The Lone Ranger (Ronnie Earle Travis Co District Attny)

[sonias]

A good long article on our own fighting Democrat D.A. Don't expect to see this in the local Austin rag. No, this comes all the way from the L.A. Times. The local AAS has been taking swipes at Earle for "partisanship". F*ck the Statesman.

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-tm-earle20may15,1,4263393.story?ctrack=1&cset=true
Now in his 28th year as district attorney, Earle embodies Austin's offbeat ethos, casual liberalism and chronic nostalgia for simpler times. By many measures—its vibrant music and filmmaking scenes, its urbane tastes—this is a hip city, but it's also an earnest one. When Earle lectures about threats to democracy, as he often does these days, he is dead serious.

"I have a belief in the grace and promise of this country that has to do with growing up when we grew up," he says. "At my deepest level I'm not cynical. I believe all the stuff I say about this. It's not an act."

Act or not, Earle is a marquee player in a drama of national import as he pursues a 28-month criminal investigation that threatens one of the most powerful men in the U.S. Congress, House Majority Leader Tom DeLay. An Austin grand jury has charged Republican operatives with using corporate millions to bankroll the campaigns of 22 Republican candidates for the state House of Representatives in 2002—campaigns that proved pivotal in securing GOP hegemony in Congress. For 100 years Texas law has barred corporations and labor unions from contributing to state political campaigns—and for good reason, Earle says. "For them to compete with ordinary citizens compounds the influence of corporations at the expense of citizens. It makes 'one person, one vote' a mockery."

Sonia

[Longhorn]

1. I cancelled my subscription to the Statesman (after more than 30 years)

when they endorsed Bush in the last election. I haven't missed it a bit!

I tried to subscribe to the Chronicle, since I don't get into town often enough to pick one up. I called and was told to subscribe online. So I went online and followed the directions and have never heard a word. I don't think they actually want subscriptions. :shrug:

[sonias]

3. Me too Longhorn

I canceled my sub that very week of the pathetic endorsement. Opel has always been a bush' ass kisser. Now they keep dropping those complimentary newspapers in our yard at least once a week, but I toss those into recycling without even reading. I'm glad we have the Internet and we can go get our own real news all over the world and from good blog sources. Can't say that I miss them much either except for the comics, and Yahoo comics carries most of them.

:hi: Longhorn

Sonia

[jobycom]

6. Aren't they owned by a Bush croney? What's the story on Cox media?

And WHY do I keep getting all those darned papers in my driveway? I hate those things.

[jobycom]

2. Ronnie Earle also indicted KB Hutchison, and was sabotaged

by a judge over a technicality. He had her in the courtroom, and the judge refused to rule that the evidence Earle had seized would be admissible. Since that was the bulk of his case, he let the charges go.

His daughter is a local judge. She was the one who sentenced Jenna Bush for using a fake ID at a local restaurant.

[sonias]

4. Right jobycom

And like Earle has said all along, he's actually charged and gotten convictions on more Democrats than Republicans, yet the repukes constantly complain about how going after DeLay is just partisanship.

I hadn't realized that Judge Elizabeth Earle was the one that handled Jenna's case. She did the right thing too. Why should the bush last name get you special treatment. Jenna did the crime and she had to do the (community service) time. I wonder if a repuke Judge would have let her walk with a warning.

Sonia

[jobycom]

5. Elisabeth Earle is special

She's got the skill and the charisma to go a long way in politics, if she chooses to, either in the judicial or legislative branch. Not to mention the looks.

[GOPisEvil]

7. I still have a dopey boy-crush on her.

I used to run into her at the gym from time to time, but since I stopped going...:eyes:

[jobycom]

8. Yeah, well, you and I have talked about that enough

for you to know I do, too!

Howdy, neighbor. It's been a while.

[GOPisEvil]

9. Yep, it has.

I've been a recluse, politically, since the election. I've started going to TDCP meetings again (why, I dunno). I'm also going to the keep Austin blue meetups. Chris Bell is at the upcoming one on Wednesday.

[jobycom]

10. I haven't been to a NXNW meeting since the elections, either.

I got so mad at the petty nonsense and I just didn't want to see the club pulled apart. I spent too much time building it.