Tx Capitol Report | A view from the Texas state capitol

Debating the debate

    It is unclear whether there will be a gubernatorial debate between Gov. Rick Perry and his Democratic challenger Bill White.

    Perry's campaign told WFAA-TV in Dallas that it would not agree to a date for a fall debate until White released his tax returns for the six years he served as mayor of Houston.

    "What potential conflicts would he have if a miracle happened and he became governor?" Perry spokesman Mark Miner said in a telephone interview with the El Paso Times. "The public has a right to know what kind of business deals he has been involved with.

    "Once he releases his sources of income and how he made his money over his public career we will be more than happy to discuss debate dates," Miner said.

    White has accepted invitations to debate Perry from WFAA and KERA, said his spokeswoman Katy Bacon.

    She said if Perry is concerned about White's tax returns he should bring it up at the debate.    

  "If Rick Perry doesn't want to debate he should just say so," Bacon said. "As usual Rick Perry is playing political games instead of doing what's right and talking to Texans about issues."

    "This is just one of Rick Perry's many ways to avoid actually having to face someone who is holding him accountable for his dismal job performance," Bacon said.

   White has released his 2009 tax return.

    He has said that he will make public tax returns for the years he is running for or holding statewide office because he wants to be held to the same standard as other candidates.

    He has released personal financial disclosure statements for the time he was mayor in Houston.

    Perry, who won statewide office in 1990, has released tax returns since 1987. 

    

Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst tweets about El Paso

Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, who is in El Paso today to talk with local, state and federal law enforcement about the growing violence in Mexico, just posted a message on his Twitter account.

"Despite escalating violence in Mexico, thanks to federal, state & local law enforcement, El Paso remains among the safest cities in America," Dewhurst said in his tweet.

Dewhurst was the keynote speaker at a fundraising luncheon for the El Paso chapter of the Latino National Republican Coalition.

See tomorrow's El Paso Times for more on Dewhurst's visit.

Updated: Lawmaker ties the knot at the Capitol

    State Rep. Joe Pickett married former House assistant parliamentarian Shannon Wiggins Saturday in a low-key ceremony that meant a great deal to the couple.

    Pickett and Wiggins met on the House floor last session, became friends and later fell in love. So, it seemed fitting to get married in the exact place where their relationship blossomed.

    Friends, colleagues in the legislature and family gathered on the House floor to watch the couple exchange their vows.

    The wedding had some unique touches.

    Attendees were able to sit in seats typically reserved for lawmakers. Also, a board that displays every House member's name and normally lights up when a lawmaker casts a vote had a single green dot next to Pickett's name.

     But, El Paso friends who did not make it to the Capitol will have an opportunity to celebrate with the couple one more time. They will have a reception in El Paso Friday at Vista Hills Country Club.

    Here are a few pictures of the ceremony and reception in Austin.

 

List of worst governors includes Texas and New Mexico

    A political watchdog group named Texas Gov. Rick Perry and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson to its list of America's worst governors.

    Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, or CREW, today released a report that criticizes nearly a dozen governors in the country.

    It says the report offers details about the "unethical and incompetent actions of 11 governors who pride their self-interests over their states'."

    Other governors on the list are Haley Barbour (R-MS), Donald Carcieri (R-RI), Jim Gibbons (R-NV), Bobby Jindal (R-LA), David Paterson (D-NY), Sonny Perdue (R-GA), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Mark Sanford (R-SC) and Arnold Schwarzenegger(R-CA).

    Perry is seeking reelection to an unprecedented third term in office. He faces Democrat Bill White in the general election in November.

    The CREW report outlined six charges against Perry.

    It said that Perry:

    • Allegedly disregarded campaign finance laws and aided a business that was especially generous to his campaign
    • Refused to operate transparently, and has blocked access to information related to a death penalty case
    • Rejected federal stimulus funds in a manner that appeared to put partisan politics ahead of the interests of the citizens of Texas
    • Has perpetuated the revolving door between government and special interests
    • Accepted travel and campaign donations from a business that received benefits from his official actions
    • Used campaign funds for a personal trip with questionable relevance to his campaign for office

    Catherine Frazier, a campaign spokeswoman, said the report should not be taken seriously.

    "The information is inaccurate," Frazier said. "Gov. Perry has upheld the highest standards on transparency and led the effort in implementing better transparency practices on all levels of government—both local and state."

    Frazier said a Sunshine Week study that ranked the state first in online transparency shows that the governor "has one of the strictest ethics policies in the nation and he is very proud of that."

   Katy Bacon, a campaign spokeswoman for White, also responded to the report.

   "Texans see every day that Rick Perry cares more about himself and his political career than Texas' future," she said in an email. "Chalk up another national headline for Perry - first secession, then presidential ambitions, now a lack of ethics. Texans deserve better."

    Richardson, who is not seeking reelection, also made the list.

    The report charged that Richardson:

    • Allowed political allies to benefit from firms connected to state investments
    • Allowed pay-to-play scandals to plague his administration
    • Rewarded close associates with state positions or benefits, including providing a longtime
friend and political supporter with a costly state contract
    • Fell short on efforts to make state government more transparent

    In an additional "worst governors index" the group provided the following statistics for Perry:

    • Minimum number of former aides to Gov. Perry who became lobbyists: 17
    • Value of an alleged conduit contribution from Perry Homes that Gov. Perry’s campaign intentionally obscured through the misclassification of finance reports: $1 million
    • Minimum amount Bob and Doylenne Perry, owners of Perry Homes, have donated directly to Gov. Perry’s campaign: $840,000
    • Months after receiving a $100,000 from Bob Perry that Gov. Perry named Perry Homes executive John Krugh to the Texas Residential Construction Commission: 1
    • Months after receiving a $100,000 donation from Lonnie Pilgrim that Gov. Perry, as chair of the Republican Governor’s Association, requested a waiver from EPA requirements on Pilgrim’s behalf: 1
    • Months after the waiver came through that Pilgrim donated $25,000 to Gov. Perry’s PAC: 1

    Statistics for Richardson provided by the group are:

    •Minimum amount CDR Financial Products and its chief executive David Rubin gave to Gov. Richardson’s campaigns and associated political committees: $110,000
    •Amount CDR collected in fees from the State of New Mexico in 2004 and 2005 for financing Gov.     Richardson’s Investment Program: $1.48 million

Rick Perry in the report

Bill Richardson in the report

Worst Governors report

Worst Governors index

Norma Chavez speaks to followers on Facebook

State Rep. Norma Chavez, who lost her bid for reelection Tuesday night, has posted a statement on her Facebook page thanking her family and the voters of House District 76.

Assistant County Attorney Naomi Gonzalez defeated Chavez by 360 votes in a runoff election for the seat. 

Below is the statement posted by Chavez tonight:

Thank you family & constituents of Dist. 76 for the opportunity to represent Dist. 76. The voters have made their decisions. I stand ready to end my term doing my job for the people. I called Rep. Elect Gonzalez LAST NIGHT, congratulated her & offered to share legislative history on gaming issues important to the Tiguas. My sadness I won't be there on the House floor. ADELANTE! Gracias Dolores for standing with me!

Grandmother in Gonzalez's ad does exist

By Gustavo Reveles Acosta

El Paso Times

EL PASO — The grandmother who said she would no longer support state Rep. Norma Chávez in a political ad mailed out by Naomi Gonzalez does exist, despite claims by the incumbent that she was fabricated by her opponent.

A local blogger this week said his investigation of voter records showed that the grandmother, Manuela Arzate, didn't show up in any election log. That prompted Chávez to issue a press release on Wednesday chastising Gonzalez for misleading the public.

Gonzalez quickly provided proof that Arzate exists and is a frequent voter who lives in the Hidden Valley neighborhood of the Lower Valley.

Arzate, who used her maiden name when she appeared in Gonzalez's ad, said she didn't use her married name for fear of being confronted by political foes.

Her married name, which the El Paso Times has agreed not to use, is the one that appears on her Texas driver's license and her voter registration card. The El Paso County elections department confirmed that Arzate is a frequent voter and that she participated in the March general election.

Gonzalez said Arzate's concern about being confronted by the Chávez campaign is justified.

"Our state representative is well known for trying to intimidate her constituents, so this is what it has come to in our community," she said. "This is yet another example of the bad behavior of Norma Chávez and this is why it is time for a change."

Gonzalez and Chávez are fighting a tight run-off race for the District 76 seat on the Texas House. Early voting runs through Friday. The race will be decided on Tuesday. 

The campaign has been a heated one, with both camps using negative advertising to try to sway voters.

Gonzalez has sent out several mailers citing news reports that call Chávez an "embarrassment" and one of the worst legislators in the state.

Chávez in turn has highlighted the heavy funding of Gonzalez's campaign by Republican groups — groups she herself has received money from in the past. She also has made Gonzalez's sexual orientation an issue during the campaign. 

Officials with Chávez's campaign didn't back down from their criticism of the Arzate mailer, which was sent out in February before the general election. 

Chávez's campaign manager Mark McDonald acknowledged that Arzate exists when he was contacted by the Times. Still, he said Gonzalez's failure to use her full legal name was misleading.

He also took issue with Gonzalez's statement about Chávez's alleged intimidation tactics.

"We're being asked to justify the fact that Naomi Gonzalez mislead the voters of District 76," said Mark McDonald, Chávez's campaign manager. "If they committed this falsehood, that's fine. But to try and blame it on us is wrong."

Gustavo Reveles Acosta may be reached at greveles@elpasotimes.com; 546-6133.

To view the documents, click on the links below:

Arzate's driver's license and voter registration card: Download Manuela Arzate

Gonzalez's political ad: View this photo

Chávez press release: Download FW- Press Release Arzate

Are staffers leaving the Norma Chavez campaign?

    A source close to state Rep. Norma Chavez's campaign told the El Paso Times that three of her campaign staffers have quit.

    The source said staffers were frustrated with the direction the campaign had taken and that there were concerns after Chavez called her opponent Naomi Gonzalez a lesbian and said she should acknowledge it to voters.

   Gonzalez, who faces Chavez in an April 13 runoff election, will not discuss her sexuality because she says it has no bearing on the race.

    One of the staffers named among those who left the campaign is Lilly Ruiz, a longtime Chavez employee.

    Ruiz could not be reached for comment but the message on her answering machine refers immediate questions about the Chavez race to the campaign office.

    Mark McDonald, Chavez's campaign manager, would not discuss whether the campaign has lost key staffers.

    "I can't really comment on the inner workings of the campaign," McDonald said.

    One of the staffers rumored to have quit said he was still with the campaign.

    "She just called me today," Jay Desai said. "I don't have any bones with Norma. A lot of people are still with Norma."