Tx Capitol Report

Moody on the radio

I've been hearing about Democratic Texas House candidate Joe Moody's radio ads. For those of us who don't get El Paso radio stations:

Cash flow continues

Republican candidate Dee Margo and Democratic candidate Joe Moody yesterday reported taking in more money. Democrats and Republicans are pumping last-minute money into the race, a pivotal contest in determining which party will control the 150-member Texas House.
Margo brought in more than $19,000 two days before Halloween. The cash came from the conservative Empower Texans Political Action Committee and from El Paso businessmen Rick Francis and Woody Hunt. Since Monday, Margo has reported bringing in $45,922.
Moody got $24,572 on Wednesday. His money came from the House Democratic Campaign Committee, whose goal is to elect a majority of Democrats to the Texas House, and from Texans for Insurance Reform PAC, which is largely funded by trial lawyers. This week, Moody's reports show he has raised $43,572.

Daily bashing

Here are today's press release punches from Republican Dee Margo and Democrat Joe Moody, the candidates fighting to represent El Paso's district 78 in the Texas House. The basics from today's installment are that each is criticizing the other for taking money from special interests. The details are below.

Margo:

Trace of Special Interest
85% of Joe Moody’s Campaign Cash Comes From Special Interests
“‘Follow the money,’ said Moody.”
El Paso – Joe Moody said he would not accept campaign contributions over $2,300, and his number one priority was campaign finance reform.
“Moody said he would refuse any contribution he perceived as an effort to buy influence or any amount he considered excessive.” El Paso Times, 4/28/08
That was then…
When Joe Moody breaks a campaign promise, he does it big, and we mean big.
Now… Joe Moody and his personal injury trial lawyer cronies have launched a vile smear campaign to hide the corrupt, special interest money lining Moody’s campaign pockets.
Joe Moody raised less than $40,000 before breaking his promise to limit his campaign contributions.
“...Moody…changed his mind about limiting contributions to his campaign, a promise he said before would show El Paso voters that he was not for sale.” El Paso Times, 4/28/08
Today, the sky is the limit for Joe Moody and his special interest buddies.  He has raised a staggering $590,755.42 – or 94% of all his contributions – since breaking his promise to El Paso voters.   
And in a desperate attempt to hide his special interest ties, Joe Moody filed his campaign contribution report after the legal deadline, and misspelled the name of one of his contributors (Vote Texas PAC) in an attempt to stop El Pasoans from finding out it was just another trial lawyer front group.
Whose lap will Joe be sitting in if he’s elected?
Trial lawyers and out-of-town special interest groups linked to individuals like Dallas trial lawyer Fred Baron, who provided “assistance” to John Edwards’ mistress.
Trial lawyers, their shell organizations and outside interest groups have funneled over $500,000 into the pocket of Joe Moody’s campaign. This represents 85% of Joe Moody’s contributions since breaking his first campaign promise. 
And a whopping 82% of Joe Moody’s campaign cash comes from outside El Paso.
What has Joe Moody done with the campaign cash lining his pocket?
Launched false and baseless attacks against Dee Margo. 
The trial lawyers and Joe Moody’s special interest buddies believe District 78 is a must-win seat, and Joe Moody is going to any length to prove his loyalty and deliver this seat to the groups that are funding his campaign.  Even if it means intentionally misleading the voters of El Paso and District 78.
Joe Moody:  Special Interest First…El Paso Last.

Moody:

During a debate this week, Speaker Tom Craddick stated, "I'm proud of what I've done as Speaker, and I'd do it again."[1]
Campaign finance reports filed this week expose that Dee Margo has taken hundreds of thousands of dollars from Craddick and Craddick’s cronies. The El Paso Times recently reported “Margo's largest campaign contributions have come from Republican donors who also support controversial GOP House Speaker Tom Craddick, of Midland.”[2] Even yesterday, Margo received another $25,000 from Craddick's "Stars Over Texas" PAC.[3}
Now I don't know about you, but kicking 200,000 kids off of CHIP, intentionally not funding the Texas Tech Medical School here in El Paso, and declaring that I have absolute power isn't something that I would be proud of. And it’s certainly not a record that I or the people of El Paso can support.
Here in El Paso, we care about the health of our children, we want our young adults to make a difference, and we want our voice to be included in the process – not just Tom Craddick’s and his puppets.
Tom Craddick defended his record as Speaker of the House, saying he wouldn't change a thing, and he’s funding Dee Margo to maintain the status quo. I ask you to join me this Saturday starting at 9:30am here at our headquarters to talk to voters about this very important campaign. Sign up here to join us to talk to voters.
We need real change to get things done – El Paso deserves true representation in Austin, not more cronyism.

Onward -

Trip down memory lane

Here's something that I noticed today as I was looking back over Margo's report from Monday.
He got a $7,500 contribution from Republican Clayton "Claytie" Williams Jr., of Midland.
You might remember Williams from back in 1990 when he ran for governor against then-State Treasurer Ann Richards. Some insensitive comments he made about rape - that a woman ought to "relax and enjoy it" - caused a big stir that contributed to his loss. And GOP presidential nominee U.S. Sen. John McCain canceled a fundraiser Williams' was set to host for him earlier this year after the campaign learned of his previous remarks.
McCain kept the money Williams raised for him, though. And plenty of other candidates, including Democrats, have taken Williams' money this year, too.
Margo said he initially thought the donation was from the former gubernatorial candidate's son, because of the 'Jr.' trailing his name.
"I don't know the man," he said.
Asked whether Williams' former remarks would affect his thoughts about the contribution, Margo said, "That’s not germane to my race."

More money talking

Republican candidate Dee Margo's latest campaign report shows House Speaker Tom Craddick's Stars Over Texas Political Action Committee ponied up another $25,000 for the campaign.
Craddick, who is seeking another term at the helm of the chamber after his leadership came under siege last session, is by far the largest donor to Stars Over Texas. And the PAC has given thousands to Republican candidates who might help him win a fourth term at the House dais.
So far, Stars Over Texas has given Margo $138,500 for his race against Democrat Joe Moody.

Margo's mail

So, I finally got my hands on mailers from Republican Dee Margo's Texas House campaign.
Here's everything I've gotten. If you have others, please send them my way.

A letter from his wife, Adair Margo:

This one criticizes Democrat Joe Moody for not knowing whether he paid property taxes:

This one says Margo will put education first:



This one questions whether Moody is experienced enough:


And, in this one Margo claims Moody "mocks and belittles" the troops:

Smearing, crying and Craddick

Texas House District 78 candidates Joe Moody and Dee Margo sent out dueling press releases today in their ongoing brawl over who should represent Northeast and West El Paso.
Republican Margo accuses Moody of launching "one of the most vile smear campaigns ever seen in El Paso." By my count, the document uses the word "vile" four times.
Democrat Moody essentially calls his opponent a cry baby for taking umbrage with claims he's connected to the FBI investigation. Bob Jones gets three mentions in the Moody release.

Here's the Margo press release:

Trace of Dignity II

Luther Jones, Bob Jones, Betty Flores, Anthony Cobos, and David Escobar all Contributors to Judge Bill Moody. Joe Moody and his supporters launch more false, negative attacks against Dee Margo.

El Paso – One week after the El Paso Times showed Joe Moody losing by 12 points, he and his outside supporters launched one of the most vile smear campaigns ever seen in El Paso.  Moody and his cohorts are desperately attempting, through gossip and innuendo, to tie Dee Margo to the corruption from Democratic officials that plagues El Paso.
A search of the Texas Ethics Commission website shows that the key figures in the public corruption case have all contributed to Judge Bill Moody’s campaigns.  None of the contributions have been returned.
“I think this shows how desperate Joe Moody is,” said Dee Margo.  “Joe Moody should apply the same test to his father, instead of using the outside special interest money that has flooded his campaign to make these vile attacks.”
“Like all El Pasoans, I have worked and will continue to work with the FBI to clean up the mess created by the local political machine. The FBI knows the facts and has dismissed all the innuendos Joe Moody has flung at me in a desperate attempt to rescue his doomed campaign. My record of service to El Paso is public, transparent, and well-established – something which the voters of El Paso know is not true of Joe Moody,” said Dee Margo.
Other prominent El Pasoans stand up to defend Dee Margo and ask Joe Moody to stop his vile smear campaign.
“I trust Dee Margo to do what’s right.  He has always been a man of high ethics and service to our community.  This attempt to smear a good man should end, it only hurts El Paso,” said Paul Foster, Chairman and CEO of Western Refinery.
“Joe Moody’s vile smear campaign does nothing to make El Paso better.  Dee Margo has been instrumental in bringing good businesses and jobs to our community,” said Woody Hunt, Chairman and CEO of Hunt Building Corporation.
“Dee Margo always puts El Paso first, and has worked hard to make our city better.  El Paso voters will see through these last minute desperate attempts to tear Dee down,” said Bob Wingo, President and CEO of Sanders Wingo.
“Dee Margo has always been instrumental in helping El Paso, by serving goals larger than self.  I’m disappointed the Moody campaign has sunk so low,” said James L. “Buster” Hayden, Col. (R) West Point Admissions Coordinator for the El Paso Area.

Joe Moody’s Family Ties

                                                         

Report #	Filer's Name	Contributor's Name	Date	Occupation
238629	Moody, William E.	Jones, Luther	11/11/03	Attorney
330710	Moody, William E.	Flores, Betty Ann	11/1/06	County Commissioner
203886	Moody, William E.	Cobos, Anthony	5/8/02	City Representative
314574	Moody, William E.	Jones, Bob	3/15/06	Sahara Sportswear
238629	Moody, William E.	Escobar, David	11/4/03	Escobar & Escobar

Here's the Moody release:

Late last week, our opponent Dee Margo complained to the local media that we were going to begin shedding light on who he knows, after he told the people of El Paso, “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know.”
Margo cringed when the light was shined on his close association with key figures in the El Paso public corruption scandal, and the thousands of dollars he took from the recently indicted Bob Jones. Despite these truths, Margo claims these are negative ads. 
Ironically, we’ve had countless supporters who know me, call complaining about Dee Margo personally attacking me on television and in the mail Margo is putting in their mailboxes.
Dee Margo has cried about our ads claiming they were false. But I’d like Dee to show the voters how he hasn’t taken hundreds of thousands of dollars in Austin special interest money, and for Dee to tell the voters how he doesn’t know and never received thousands of dollars from Bob Jones. Margo says, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know." Well, that certainly applies to who Dee knows.
We all know Dee Margo’s tactics by now. After all, this is the 3rd consecutive election he’s used them in. Margo continues slinging mud, trying to deceive the voters, while he cries about his opponent using negative ads. Dee thinks he can get away with this double standard, saying and doing what ever he wants, but that’s exactly the good old boy type of thinking that got all of his friends like Bob Jones into so much trouble.
Show Dee’s he’s wrong. Everyone in El Paso should have the opportunity to succeed, and the Austin special interests certainly don’t deserve Margo’s double standard. Take a stand for El Paso. Early voting continues through Friday -- take your friends and family to vote today!
Onward -

Oh, and how could I almost forget. What day in a Texas House campaign would be complete without some House Speaker Tom Craddick?
Brought to you by the Moody campaign:

Finance Report Reveals Hundreds of Thousands
Margo Took From Craddick

El Paso— A closer look at the campaign finance report filed by Dee Margo with the Texas Ethics Commission reveals that controversial House Speaker Tom Craddick has dumped $113,500 in to Margo's campaign coffers in the last 4 weeks in his attempt to cling to power in Texas.
Stars Over Texas Pac, Margo, Dee $25,000.00 9/11/2008
Stars Over Texas Pac, Margo, Dee $28,500.00 10/2/2008
Stars Over Texas Pac, Margo, Dee $60,000.00 10/21/2008
Dee Margo/Craddick Total $113,500.00

"Dee Margo is once again misleading the public," said Joe Moody. "Despite the hundreds of thousands of dollars Craddick has given Margo and the reports of Craddick personally recruiting him into this race, Dee continues to claim he has no relationship with Craddick. The people of El Paso are smarter than Dee thinks, and we won't fall for Margo's tricks."
During Margo's failed run for the State Senate in 2006, Margo expressed his support for Craddick, but Margo is still denying his connections to Craddick. [1] Republican Pat Haggerty even said in a press interview, "He (Margo) is there for one reason and that is to vote for Tom Craddick (for speaker). Am I surprised he would say he has nothing to do with him (Craddick)? Absolutely I am not surprised. If a man will lie to get into office what kind of lies will he tell you when he is in office?"[2]
"Follow the money," said Moody. "The campaign finance reports clearly show whose side Margo is really on. El Paso doesn't need a representative bought and paid for by Tom Craddick. We need a person who will stand up for our community in Austin."
The nation took note during the last session of the Texas Legislature, when the Speaker Craddick claimed "absolute power" over the Texas House, refusing to allow representatives to speak, vote or even question who should preside over the House chamber.
"While Texas leads the nation in the number of uninsured, Tom Craddick passed a budget that cut over 200,000 children from the children's health insurance program (CHIP). He cut funding for the medical school in El Paso, and opposed tripling the homestead exemption to lower taxes for homeowners, favoring tax cuts for big insurance companies and oil companies," Moody explained. "Dee Margo talks about experience and says, 'It's not what you know, it's who you know' – and he may be busy attacking my family, but even Dee knows that Tom Craddick's agenda is wrong for El Paso.

Money talks; other things walk

Dollars keep flowing into the Texas House campaigns of Joe Moody and Dee Margo. Despite each raising a trove of cash during the last month, both reported getting more money in the last couple of days. In the last week of the race, candidates are required to file reports with the Texas Ethics Commission each day when they take more than $1,000.
Democrat Moody filed a report yesterday showing he brought in $24,532 on Monday from the Texas House Democratic Campaign Committee and from Texans for Insurance Reform, a group supported by trial lawyers.
Republican Margo's report filed yesterday shows a $1,000 contribution from SAM Political Action Committee.

UPDATE: Here are the full reports that Margo and Moody filed on Monday, showing how much money they had raised from Sept. 26 to Oct. 25.
Download margo_8day.pdf
Download moody_8day.pdf

Since we're talking money, Democrat state Rep. Chente Quintanilla and his Republican challenger Carlos "Charlie" Garza also filed campaign finance reports Monday.
No surprises in these lopsided numbers. Quintanilla reported that he raised $14,550 from Sept. 26 to Oct. 25 and that he has $27,946 left to spend. Garza raised $25 and has $103.
Here are the reports:
Download garza_8day.pdf
Download quintanilla_8day.pdf

What about Bob?

Last week, Democrat Joe Moody started campaign ads that question Republican Dee Margo's ties to Robert "Bob" Jones, former president of the National Center for the Employment of the Disabled.
Today, Margo alleged in this press release that Moody's family took contributions from Jones, too.

Trace of Dignity
Moody Family Accepts Contribution From Bob Jones
Indicted Businessman Bob Jones is Judge Moody’s 10th Largest Contributor
El Paso – Joe Moody has based his entire smear campaign on contributions Dee Margo returned from indicted El Paso businessman Robert “Bob” Jones.  Joe Moody intentionally misleads voters by not saying the contributions were returned in the same filing period.
What else does Joe Moody fail to tell the voters of District 78 about his false smear campaign?
His own father, District Judge Bill Moody, took money from Bob Jones in his failed Texas Supreme Court bid.  In fact, according to Texas for Public Justice’s October 2006 Report, “Billable Ours, Texas Endures Another Attorney-Financed Supreme Court Race,” Jones was Bill Moody’s tenth largest donor. (Download supremes06.pdf)
According to Brandi Grissom of the El Paso Times, this contribution would have been received after federal investigators began reviewing the Jones-operated nonprofit.
“Joe Moody has based his entire smear campaign on a returned contribution and innuendo,” said Dee Margo.  “Will Joe Moody apply the same standard to his own family?” Margo asked.
One week after the El Paso Times showed Joe Moody losing by double digits, he launched his false smear campaign against Dee Margo that failed to pass the Moody family test.  Joe Moody has once again shown the lack of judgment and maturity needed to represent House District 78. 

Moody said the claims are simply false. His campaign provided a list of all Bill Moody's contributions from 2006, which shows that the Jones' $1,300 contribution to help pay for a campaign event ranked 34th among the judge's contributors. (Download bill_moody_2006.xls)
"This is misleading," Moody said. "This is smearing my family, and that’s the same kind of deceit (state Rep.) Pat Haggerty faced in the primary, and we’re facing it right now."

What's on TV

Here's the latest campaign propaganda I've gotten from both the candidates in the House District 78 race.
I'm going to post these in the order they dropped or aired.
First, is Republican candidate Dee Margo's second TV ad of the general election. This is a feel-good, get-to-know-the-candidate type of commercial that ran last week:

And here's Democratic candidate Joe Moody's second ad. This is the one I wrote about last week, which attempts to connect Margo to the ongoing FBI public corruption investigation. The TV ad started airing Saturday, and here's the mailer that went out about the same time: Download moody_mail_2.pdf

UPDATE: A note on the Moody mailer. It says Margo took thousands from Bob Jones, who was indicted by the FBI recently. A check of campaign finance reports shows that Margo took $3,000 from Jones in February and March of 2006, after federal investigators began reviewing the non-profit Jones operated. Margo returned $3,000 to Jones on June 28, 2006, during his Texas Senate bid.

So, of course, Margo had to respond to that attack with an attack back: