Earle announces retirement-Candidates lining up to replace longtime Travis County district attorney

[tbyg52]

Source: Austin American-Statesman

Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle, who has led that office since 1977, told his staff today that he will not seek re-election.

He was expected to issue a statement later.

Earle, 65, will serve the one year remaining on his term, but his retirement will end an era.

snip

His 2005 indictment of U.S. Majority Leader Tom DeLay as part of a broader investigation into corporate spending in Texas campaigns raised Earle's profile, but that money-laundering case is tied up in pre-trial appeals and might not be resolved before Earle leaves office. The courts have dismissed other indictments arising from the same 2002 campaign incidents.

Read more: http://www.statesman.com/news/content/region/legislature/stories/12/15/1215earle.html

[ck4829]

1. Ronnie Earle is a true hero.

[UTUSN]

8. Well, a true hero needs to finish the job n/t

[Catherine Vincent]

2. That's too bad.

Anyone that has the might to indict Delay deserves a medal.

[Bitwit1234]

3. Guess Delay is going to get off now.

[fudge stripe cookays]

4. Damn.

Bye Ronnie. :-(

[lonestarnot]

5. Well hotdiggity Texas.

[tbyg52]

6. A more heartening snippet:

Perhaps I should have picked the part with this rumor to post.....

Earle, a Democrat, might not be done with politics.

By retiring, he would be available for a gubernatorial bid in 2010.

It would be his first statewide campaign — and a longshot at that — but it would give Earle, who has a populist streak, the opportunity to speak out on issues other than criminal justice. In court he once accused corporations of trying to buy state elections, likening them to robber barrons and facists.

[Gman]

7. If the Republics think they're going to get their own elected as DA

in Travis County, they have another long hard thought coming. It ain't gonna happen. They will try their best because if they get a Republic in as Travis County DA then he/she can drop the charges against Delay. That alone will beat any Republic DA candidate.

[Freddie Stubbs]

10. Considering how blue Travis County is, I doubt that the GOP will run anything more than

a sacrificial lamb candidate.

Travis County is a blue island in a sea of red.

[tbyg52]

9. Still up. Self-kick, hoping for 5+ recs for Mr. Earle! nt