Left of College Station

Party Chair Apologizes to Election Judges

By Dave Lewis (Examiner Publisher)

From the Navasota Examiner

Some 41 days after the 2008 general election, Grimes County Democratic Party Chair Larry Snook said Monday he could now recommend that the election be certified and apologized “for the problems that were caused by my errors.”

In a special workshop meeting of the Grimes County Commissioners Court, Snook told those present that after meeting with Becky Duff and Jean LeNorman in the County Elections Administration Office, he was satisfied that the numbers were correct in terms of voting machine totals and voter signature sheet totals.

“A lot of the errors that I found the first time through were counting errors on my part,” Snook said. The errors, he added, were a result of misplaced combination forms, the mixing of combination forms from the City of Navasota election and from the courthouse and Navasota early voting not getting into precinct folders. “It was relatively easy to solve these problems and make a good count as soon as we approached them in a cooperative manner,” Snook added.

Even with his apology, many of the election judges and alternates present at Monday’s meeting said they still felt like their integrity had been challenged. “I’m very hurt in the way it was handled,” offered election judge Mary Fontaine.

Snook, who is completing his second two-year term as county Democratic Party chair, initially challenged what he called significant differences in the number of voters shown on machine totals in comparison with voter rolls. Although voter sign-in sheet numbers are not required to match with machine totals, they do serve as an indicator of voter activity in the precinct polling places.

County Republican Chair Malcolm Green said the chief function of the sign-in sheets is to help make sure ineligible persons are not allowed to vote.

“I apologize if some of you felt there were improper accusations,” Snook told the group.

County Judge Betty Shiflett, saying she had complete confidence in the county’s election process, applauded the manner in which the judges conducted the election. “You have done a due-diligence job, and I’m proud of the way you’ve done it. I’m happy we came together, and very confident we’ve come up with the answers to all the questions people had. We’re not afraid to address things that are challenged.”

A Nov. 19 letter from Texas Gov. Rick Perry and Secretary of State Hope Andrade also commended Grimes County’s election administrator for “the integral role you played in running a fair, credible election this November.”

Following the discussions, county commissioners Pam Finke, Julian Melchor and John Bertling agreed that the role of the county elections administration office should be left as it is, although there was no provision for a vote on the matter.

“I was against it at first, but if it’s not broke, don’t fix it,” opined Bertling.

Commissioner Bill Pendley was unable to attend the meeting.

Published on Wednesday, October 17, 2008

Congressional Race Focuses on Issues

Chet Edwards, Rob Curnock Discuss Election Points in Their Race for Congress

By: Matt Woolbright

From the Texas A&M University Battalion

Rep. Chet Edwards, Class of 1974 and D-Texas, will be up for reelection for U.S. representative Tuesday and is running against Republican Rob Curnock, Baylor graduate, Class of 1981.

Libertarian Gardner C. Osborne is also on the ballot for District 17 Representative.

Edwards said Curnock lost Republican Party support.

"The National Republican Campaign Committee (NRCC) has withdrawn their support of my opponent due to my success so far," Edwards said.

However, Curnock said this is not the case.

"The National Republican Campaign Committee never chose to get involved in this race, and that decision was made before I said that I was running, so saying they withdrew support from us is a blatant attempt to make it look like the race is over and that I'm not a legitimate candidate, and that is a lie," Curnock said.

Edwards said his bipartisanship is the main reason he has excelled in the largely Republican state, and is one of the most important issues to be addressed.

"I think it's essential to develop more bipartisanship in Washington," Edwards said. "Last year, I passed the largest increase in veterans funding in our history. It passed because I reached out to Republicans from day one."

Curnock said Edwards calls himself bipartisan, but his actions say otherwise.

"He claims to be an independent, but he votes with the Democratic Party 96 percent of the time," Curnock said.

Curnock said the biggest issue in this election will be the stark differences between himself and his opponent. Curnock symbolically said these differences are his "five smooth stones."

"We've worked to get our message out, obviously it's a David v. Goliath race, but I got my five smooth stones so I'm ready. But it only takes one," Curnock said.

Curnock's stones include the war in Iraq; support for Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill.; drilling for oil in Anwr and off the coast; lowering tax cuts and overhauling the tax code and abortion.

Edwards voted for House Bill 1591, which called for the withdrawal of troops and against the troop surge. Curnock said he would have voted opposite Edwards both times.

"I'm campaigning on cutting taxes, limiting government spending, winning the war on terror, wherever it is. I would never not support our troops," Curnock said.

Edwards supports Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama and, according to Curnock, was nominated by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to be Obama's vice president and was the final cut. Curnock supports Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.

Curnock said if Edwards is to be defeated, it will be his endorsement of Obama that defeats him.

"In this race, it will be his endorsement of Obama, who is a blatant socialist. I visited the Soviet Union before it fell and socialism does not work. I don't want that in America," Curnock said. "Chet Edwards is Obama's point man in Texas. If you honestly believe Obama should be our next commander-in-chief, then your values don't represent the conservative values of central Texas."

Both candidates said they are in favor of lowering taxes.

Endorsements of Each

Edwards said it is significant that conservative groups have endorsed him.

"Based on my record, I have received the endorsement conservatives such as of the U.S. chamber of commerce, National Rifle Association, Veterans of Foreign Wars Pac and the Texas Farm Bureau Ag fund.

"I think those endorsements are evidence of my bipartisan record of working with Republicans and Democrats for the good of my country," Edwards said.

However, Curnock said there was questionable reasoning behind the endorsements, because Edwards was a "friendly incumbent," who voted for them to get the endorsement.

Curnock's endorsements are Republican and include Sen. John Cornyn, Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson, Texas railroad commissioner Michael Williams and Ted Nugent. The Small Business Trust and the Right to Life organizations also endorsed Curnock.

Edwards' Priorities

Edwards said his locality was key when speaking of influences on his life and career.

"A&M and Brazos county have had such a profound impact on my life," Edwards said, "I've tried to spend my days since graduation giving back to my alma mater."

During his previous four years in congress, Edwards has offered $153 million to A&M research.

Issues that Edwards deems top priority include the need to stabilize our economy, win the war on terror, lessen dependence upon foreign oil and make college affordable to all qualified students.

"Keeping our college educations affordable is not only about our students future, it's vital to our nations future. And an affordable college education and reducing our dependence on foreign oil are key components to our nations economic health in the decades ahead," Edwards said.

Heart of the Race

Both candidates said that they have a driving force that has kept them going.

Edwards' is the battle of a young girl in Bryan.

"My inspiration for my last two elections has been a beautiful 11-year-old girl in Bryan - Erin Buenger. She is fighting a rare form of cancer and is the bravest, most positive and most inspirational person I have ever known in my life. She and I attended the Colorado [football game against A&M] together," Edwards said. "Every time I'm around her, I'm inspired by her spirit and encouraged to make a difference for others."

Curnock's motivation has been the will power of his supporting volunteers.

"Our race has been a grassroots labor of love for conservatives in this area who have felt unrepresented for the last 18 years," Curnock said. "It's not easy to walk out with David when you know he's going against Goliath. It's simply heartwarming to feel their support."

Published on Monday, October 3, 2008

2008: It's Time

Ballot Will Include County Election for District Attorney

By: Madiha Rizvi

From the Texas A&M University Battalion

Brazos County general elections are Tuesday, and all candidates are running uncontested except district attorney office and county tax collector/assessor.

The ballot for registered voters in Brazos County will have the national and local candidates.

"If you are registered in Brazos Valley, then you will vote for local commissioner precinct in addition to national candidates. There are four areas locally, Precinct 1, 2, 3 and 4," said Jamie Hines, Brazos County Clerk's office elections coordinator.

"You will vote according to the precinct you are in. The election ballot might have Precinct 1 or 3; Precinct 2 and 4 are having their elections after 2 years."

The contestants for the district attorney office are Bill Turner, a Democrat, and Rick Davis, a Republican. Turner is running for re-election.

"I am running on the platform on experience," Bill Turner said. "I have dedicated my career to help this community become safer. I have been an assistant prosecutor for 25 years and have tried 18 capital murder cases.

"I want justice in the courtroom and [to] help train 14 prosecutors. I want to make sure that there is justice in every case that comes in our office. I want to spend the time necessary to determine safety for the community, victim and defendant. I want to work hard to achieve this result."

Davis said that he wants equal justice for all and favoritism for none.

"I want the politics out of Brazos County," Davis said. "The incumbent wants other judges aligned with him. He has been there for 25 years and wants another 4 years. I am a believer for change at the local level.

"I have a passion for truth and justice. I was in the Corps of Cadets and I am Class of 1985. I want Aggies come and support an old Aggie [in this election]."

Published on Monday, October 3, 2008

DA Race Debate Low-Key

By Matthew Watkins

From the Bryan-College Station Eagle

District attorney candidates Rick Davis and Bill Turner stuck mainly to their campaign platforms in a low-key radio debate held six days before the election.

As they had in interviews before Wednesday night's discussion hosted by KEOS-FM, Turner focused on his nearly 25 years of experience as Brazos County's top prosecutor while Davis pushed for a change in leadership.

"I had to be a prosecutor for five years before I became district attorney," Turner said, stressing that all of his opponent's experience was as a judge or a defense lawyer. "I had to learn the ropes, and I made some mistakes before I could ever think about supervising a group of prosecutors in those serious crimes."

Davis said that he had legal experience and that he could lean on the knowledge of career prosecutors in the District Attorney's Office for help. He said that Turner rarely prosecuted cases himself and that experience was not as important as Turner suggested.

"You have a lot of good assistants there that do the day-in and day-out prosecutions," he said. "I think that this race is more about the leadership of the office."

The KEOS studios are in a small, old house on Carson Street in Bryan, and the candidates sat about a foot apart in what appeared to be a former living room. It was the first time the political adversaries debated in a public forum during the campaign.

The room had about a half-dozen chairs for the public to watch, and they were filled exclusively by Davis supporters -- most of whom wore shirts bearing his name.

Srikanth Sastry and Danny Yeager, hosts of the show Biased Transmission, moderated the event. Sastry began by asking questions about the candidates' platforms. Then Yeager pressed them about their heated past.

Davis, a Republican former judge, received a public reprimand from the State Commission on Judicial Conduct for angry comments he made publicly and privately about Turner, a Democrat, and one of his assistants.

After taking the bench in 2001, Davis filed two failed courts of inquiry into Turner's office. One alleged that Turner had dragged his feet in an investigation involving embezzlement by a longtime employee; the other accused Turner's top assistant of intimidating a grand jury that was meeting outside the courthouse without assistance from the DA's office. Both inquiries were promptly dismissed for lack of evidence.

Yeager asked both candidates whether they thought Davis was running for the office because of a personal vendetta against Turner.

Davis said that wasn't the case and maintained that his courts of inquiry against Turner's office were justified. He said he had apologized for the comments that led to his public reprimand, learned from the experience and put it behind him.

"People are going to believe what they want, and the newspaper is going to print what it wants," he said. "I think that I can bring a positive change to that office."

Turner pointed out that both district judges brought in from outside the Brazos Valley to oversee the courts of inquiry separately found that Davis' complaints were the result of a personal vendetta against Turner's office.

Yeager also questioned Turner about the $200,000 stolen from his office's victims' restitution fund by a former employee, Queen Walker, over a 19-year period. Walker's case was handed over to the Texas Rangers soon after Turner's office discovered the theft, and she was convicted in 2006.

Davis suggested that Turner deserved part of the blame for the stolen money because of a lapse of leadership.

"They started losing money back in about 1983 -- shortly after Mr. Turner took office," Davis said. "He didn't balance the checkbook in 20 years, and I think that is very irresponsible."

Turner said that Walker was a trusted employee, that he was devastated when he found out that she had been stealing and that any business owner who had had a trusted employee steal would understand. He said his office reorganized the administration of the fund as soon as the crimes were brought to light.

Davis said that some victims, including a restaurant that closed in the 1980s, still had not received their restitution.

District attorneys' offices frequently have trouble finding victims who are owed restitution because of the length of investigations and the judicial process, Turner said.

"What happens is you start the date of the crime and it takes awhile for law enforcement to solve the crime," Turner said, adding that the trial can take even longer and that the criminal may not be able to begin restitution before completing a sentence. "If a business is no longer in business by that time, then it can be very difficult to find."

Published Thursday, October 30, 2008

DA Candidates Step Up Spending

By Matthew Watkins

From the Bryan-College Station Eagle

District attorney candidates Bill Turner and Rick Davis both have stepped up spending in the final weeks leading to the Nov. 4 election.

Davis, a Republican who is a former district judge, more than doubled the longtime incumbent's spending between Sept. 26 and Oct. 25 after taking out a loan for $25,000. It's the second time he's gone to the bank since entering the race, bringing his total loans to $44,262.

Turner, a Democrat who was appointed DA in late 1983 and elected the following year, has not borrowed any money for the campaign.

During the most recent campaign finance reporting period, Davis spent $30,909, compared with $14,785 spent by Turner.

The two candidates recently received about the same amount in campaign contributions: Turner raised $11,525, while Davis brought in $10,453.

In the months prior, Turner strongly outpaced his opponent in fundraising, bringing in $22,173 between July 1 and Sept. 25 compared with $9,216 raised by Davis during that time.

As of Saturday, Davis had $4,621 in available funds and Turner had $3,842.

The bulk of both candidates' spending during the most recent period has gone for campaign advertisements.

Davis began running television ads on KBTX and Suddenlink cable channels Friday. Turner's TV ads first appeared Tuesday on the same outlets.

Since Sept. 26, Davis has doled out $10,522 on TV advertising, while Turner has spent $6,634. Turner has spent $8,000 on advertisements in The Eagle during that time, while Davis has not taken out any ads in a print publication.

Davis spent more than $8,000 on direct mailings, $5,000 on television commercial production, $2,000 on billboards and $1,104 on radio advertisements, according to the report.

The former judge has campaigned on a theme of change in office. His recent advertisements have promoted his Christian faith and Republican politics.

Turner's campaign has focused on his experience and his widespread support throughout the legal community and the community at large.

Both candidates have tapped into grassroots efforts, including going door to door and talking to voters.

Davis, who has two sons who are members of the Corps of Cadets at Texas A&M, has made an effort to recruit student supporters. He donated $250 to the College Republicans and has had a table set up on campus during home football games.

Turner has reached out to the A&M community by advertising on the online forum Texags.com and the Facebook social networking site. He also has received volunteer help from the Aggie Democrats.

Both candidates have group pages on Facebook. Davis' group had 208 members Tuesday night compared with Turner's 143.

Turner's contributions came largely from individuals in the community, but he also has received a $100 donation from the Texas Democratic Women of the Brazos Valley.

Prominent individual donors to Turner's campaign include former A&M Regent Phil Adams ($1,000), businessman Don Adam ($500), company CEO Celia Goode-Haddock ($100), businessman Ron Blatchley ($500) and Dr. Davis Doss ($250). Turner received donations of $100 or more from 47 contributors.

Davis received donations of more than $100 from 28 individuals and one $1,000 donation, from the Committee to Re-Elect Congressman Ron Paul. Charissa Smith, a friend from Houston, gave him $2,500.

Seven of Davis' contributors live outside of Brazos County, compared with two from out of town who donated to Turner.

Davis' notable donors include David McIntyre, director of the Integrative Center for Homeland Security at Texas A&M ($100); Markey Weaver, owner and operator of Brazos Bingo ($100); Dr. Tim Ackerman ($250); businessman Bobby Gutierrez ($500); and Cletus "Cowboy" Davis ($100), a local lawyer.

Published Wednesday, October 29, 2008 6:05 AM