Free Republic

Texas Democrat Sheila Jackson Lee implied that every protestor who was outside of the Capitol on January 6th should face criminal prosecution in a Tuesday tweet threat, utilizing a “guilt-by-association” theory more commonly associated with the criminal justice system of third world countries. Jackson Lee falsely claimed that the 40,000 protestors who arrived in the area of the Capitol in January all intended to overturn the election by killing the Speaker of the House, Mike Pence, and Members of Congress. In reality, there’s little to no reason that anyone outside of small handful of easily manipulated cosplayers intended to become...

LUBBOCK, Texas — One Central Texas farmer said Monday he was "dumbfounded" by Gov. Rick Perry's veto of an eminent domain bill designed to protect landowners when the state wants to take their property. Robert Fleming is not alone in an area worried about the massive Trans Texas Corridor proposal. The planned route cuts through Fleming's Bell County farms. He's bewildered by Perry's veto. "We were so close to getting something done," Fleming said. "We've worked hard trying to get private property rights." Perry vetoed the bill, and 48 others, Friday. In 2005, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Kelo...

This conservative metropolis could become the nation's largest city to elect an openly gay mayor if a longtime city council member wins a runoff election later this month. Ed Oakley's candidacy is the latest indication that Dallas' reputation as a conservative stronghold is giving way to more diversity. The city is already home to several gay elected officials, including the sheriff. "Dallas is less and less the Dallas that people think it is," said Cal Jillson, a political science professor at Southern Methodist University. "And Dallas is less and less the Dallas that it used to be." In the mayoral...

A McLennan County man was shot to death late Sunday in northeast Dallas while trying to buy a vehicle he may have found on the Internet, police said. Police are trying to determine if the killing was a setup or random. Christian Marton, 21, of Axtell, died at Baylor Medical Center, where he was taken after the shooting at about 9:15 p.m. Sunday in the 8900 block of Vantage Point in far northeast Dallas. Axtell is about 14 miles northeast of Waco. "He had been talking to some people by the Internet and the telephone about purchasing a vehicle,’’ said...

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, the largest Republican vote-getter in the 2006 congressional elections and the most popular Republican in Texas, said yesterday she would consider an offer to run for vice president next year. "If our party's nominee called me and said we are putting everything in the grid, and we think you are the best person, would I say no? I can't imagine that I would say no," she said. "Would I seek it or do something to promote it? Absolutely not," she told editors and reporters of The Washington Times at a meeting at the newspaper. -------------------------------------- She...

No smoking would be allowed inside public buildings in Texas — including restaurants, bars and workplaces — if a legislative proposal is approved to make the Lone Star State one of 18 states with sweeping bans on smoking. "It is a public health crisis and a very expensive one," said state Sen. Rodney Ellis, D-Houston, who is spearheading the proposal. He said he plans to file a bill at the end of the month and that he will be joined at that time by a coalition of anti-smoking groups as he unveils details. The proposal is sure to trigger a...

HOUSTON -- An e-mail from a Houston-area landscaper that said he chose not to do work for homosexuals has spread nationwide, KPRC Local 2 reported Friday. Michael Lord wanted to spruce up the outside of his home in the Heights, so he asked the "Garden Guy" to create an outdoor work of art. But he was rejected based on his sexual orientation.... More at http://www.click2houston.com/news/10124161/detail.html video of the report http://www.click2houston.com/video/10124116/index.html

Dallas may drop the hammer on toy guns Safety panel vote puts city closer to adopting strict ordinance 11:10 PM CDT on Monday, August 7, 2006 By DAVE LEVINTHAL / The Dallas Morning News They're Americana slipped into the holsters of little boys in cowboy hats. But after a 7-1 vote by the City Council's public safety committee, Dallas is closer than ever to passing one of the nation's strictest ordinances regulating the sale and possession of toy guns. The committee directed City Attorney Tom Perkins to craft an ordinance that would ban all toy guns except those painted a...

Texas Republicans paste 'liberal' tag on Democrats Democrats reject label, prefer middle of road 05/16/2002 By CHRISTY HOPPE / The Dallas Morning News AUSTIN - Jim Hightower, the populist commentator and former agriculture commissioner, says there's nothing in the middle of the road but yellow stripes and dead armadillos. He might now add that it's crowded with alive and kicking Democrats. But Texas Republicans have another word for their Democratic opponents who are spending a lot of time touting their centrist, pro-business, tax avoidance approaches. They call them liberal. In news releases and statements, GOP candidates are sticking the...