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Here's some Roddy Stinson for you: Roddy Stinson: Who's paying for senators' N.M. visit? (you will be amazed) Web Posted : 08/14/2003 12:00 AM On the sleuthing trail ... CASE: "Roddy, I keep reading that taxpayers aren't paying the expenses of the 11 Democratic senators who ran away to Albuquerque. "I find that difficult to believe. Who is paying their bills?" INVESTIGATION: The senators have told reporters that they are paying for their meals and hotel rooms with "personal funds" or "money from campaign officeholder accounts." Bet on the latter. The scheme to kill congressional redistricting is being financed by...

BASELICE & ASSOCIATES, INC. Opinion Research for Decision Making in Politics and Public Affairs 131 Spicewood Springs Road Suite O-2 Austin, TX 78759 Office: 512-345-9720 Fax: 512-345-9740 email: mail@baselice.com TEXAS VOTER SURVEY SUMMARY Over five out of six voters (86%) are aware Democrat representatives left Texas to avoid voting on certain pieces of legislation. By a two and a half to one ratio, Texas voters share the viewpoint that the Democrat state representatives did the wrong thing by leaving the state. Moreover, a majority of voters (53%) strongly think the Democrat representatives did the wrong thing, with 83% of Republicans...

It takes cooperation and respect on both sides of the aisle to create and maintain a bipartisan atmosphere. The citizens of Texas are able to judge for themselves which members have conducted themselves in a strictly partisan fashion. However, the notion that a new congressional plan for Travis County would be bad, and thus justifies the Democrats' action, is premised on the supposition that the current plan is objective. It is not. It was drawn by three federal judges in Tyler, who kept the 1991 Democrat plan largely in place. The Austin American-Statesman editorial board has also suggested that the...

For education and discussion only. Not for commercial use.ARDMORE, Okla. -- Texas Democrats holed up in an Oklahoma hotel were awakened early today to pounding on their doors -- but it wasn't the long arm of the law. Just before 4 a.m., employees alerted hotel guests about a tornado warning and ushered the sleepy lawmakers -- many wearing T-shirts and shorts -- into a dingy basement. They waited less than an hour in the room cluttered with boxes, chairs, mattresses and carpet rolls. The storm brought some hail but no twister, and no one was hurt. "At first I thought,...

<p>Fearful that the Republican majority would push through a redistricting plan that might create between five and seven new Republican-controlled seats in the state's congressional delegation, all but one of the Democratic members of the Texas legislature fled under cover of darkness to Oklahoma.</p>

Dear Friend of freedom, Why am I writing to you today about the Democrats walk-out in the State of Texas? The answer is that this is not about Texas, it is about control of the US House of Representatives! The evidence is mounting that the sneaky, underhanded, dishonest walk-out has been financed and orchestrated entirely by the national Democratic Party. Here's the story from Fox News. Click Here http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,86820,00.html In Texas, if the state legislature changes party hands, the party then in power is entitled to redistrict the US Congressional seats. That's exactly what the Republicans proposed and they have...

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Accusations flew across state lines as Texas House legislators holed up in an Oklahoma hotel traded barbs with Republicans at home over their rebel effort to stymie GOP redistricting plans. Fifty-one Democrats remained in a Holiday Inn in Ardmore, Okla., early Wednesday, safely out of the legal reach of Texas state troopers and effectively denying the Texas state House a quorum."Democrats should end their childish game of hide-and-seek and get to work for the people who hired them," said Susan Weddington, chairwoman of the Republican Party of Texas.But Democratic Rep. Garnet Coleman countered, "The issue...

Republican Party of Texas Chair Susan Weddington is calling for an immediate end to the Democrats' walkout.She used strong words, saying they are hiding like cowards and the majority of Texans see them as childish. "Their total lack of statesmanship has caused them to become a national disgrace and embarrassment to Texans. They need to return to Austin to do the duties they were elected to do,” Weddington said. Since the Democrats want to play games, she said, she made a deck of cards featuring the 53 who signed letters notifying the House of their intended absence, she said. Buahahahhahahaha...

Texas Democratic legislators still in Oklahoma AWOL House members, GOP leaders stick to guns in redistricting standoff05/14/2003 By GEORGE KUEMPEL and PETE SLOVER / The Dallas Morning News AUSTIN – Neither side budged in the Red River redistricting standoff Tuesday, a second day of insults and indignation lobbed between Republicans and 51 House Democrats holed up in Oklahoma. The Democrats, who fled to shut down the House on Monday in protest of a proposed Republican redistricting plan, defended their actions in a news conference outside their haven, the Holiday Inn in Ardmore, Okla. "We have a message for Tom DeLay:...

Texas lawmakers enjoy Ardmore hospitality 2003-05-14 By David Zizzo The Oklahoman ARDMORE -- A large group of absent Texas Democratic lawmakers pursued across the border by Texas lawmen was cornered Tuesday in a grassy motel courtyard by another group almost as large -- reporters. The legislators looked pretty much like Oklahomans, except for that star pinned to their lapels. "We are standing up for the right thing," said Texas state Rep. Jim Dunnam, lining up before cameras and microphones with the other 50 Democrats who accompanied him on the run for the border that landed them at a Holiday Inn....

TEXAS STAND-OFF NEWS BULLETIN - REVIEW FILES OPEN RECORDS REQUEST ON FUGITIVE LEGISLATORS, GREAT SATIRICAL PIECE ON THE STAND-OFF THE AUSTIN REVIEW http://www.austinreview.com SPECIAL TEXAS LEGISLATIVE STAND-OFF NEWS BULLETIN CONTENTS: 1) News Advisory on Austin Review Filing of Open Records Request for Documents Generated by Fugitive Legislators 2) Satire on the Texas Stand-off By Chuck Muth May 14, 2003 Contact: James Logan, Executive Editor (512) 476-8049 The Austin Review Files Open Records Request for Documents Generated by Fugitive Texas Legislators in Oklahoma; Asks Band of Legislators to Allow Embedded Reporters from Review and Other Media Outlets Austin, TX - Today,...

YOUNG CONSERVATIVES OF TEXAS http://www.yct.org YCT Rebukes Fugitive Texas Legislators, Blasts Dems T-Shirt Sale Commemorating Fugitives, Participates in Rally Today & Releases List of Top Ten Differences Between Fugitive Democrats and Saddam Hussein May 14, 2003 For Immediate Release Contacts: David Rushing, YCT State Chairman, (713) 408-3606 Mark McCaig, YCT Communications Director, (281) 486-6157 Austin, TX- The Young Conservatives of Texas (YCT) today responded to the walkout of 53 Democrat State Representatives , breaking a quorum of the Texas House. These legislators walked out in protest of a properly introduced Congressional redistricting bill. YCT members will participate in a rally...

While many Texas lawmakers didn't show up to work for the second day in a row, many other Texans were hard at work -- from waitresses to retirees. "I just bought a new car, and if I don't show up and make my money every day, then I'm not gonna be able to make my car payments. So, I have to show up for work everyday -- sick or not," waitress Renee Minjarez said. It's hard for Minjarez to understand why dozens of Democrats are a no-show. "I think it's crazy, I mean, who gives them the right to just...

The Chicken D’s love to play childish games – now you can too with your very own deck of Chicken D playing cards! Be sure to call the Department of Public Safety if you see any of these jokers! The playing cards are in six pages and are published in the Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format. Just download the files, print them on card stock, cut and play! http://www.texasgop.org/features/cards.php

<p>AUSTIN — A state trooper has arrested a missing Texas House Democrat and returned her to the Capitol.</p> <p>News Eight Austin reports the trooper from the Texas Department of Public Safety captured state Rep. Helen Giddings (search) this morning.</p> <p>It reported the trooper approached the Dallas Democrat as she was getting into her car at her Austin apartment. She later said she had asked to be allowed to drive to the Capitol in her own car, but the trooper refused and arrested her.</p>

According to ABC radio news, Helen Giddings was arrested at her Austin Texas apartment today. She was one of several Texas democrats that fled to Ardmore Oklahoma. Developing...