our party. Democrats, Republicans and Independents in this state can look at this man and think one thing.

This public servant is really looking out for us. 

In the long run, voters will remember this consistent ally of seniors, children and ordinary Texans.  All I can say is, Attorney General Abbott, keep it going. You are making a difference in this state.
 

The Open Records Division issues rulings and decisions that determine whether information is open to the public under the Public Information Act and other applicable laws. This division also takes action to enforce these decisions and sponsors conferences to educate citizens and government officials about the state's open government laws. The Open Records Division also provides an Open Government Hotline, staffed by investigators who specialize in both the Public Information Act and the Open Meetings Act.

These investigators can answer questions regarding these laws and can help resolve disputes involving the open government laws. However, the Hotline cannot provide legal advice to private citizens or governmental entities. The Hotline can be reached at (512) 478-OPEN (6736) or toll-free at (877) OPEN TEX (673-6839).

http://www.oag.state.tx.us/opinopen/opengovt.shtml
 

Agreement with YP Corp. stops deceptive scheme obligating small businesses to advertise 

Sample Of Deceptive YP Check

 Fine Print On Back Of Check

Original Petition With YP Corp.

Agreed Final Judgment With YP Corp.

EL PASO - Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott today announced that some Texas business owners may be eligible for a refund of fees they unwittingly paid to an Arizona company for advertising in its online "yellow pages" directory.

Texas and 33 other states reached an agreement today with YP Corp. and its online services, YP.net and Yellow-Page.net, over allegations that the company used "live" activation checks to trick business owners into initiating contracts and paying monthly fees for advertising services.

"Small and locally owned businesses are critical to the future of the Texas economy," said Attorney General Abbott. "The Office of the Attorney General is committed to keeping small businesses safe from deceptive or misleading marketing practices.  We are committed to a Texas that fosters a burgeoning business community and protects small businesses. 

The "live" activation checks YP Corp. mailed to thousands of businesses in Texas and around the country gave the appearance that the company had a pre-existing business relationship with the customers. The checks were made payable to the businesses, usually in small amounts of approximately $3.25. When business managers deposited or cashed the checks, they unknowingly entered into a contract with YP Corp. for an enhanced "Internet Advertising Package." Activating the check also triggered YP Corp., through its billing company, Telco Billing, to begin collecting monthly fees that were tacked on to their telephone bills or automatically withdrawn from the bank accounts into which the businesses deposited the checks.

Many businesses that cashed checks from YP Corp. assumed the small amounts were merely refunds or rebates. They were not aware of fine print on the reverse of the check explaining that depositing the check construed a contractual advertising agreement with YP Corp. Because businesses were unknowingly purchasing these services, the Texas Office of the Attorney General contended that YP Corp. had committed numerous violations of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act. 

The Texas Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division has determined that over 60,000 Texas business customers deposited checks. Customers who were unknowingly signed up with YP Corp., but who did not intend to purchase Internet advertising services may be eligible for restitution under the multi-state settlement.

Any Texas business or organization that deposited an activation check from YP Corp. since January 1, 2003, was billed for an online yellow page listing, and did not intend to enter into such a contract should contact the Texas Attorney General's Office no later than March 15, 2007, to request a refund.

Existing YP Corp. customers who believe they entered an advertising contract by depositing an activation check will be contacted directly by the company within the next few weeks with instructions on how to cancel their relationship with YP Corp. and request a refund.

Consumers who believe they may have been defrauded in this or a similar manner may contact the Office of Attorney General at (800) 252-8011 or file online at the agency's Web site at www.oag.state.tx.us.

“REFORM in the G.OP.” Series

NOTE from Joe Solis/South Texas Republicans

The piece above about Attorney General Greg Abbott is the first in a series that will present reformers in the Republican Party of Texas. All of these leaders are innovators who are focused on change that revolves around accountable, fiscally conservative and consumer-driven government. 

I encourage you to support these reformers. The status quo mentality of the old guard has led us to ruin in the recent election cycle. (Look at Bexar County for a wonderful case study.)  It is time for new ideas and reform right now. The future of party and this state is at stake.
 

Most recently, two weeks ago, the Senate Judiciary Committee conducted an oversight hearing of the FBI, and at that hearing, Senator Cornyn questioned FBI Director Mueller about the violence among drug cartels in Nuevo Laredo.

Americans, especially Texans, are fortunate that this continues to be an issue of great concern for Senator John Cornyn.

CORNYN : Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

     Good morning, Director Mueller.

     I wanted to ask you a little bit about the violence that we're seeing along our border between the United States and Mexico. Particularly of concern to me is the violence among drug cartels in Nuevo Laredo and the various kidnappings and other problems associated with that violence.

     I've discussed this matter with our ambassador, Tony Garza, our ambassador to Mexico. I've addressed it with Attorney General Gonzales.  

CORNYN: And, as you probably know, he sent a violent crime impact team to Laredo.

     And I've also discussed this with officials from the government of Mexico.

     First of all, can you confirm for me that the FBI is, in fact, does have membership on the Violent Crime Impact Team?

MUELLER: I believe we do. I'd have to make sure and check on that. I know we have --we're participating in a number of task forces down there.

     I would have to get back to you as to what our participation -- I'm quite certain we probably -- I believe we probably are, but I'd have to get back to you and confirm that we are.

CORNYN: I can't imagine you wouldn't be -- yet, I know there were apparently some questions raised, and I would appreciate that.

     Are you prepared, at this point, to update us on what's happening as far as the kidnappings that have occurred of American citizens in Nuevo Laredo?

MUELLER:  Without getting into the details, because it's an ongoing investigation, if you're talking about a recent, relatively highly publicized kidnapping, we are still participating in the investigation of that.  We've had some -- it's not totally successful, but had some limited success.

CORNYN: From a 30,000-foot level, could you give us a general idea about FBI's participation?

MUELLER: We participate on Safe Street task forces. Whenever there is a kidnapping, we have specifically -- we'll have agents participating in the investigation.

     From 30,000 feet, the view does not look good of what's happening in Laredo Nuevo.

     And where there are incursions into the United States, we quite obviously have jurisdiction to act, and we act as quickly as we possibly can and we'll put whatever resources are needed to address the investigation.

MUELLER: Our concern is the reciprocity across the border and having identified individuals with whom we can exchange information and work cooperatively because of the difficulties of law enforcement and indeed the military on the other side of the border operating.

     My hope is that, with the elections over and the new government in, that with a pledge to address violence of the cartels, that we will enhance our ability to have counterparts across the border, which will enable us to work together to address the problems there.

For information regarding Senator Cornyn or to sign up for monthly email updates, please visit http://www.cornyn.senate.gov
 

Thank you for a wonderful year and here is to many more. It is a continual blessing to bring this newsletter to all of you each and every week.

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

December 18, 2006

Virtually everyone pays lip service to the virtues of free trade. Abstention from ‘protectionism’ (import restrictions to protect domestic firms from foreign competition) is widely lauded as an essential element of economic growth, especially in the backward countries that need it the most. This is a most pressing issue in South Texas.

Then why are there still so many trade barriers, and why is the latest round of negotiations aimed at lowering them so contentious, verging on collapse? Because every country contains elected officials willing to limit trade if the short-run political calculus favors it. That means satisfying the special interest demand for import barriers without appearing overtly protectionist. So, there are powerful temptations to sell disguised trade barriers to import-competing businesses. It takes leadership to unmask the closet protectionists and persevere in the pursuit of open markets.

Closet protectionists are easily identified. They hide behind the demand for fair trade; an attractive concept that suffers in the worst way from the adage that the devil is in the details. Especially popular is opposition to so-called ‘dumping.’ ‘Kudos’ to the creative political operative that managed to put a bad face on the availability of bargains; to get legislators and voters to authorize suing Santa Claus. That creative use of language destroyed thousands of businesses, and it costs consumers billions of dollars each year in higher prices. Sadly, this made-in-America political innovation has spread to other countries.

People react to the ugly word – who could favor something called ‘dumping’ – without an understanding of what the law actually prohibits. U.S. businesses can file suit if a foreign competitor sells in the U.S. for: 1.) less than elsewhere (gasp!!!); or 2.) below production cost. Yes, your representatives created a law that mandates the world’s highest prices for Americans. And if a foreign business accidentally over-produces, they can’t offer bargains to Americans to help sell the over-stock. The citizens of other countries will get the bargains. And if the low price is the result of a foreign government’s foolish impulse to tax their people to offer below cost goodies to Americans, the anti-dumping law prohibits the would-be boost to U.S. living standards. Note that such largesse cannot hurt the U.S. economy. Lower prices for some things create savings to spend on other things.

The definition of cost is so fuzzy that many foreign businesses stay out of the U.S. market or accept the low market share that will result from prices set high enough to eliminate lawsuit risk. So, the dumping laws are ‘perfect’ political cover for officials willing to trade the welfare of their people – to progressively cripple economic growth - for some short-term political gains.

Low prices sometimes result from unfair business practices, but the political process is ill-suited to sorting real from imagined unfairness, and meting out appropriate punishment. That is well-documented (visit www.cato.org/ and search under ‘dumping’). Understanding that pursuit of perfection (totally fair) is the enemy of good is a key element of leadership.
 

I had talked to someone who had worked Bonilla's campaign. I told him while I agreed more with Bonilla on taxes and I am pro life, Bonilla had been part of a spendthrift congress that forgot why they were placed in Washington in the first place. Slowly they had become yellow-backed invertebrates. Bonilla on the appropriations committee could have stopped a lot of the spending but had refused to do so. He even had the gall to brag about how much federal funding he had given to college aid. 

It is not that I am not merciful I have my list of favorites including Kerrville Crisis Pregnancy Center, Laity Renewal foundation, Impact Ministry, and the Salvation Army. Yet in the end, it is a personal decision to fund comfort for unwed mothers choosing to choose life, inner city kids you send to a youth camp, fresh water projects, orphanages from Uganda to Ecuador and Guatemala and we all know what the Salvation Army does. Ultimately, helping those of the world who are poor, falls upon those who have money in a voluntary basis. Bonilla showed that he had little knowledge of the document he swore to uphold. Show me one thing that government does well other than law enforcement or military. Bonilla had the gall to brag about his spending gone mad on ads placed on KTSA and KLUP. The man had lost touch with reality. He was telling me, the man who may break $15,000 this year, how he squandered my money. 

I have been called by members of the local Republican Party and they are defending Bonilla Bonilla's terrorism adds show remarkable desperation. I am a conservative not a Republican.The fact that if Bonilla loses his race it maybe more egg on Perry's face is all too appealing. 

I voted for Ciro...I hope he enjoys his brief stay in DC. It was just a protest vote. I do not think I am alone in being a conservative who voted for Ciro. It was a vote cast in anger I hope Ciro realizes how many others voted like me. I hope Bonilla spends his time out of D.C. realizing why he was given the vacation and finds some good reading, The Federalist Papers and the Constitution. I also hope the toll Road Perry looks really bad and the RNC and state Republican Party realizes what a complete disaster he has been since he has already waffled on illegal immigration twice and now wants a guest worker program that maybe having him resign would be a good idea. 

Sincerely,

Esteban Erik Stipnieks 
 

A&M Expert: Don’t need to raise gas tax at all; don’t need tolls!

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 05, 2006

NOT NECESSARY TO TOLL, A&M EXPERT SAYS

Texas Monthly blog

By Paul Burka

Few things are duller than a committee meeting in the interim between legislative sessions. Witnesses drone on about policy choices involving arcane issues. Some of the committees exist only for a short duration and will vanish once the legislative session begins in January.

The media almost never shows up for these meetings, which explains why the November 28 meeting of the Study Commission on Transportation Financing received virtually no attention. But a few minutes into the hearing, David Ellis, a co-author of a report by the Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) at Texas A&M, dropped a bombshell on the commission. He said that Texas could finance its highway needs without toll roads. The headline for this post is based on Ellis’s testimony. I have not come across any mainstream media reports of Ellis’s remarks.

Read more here - http://satollparty.com/post/?p=487

Toll Party response to A&M Report that says we don’t need to raise gas tax; don’t need tolls

TxDOT over inflated “needs” by $30 billion;

Pulls rug out from under pro-toll arguments

In a stunning admission that increasing the gas tax and tolls are NOT NEEDED for future transportation projects, a Texas Transportation Institute report called “Shaping the Competitive Advantage of Texas Metropolitan Regions: The role of Transportation, Housing & Aesthetics” affirms what San Antonio Toll Party.com and citizens groups across the state have been saying. The report discussed in testimony before the Study Commission on Transportation Financing (November 28, 2006, can be viewed here (http://www.senate.state.tx.us/avarchive/ram.php?ram=00002956) also revealed that TxDOT over-inflated their “funding gap” figures by $30 billion.

This is proof positive that we DO NOT NEED TO TOLL ROADS or raise the gas tax AT ALL much less $1.09 a gallon in order to fix our roads (as TxDOT contends: http://satollparty.com/post/?p=479) and keep people moving. It’s TxDOT who lacks credibility, not the folks who have questioned TxDOT’s figures and brought their misstatements to light.

The report further bolsters the grassroots movement taking hold throughout Texas which are working to promote non-toll transportation solutions and rid the state of the controversial and detested Trans Texas Corridor.

The second most important thing to take away from this report is that TxDOT and the road lobby have been doing fuzzy math and prosecuting a propaganda campaign to mislead the public into thinking there’s a transportation funding crisis that can only be solved through tolls under the control of foreign companies. The Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) is like the right arm of TxDOT and for them to come out with this information further shreds TxDOT’s credibility and puts a nail in the coffin of TxDOT’s shift to tolls.

Our Legislature cannot ignore the TRUTH and FACTS this report reveals and we believe they’ll finally take action to rein in this out of control agency that has purposely inflated their figures to push an agenda against the public’s best interest.

With several toll roads set to go to contract in early 2007, this report certainly gives citizens the ammunition they’ll need to keep TxDOT’s version of tolls from coming to San Antonio.

Perry comes out in favor of guest worker program in post-election epiphany betraying conservatives

Read more here: http://www.texasinsider.org/scoop/Scoop_KellyShannon-12-07-06-PerryOnImmigrationReform.htm
 

So who knew that Ciro Rodriguez would stomp Henry “the Horrible” into the ground and beat him like a dog in the early vote? Aren’t Republicans the ones who vote early? And how about the results on Election Day?

Apparently, the only Republican who openly voiced that very sentiment was T.J. Connolly on the Chris Duel show last week. I was shocked when I heard him say it. I am thrilled that it came to pass.

Called the modern day Nostradamus of the political scene, Connolly predicted the outcome and the percentage within the 4 percent margin of error. He predicted 52-48 although it was actually 54-46.  Close enough for me.

His prediction was better than mine turned out to be, but who cares? The end result is fabulous and “Horrible” will soon slither away into the night and “quote the raven, nevermore.”

What a turnaround for Democrats. It would seem that Henry’s close ties with Tom Delay finally caught up with him. What is that old adage, “If you lie down with dogs, you get fleas?” Maybe Henry can share a prison cell with Daddy Delay when they discover his holdings in companies that show a direct conflict of interest in his votes and assets.

Those Henry ads accusing Ciro of being soft on terrorists made a major difference in the race. In essence, those charges were even over the top for Ultra-Conservative Republicans to swallow. Didn’t Henry learn that from George Antuna who went negative and made the same mistake in his race for State Rep. on the Southside?

My question to the readers is: “Does the air seem fresher, the flowers appear brighter, and the birds songs sweeter as the stepson of Tom Delay vanishes into oblivion?”

The Republican Monday morning pundits are blaming Henry’s loss on everything from Republican voter abandonment to Republican voter apathy. Why not blame it on an arrogant, self-serving, in-your-face attitude?

Lay the blame at the feet of the congressman who proudly touted himself as the only Mexican-American Republican Congressman. There is a reason why he was the only one. Self-respecting Hispanics don’t act as Henry did. If he is the role model for Republican Mexican-American Congressional office holders, we won’t see another one again for decades and that would be tragic.

As a Southsider, I can tell you that the Southside took this election very seriously. I attended the rally at Palo Alto when President Clinton came to town last week. I barely managed to squeeze in and stood way in the back, but it was worth the trip. I saw Democrats I hadn’t seen in years. The enthusiasm was there and I sensed then that Ciro had a chance to win the race. I never believed he would handily walk away with a landslide.

At the Election Night victory party at the Harlandale Civic Center, the enthusiasm was electrifying. The room was too small for the huge crowd that showed up to support Ciro. You could hardly move around or even go to the bathroom.

I did see that woman, Madeleine DeWar, who trashed me in last week’s Newsletter. For a woman who claims to be a longtime Democratic activist who has been around for years, she didn’t appear to interact with too many Democrats in the room. It is fascinating since I have only noticed her around for maybe, the last two years.

What rock has she been hiding behind all that time? Since you can’t miss her when she walks into the room, it must be a pretty big rock!  How do you spell, “cat-fight?” I will pull off my size 7 pumps and we can have a go at it. Constantly referencing me in her diatribe as “he,” is crossing the line.

She wrote, “There is no turmoil in the party. Carla is not a dictator, has no serious character flaws, low self-esteem nor a low IQ.”

Some in the Party tell me the way Madeleine acts as the new Party Executive Director, she fits that description more accurately than Carla Vela. It would appear that Madeleine is the real power behind Carla, since Carla is incapable of making the hard decisions.

Madeleine also trashes me by saying, “The latter of those attacks are personal and would not come from anyone who was really a true Democrat.” Actually, personal attacks are the hallmark of the local Democratic Party. I hear that at nearly every Party meeting, someone disparages someone before the night is done. I also hear that John McConnell is usually involved.

Lastly, she brags, “I am a Democrat and I’m a Liberal and I willingly shout that from the rooftops.” As a moderate I will not shout but quietly and demurely say,

And that’s the moderate view; I AM the Republicrat.