MRWC holds Membership/Fundraiser meeting.

Saturday, April 28, 2012 Colleyville.

The Metroplex Republican Women's Club put on a membership/fundraiser at the Vineyards Antique Mall today.  About 30 people attended the gathering at Coco's Tea Room located inside the Antique Mall.

Cheryl Plunkett, President of MRWC was the emcee, she made sure everything ran smoothly, and had people who brought guests introduce them.  Judy Strzinek gave a short talk on the history and traditions of the Federation of Republican Women for people who were thinking about joining.

The fundraising was orchestrated by Cindy Stellar, who implemented a silent auction that raised $300.

Two local candidates were present, Carolyn Mora, candidate for Hurst City Council Place 4, and Sherri Olson, candidate for Bedford City Council Place 3.

Cindy Stellar introduced the speaker, Judge Molly Westfall, Judge of the 371st District Court.  Judge Westfall gave a fascinating and informative talk about the Tarrant County criminal justice system.  She presides over a felony court, and she told the group that out of 2000 cases resolved in her courtroom each year, less than 50 were resolved by trial, the rest were settled by plea bargain.  She also stated that at least 80% of the cases she sees are drug-related.  She spoke about the SWIFT program (Supervision With Intensive EnforcemenT), a description of which, from a defense attoney, can be seen here, and a Star-Telegram article about its beginning in Tarrant County can be seen here.  Basically, SWIFT ensures that there are immediate and certain consequences for breaking the rules, without being too severe. She is deeply involved and committed to this program. SWIFT originated in Hawaii, Judge Westfall says it has reduced the recidivism rate 30% there.

The meal provided by Coco's was chicken salad on a lettuce leaf, quiche Lorraine, pasta salad, fruit medley and a croissant with tea or water.  A light, low-calorie lunch.

And a good time was had by all.

David DewHurst added to this Blog's poll.

I finally realized that I had failed to add David Dewhurst to the poll question.  I guess because he never shows up at grassroots candidate forums. Anyway, there being only 4 votes at that point, one of them mine, I decided to delete that and create another with him on it. Sorry, if your vote got lost.

Who is Publius Dogoodus and why is he saying such terrible things about me/(my opponent)?

This may be what Darrel Huffman and Jason McCaffity, nomination candidates for Constable Prct 3, are saying after an online presence who calls himself "Publius Dogoodus" and who has been emailing a smear piece about Huffman for months finally got it placed in the DFW Voter.com.

I believe that Publius is either trying to hurt Jason McCaffity by being so clumsy in his smear, being so unbalanced in his analysis of the evidence, and generally giving the air of a complete,and venal amateur that he hurts the McCaffity campaign by being identified as someone trying to help it, or he's just an utter doofus, actually trying to harm the Huffman campaign.

I began receiving e-mails, a summary of which can be seen here with documentation, about 1 1/2 to 2 months ago.  As long as they were just e-mails I chose to ignore them.  But now that they are out in the public forum I feel like something must be said.

The gist of the long PDF document is that Darrell Huffman lied on his application for deputy constable.  The alleged lies consists of two parts, part one is that he lied about the reason he was terminated from the Crowley Police Department, part two is that he lied about his years of experience.

Alleged lie 1. Darrell Hoffman lied about the reasons he was terminated from the Crowley Police Department. The evidence is this, on his application, in the reason for leaving the Crowley Police Department he wrote "injury".

In the paperwork supplied by the Crowley Police Department, the reason for termination is excessive absences.

This is where Publius' complete lack of balance shows. He chooses to interpret this in the most uncharitable light possible.  Someone who was trying to weigh the evidence in an evenhanded manner might take the high road and suppose that Huffman's absences just might have been caused by his injury.  But no, Publius went straight for the jugular and accuses the  candidate of LYING!! Not only lying, but lying with the darkest possible motives. This is such a transparent, easy to see attempt at finding something, anything to slam the candidate with that it makes me think that Publius is trying to hurt the McCaffity campaign.

Alleged lie 2. Huffman lied about his years of experience. Publius, I assume, says he only had 3 years experience at that time.

The documentation records in the PDF file are conveniently, and suspiciously empty of dates so it's not possible to check the accuracy of this statement.

This brings up a side issue. Publius, in writing on the documentation, has tampered with the evidence. It appears to be an amateurish blunder on the surface but how are we to know that he hasn't altered it in some other way? Another reason to discount his communications entirely.


 Back to allegation 2.  The requirement is five years of experience.  You can conclude that he doesn't have five years of experience only if you don't count the 2 1/2 years he spent as a reserve officer. The screen shot of the TCLEOSE records below show that.

 Reserve officers have the same duties and responsibilities as regular officers. A reserve officer, most of the time,  doesn't get paid, or get health benefits but the officer is required to stay armed and perform police work when it's needed.  Why doesn't this time count?  I think it does and this is the reason Huffman got the job.  Publius has based his allegation on the slim reed of assuming that Reserve time means no time.

From start to finish, this an attempt to construct a mountain of indignation out of a molehill of sparse facts and innuendo, or to give that impression. In any case this person's communications doesn't deserve any consideration, at all, when choosing a nominee.    Publius Dogoodus is the most inappropriate moniker ever taken by someone who sets out to do what this person has tried to do. He should have called himself Propagandus Biglieus.

Note: This is my take on this subject.  If anyone would like to point out mistakes in logic, reason, or facts, please do so. I believe that the beginning of wisdom starts with the acknowledgement of one's own ignorance. Joel Downs

Senate Nominations Forum, Keller

4-24-12, Keller TX. The Boiling Point Tea Party had a nominations candidate forum at the New Frontier Cowboy Church.   The speakers were, Lela Pettinger, Glenn Addison, Tom Leppert, and Rafael Cruz speaking for Ted Cruz. The meeting started at 7, each speaker had five minutes then an open ended Q&A lasted until about 8:45. Audience participation was high and the back and forth was interesting. Thanks to Marie Howard for putting this on.

Left to right Tom Leppert, Glenn Addison, Rafael Cruz, Lela Pettinger

Lela Pettinger is a young woman, early 30s, who is very well-informed, and has some definite, specific ideas about health care.  She is a constitutional conservative.  She would abolish a significant portion of government simply because it's not constitutional, and not needed.  She pointed out that the United States Senate has only one conservative woman in it.  When asked about military operations.  She emphasized her commitment to the Constitution and the proposition that Congress should declare war before the military goes anywhere. www.lelaforsenate.com

Rafael Cruz spoke for Ted Cruz, who was at another speaking engagement.  Mister Cruz is a passionate and able spokesman for his son.  He pointed out that Obama is responsible for the formation of the Tea Party, that Ted Cruz is a constitutional conservative and the many endorsements he has received.  He was asked, more than once, about the terrible things that David Dewhurst is saying about Ted Cruz and the patent thieves from China. He referred us to the website and in the question and answer period at the end of the speeches he did say that Ted Cruz works for very large law firm and he did not personally participate in this matter.  I went to TedCruz.com, and I also did some research.  I found that Ted indeed does work for a large, multinational law firm, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius.  He is a partner leading the appellate team.  So, as a partner of appeals his name would appear on any legal documentation concerning appeals work that the law firm did for a client. That's where the case is now, on appeal.  Editorial note: Being tied to unsavory clientele is an occupational hazard of lawyering.  It would be nice every entity that needed a lawyer was pure of heart and noble of breed but that is as likely as a snowball surviving in hell.

Glenn Addison. The booklet you see in his hand is a copy of the U.S. Constitution he carries one with him and hands them out to anyone who wants one. He believes in term limits, therefore, he will be a one term Senator.  He will not take a congressional pension or health care.  He will abolish the EPA Fish and Wildlife Service and several other government departments.  Most of the bills he will introduce will contain these  words "This bill is to repeal..."  He believes that Agenda 21 threatens our lifestyles.  He is tired of sending moderates to Congress.  He thinks tariffs are good because they would cause multinational corporations to invest in America.  He says check out my website: www.glennaddison.com/

Tom Leppert.  Intense, passionate, a little bit angry, very informed, opinionated.  Not afraid to voice contrary opinions.  A former CEO and businessman and it shows (that's a good thing).  Here's a link to his website:www.tomleppert.com

Joel Downs, Precinct Chair 3213