Posted on 05/19/2005 4:41:18 PM PDT by SwinneySwitch
Austin – Today’s Houston Chronicle exposes the true partisan nature of Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle, who headlined a fundraiser for Democrats where he focused his remarks on his politically motivated investigation of Congressman Tom DeLay.
DeLay has yet to be contacted regarding Earle’s long running probe, but that hasn’t prevented Earle from trading in rumors of his investigation to solicit media attention – both locally and nationally.
“Ronnie Earle’s unabashed partisanship in speaking at a Texas Values in Action Coalition (TEXVAC) fundraiser proves Earle’s motivations have nothing to do with truth or justice, and everything to do with electing Democrats and attempting to bring down the most effective House Majority Leader in modern history,” said Tina Benkiser, Chairman of the Republican Party of Texas.
Outside observers have also stated that Earle’s appearance raises a lot of questions about his motives. “It may help Tom DeLay establish his case that Ronnie Earle’s investigation is a partisan witch hunt,” stated Richard Murray, political scientist with the University of Houston. Larry Noble, head of the Center for Responsive Politics and a former FEC lawyer said, “It clearly fuels the perception that his investigation is politically motivated. It was probably not a wise move.” (Michael Hedges, Houston Chronicle, 5/19/05)
On its website, TEXVAC calls itself an “organization dedicated to electing Democratic candidates in North Texas.” It also points out that its co-founder, Ed Ishmael, was a “leader in the Howard Dean presidential campaign, as both an organizer and major fundraiser.” (TEXVAC Website, www.texvac.org, Accessed 5/17/05)
Fred Baron, former head of Association of Trial Lawyers of America (ATLA) and John Kerry fundraiser is listed on the group's advisory board. Besides his long ties to national Democrats, Baron is well known for a remark he made years ago concerning the trial lawyer lobby’s influence over the Democrat Party, “I picked up my Wall Street Journal last night … and what did I learn? ‘The plaintiffs’ bar is all but running the Senate.’ Now, I really, strongly disagree with that, particularly the words ‘all but.’” (Fred Baron, Mealey’s Asbestos Bankruptcy Conference, 6/3/02)
“This proves once and for all that Ronnie Earle is a hypocrite on a political witch hunt. He willingly allowed himself to be the marquee attraction at a $25,000 a person fundraising dinner for the very type of organization he claims to abhor in order to further his crusade of political destruction against Tom Delay and the Republican Party. For Ronnie Earle to say with a straight face that he is an unbiased prosecutor is laughable. Ronnie Earle’s political motives are transparent. He is tainted and he should resign,” Benkiser concluded.
Duke of Earle Ping!
He won't resign, of course, and he's in no danger of being tossed out of office in Bezerkeley, Texas. But he proved conclusively that he's a Democrat hack who is abusing his office for purely partisan politics.
The Texas Legislature should wise up and remove the jurisdiction of District Attorneys to prosecute campaign or political offenses and give those exclusive to the state Attorney General.
LOL! Great story. Expose that partisan hack. The last piece I read about Ronnie Earle was a puff piece about how he longed for the good old days where everybody worked together and all politics was goodness and light and the birds were singing every morning.... but in fact he's just the dems hatchet man in Austin.
"...a puff piece about how he longed for the good old days where everybody worked together and all politics was goodness and light and the birds were singing every morning.."
Had to be in the Unamerican-Unstatesman!
If the voters do not remove Earle and the legislature will not change the law, what can be done? Is it illegal? Probably not. Unethical? You bet. But Dems are supposed to be overlooked.
Why bother with pressers when you have him dead to rights--file a damned ethics charge with the Texas bar--He's crossed the line.
It's about time some of these RAT's got exposed for the true vermine they are.
Advice from an Texas A&M Aggie... always beware of the land of the burnt orange.
Gig 'Em TAMU Class of '88
Ronnie has been a pos forever and ever.
Travis county is too stupid to do any better.
And, Yes, I do live here.
I still call him that.
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