Pre-primary Endorsements And Coordinated Campaign Activities

County Party Chairs of both parties across Texas are sending messages out to Precinct Chairs and others officially connected with the party organizations that the respective party organizations can not and will endorse candidates or participate in any form of coordinated campaign activities with candidates until after the primary election has been settled. Gerry Birnberg, Harris County Democratic Party Chair, says it about as succinctly as any Texas county party chair in his statement,

I just want to remind everyone that the Harris County Democratic Party does not endorse candidates in contested primaries. If you hear of an endorsement by some Democratic club or some Democratic elected official or group of elected officials or some Democratic organization or some precinct chair, please do not be confused: that endorsement does not constitute the endorsement of the Harris County Democratic Party or of the 2010 Harris County Democratic Party Coordinated Campaign and it is not made on behalf of, or at the behest of, HCDP, nor does it indicate HCDP agreement or approval. The folks at the Harris County Project, which plays a substantial role in electing Democrats countywide in the fall, have asked me to inform Democrats that that group also does not endorse candidates in the primaries, and it has not participated in any process to favor or disfavor or endorse any candidates in the primary election. The role of the Harris County Project (and that of the Harris County Democratic Party) is to win elections in the fall, not to promote contested candidates in the spring.

Organizations and individuals (including precinct chairs and committeepersons) are entirely free to endorse candidates of their choosing (so long as they do not publicly support or endorse a candidate seeking the Republican Party’s nomination for office). In fact, the fact that certain groups or individuals have endorsed particular candidates may be very helpful to some voters in deciding which candidates they wish to support with their votes, dollars, or efforts. But the Harris County Democratic Party does not engage in those activities, and wants to be sure there is no confusion over that fact.

Gerry Birnberg
Chair, Harris County Democratic Party
January 7, 2010
Posted @ http://www.hcdp.org/Page_2.html

There are many reasons why the political party organizations should not, and, in fact, can not, engage in coordinated campaign activities with candidates before primary election day. Foremost, there are several primary races on each party's primary ballot where Republicans face Republicans and Democrats face Democrats on the same ballot position.

County party organizations that have a statutory responsibility to execute an impartial primary election in their respective counties can not take sides in contested primary races. Some might say, "well, no harm and no foul if the party helps candidates in uncontested primary ballot position races." But, again, the party organization can't become involved in pre-primary politics because uncontested primary candidates may want to align themselves with other local and state candidates who are in a contested ballot position race. Then, other uncontested primary candidates may take exception to such alignments by fellow candidates. Such pre-primary situations present the proverbial slippery slope of conflict of interest that must be avoided altogether by state and county political party organizations.

Playing The "Democrats Are Weak On Terrorism" Card?

One week ago, December 27, 2009, on CNN, GOP strategist and former Dick Cheney adviser Mary Matalin defended her former boss charging that President Bush had in fact “inherited a recession” and the September 11^th 2001 attacks from President Clinton:

MATALIN: I was there, we inherited a recession from President Clinton and we inherited the most tragic attack on our own soil in our nation’s history.

Former Bush administration spokesperson Dana Perino has also recently claimed that “we did not have a terrorist attack on our country during President Bush’s term.” Former Bush administration officials seem intent on misrepresenting history to pretend that the country never suffered its worst terror attack in history under Bush’s watch so that 2010 GOP candidates can run on a "strong on terrorism" platform.

It’s a peculiar talking point, even considering the other efforts to whitewash the GOP’s disastrous record.

In reality, the terror attacks on the Pentagon and the World Trade Center occurred on Sept. 11, 2001 — eight months into President Bush’s first term. "Charlie Allen had his hair on fire,'' wrote Richard Clarke, the former counter terrorism chief, at the start of a chapter in his best selling book, Against All Enemies. Clarke's book chronicles the efforts of several government security experts to warn the Bush Administration of a pending attack by Al-Qaeda -- from the weeks before Bush took the oath of office until the morning of Sept. 11, 2001. [CBS News Interview]

Philip Zelikow, Director of the National (9/11) Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, testified that the CIA had issued several warnings that terrorists might fly commercial airplanes into buildings or cities. In briefings during the weeks before Bush took office on January 20, 2001 outgoing Clinton Administration officials advised incoming Bush administration officials that counter-terrorism should be the Bush Administration's number one priority. Throughout the spring and summer of 2001, we now well know, that CIA Director George Tenet, White House counter-terrorism adviser Richard Clarke, and several other officials were running around with their "hair on fire," warning that al-Qaida was about to unleash a monumental attack.

On Aug. 6, 2001 Bush was given the now-famous President's Daily Brief (by a CIA briefer), entitled “Bin Laden Determined to Strike in U.S.” (See the memo here.) warning that this attack might take place " inside the United States."

According to one account, after the PDB has been given to him, Bush tells the CIA briefer, “You’ve covered your ass now” (see August 6, 2001). Incredibly, the New York Times later reports that after being given the briefing, Bush “[breaks] off from work early and [spends] most of the day fishing.” [New York Times, 5/25/2002]

We now know that between January 20 and September 10, 2001 President Bush was briefed on Al-Qaeda over 40 Times.

Dana Milbank and Mike Allen of the Washington Post wrote that on Aug. 7, 2001, the day after the fateful PDB, Bush, "was in an expansive mood … when he ran into reporters while playing golf." The president's aides emphasized that he was working, now and then, on a few issues—education, immigration, Social Security, and his impending decision on [banning] stem-cell research. On Aug. 29 Bush gave a speech before the American Legion outlining the President's defense priorities of boosting soldiers' pay and abandoning the Anti-Ballistic-Missile Treaty.

History records that the Republican administration ignored all warnings...

So why are Republicans stepping up their efforts to white wash the Republican record on terrorism? Terrorism virtually disappeared as an issue in the final Election Day 2008 sprint, despite the best efforts of Obama’s opponent, Republican Sen. John McCain, who had a distinct polling advantage over Obama on the issue because of his military experience. Obama was able to trump the politics of terrorism with a more immediate public crisis – the financial meltdown of September 2008.

After a terrorist unsuccessfully tried to detonate his explosive underwear on a Christmas Day flight to Detroit, Republicans seem to be signaling that they intend to again try to excite voters' fears about terrorists during the 2010 election cycle to rehabilitate the old Republican claim that Democrats are weak on national security - weak on dealing with the terrorist threat.

And who will Republicans target, in their us-against-them messaging strategy, as accomplices in their charges that Democrats are weak on terrorism? An item from this mornings headlines probably answers that question: FOX News Guest: 'Strip Search All 18-28-Year-Old Muslim Men At Airports'.

Related: Rather than strip search 18-28 year-old Muslim men at airports', a more likely response to the Christmas Day underwear bomber will be renewed calls for ‘Naked Scanners’ to digitally strip-search every air traveler.

Related Links:

• Politico - Democrats' worst nightmare: Terrorism on their watch
• WaPo, Sun. 01/03/2010: Soft on terror? Not this president
• Full-Body Scanners To Be Installed In British Airports
• ThinkProgress: Fox News guest: ‘If you are an 18 to 28-year-old Muslim man then you should be strip searched.’
  

Election Calendar for 2010

February 16, 2010		First Day of Early Voting in Primary
February 23, 2010		Last Day to Apply for Ballot by Mail in Primary (Received, not Postmarked)
February 26, 2010		Last Day of Early Voting in Primary
February 27, 2010		Last Day to Register to Vote for Plano City Special Run-off
March 2, 2010		PRIMARY ELECTION
March 8, 2010		Last Day to Order General Election (Local Elections)
March 8, 2010		Last Day to File for Place on Ballot (Local Elections)
March 9, 2010		First Day to Apply for Ballot by Mail (Local Elections)
March 11, 2010		First Day of Early Voting in Plano City Special Run-off
March 15, 2010		Last Day to Register to Vote for Primary Run-off
March 23, 2010		Last Day of Early Voting in Plano City Special Run-off
March 27, 2010		Plano City Special Run-off
April 5, 2010		First Day of Early Voting in Primary Run-off
April 6, 2010		Last Day to Apply for Ballot by Mail for Primary Run-off (Received, not Postmarked)
April 8, 2010		Last Day to Register to Vote (Local Elections)
April 9, 2010		Last Day of Early Voting in Primary Run-off
APRIL 13, 2010		PRIMARY RUN-OFF ELECTION
April 26, 2010		First Day of Early Voting (Local Elections)
April 30, 2010		Last Day to Apply for Ballot by Mail (Local Elections) (Received, not Postmarked)
May 4, 2010		Last Day of Early Voting (Local Elections)
May 8, 2010		Uniform Election Date for Local Elections
July 25, 2010		First Day to File for Place on General Election Ballot (for cities and schools ONLY)
August 24, 2010		Last Day to Order General Election
August 24, 2010		Last Day to File for Place on General Election Ballot (for local political subdivisions ONLY)
September 3, 2010		First Day to Apply for Ballot by Mail
October 4, 2010		Last Day to Register to Vote
October 18, 2010		First Day of Early Voting
October 26, 2010		Last Day to Apply for Ballot by Mail (Received, not Postmarked)
October 29, 2010		Last Day of Early Voting
NOVEMBER 2, 2010		GENERAL ELECTION
............................................		........................................................................................................

Rey Flores Announces For Collin Co. Justice Of The Peace, Pct 3, Pl 2

The Rey Flores Campaign today sent out a press release announcing his candidacy for Collin Co. Justice Of The Peace, Pct 3, Pl 2. The precinct 3-2 seat is held by incumbent John Payton who has held the seat since 1990. Payton has announced he is running for re-election to a 3^rd four year term and will face Mr. Flores in the November election. (Picture right - Shawn Stevens, Democratic Party of Collin County Chair, accepts the filing form from Mr. Flores.) [Flores campaign website / Click map right to enlarge to see precinct 3 location - from maps.collincountytx.gov]

The Flores Campaign press release follows:

Rey Flores Files for Democratic Party Nomination to Become Justice of the Peace for Collin County Precinct 3, Place 2

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 29, 2009

Rey Flores, a 17 year Collin County resident with 27 years of experience in the criminal justice system,announced today that he is running for Justice of the Peace, Precinct 3, Place 2 in Collin County.

“Today, I am announcing my candidacy for Justice of the Peace. I do so for a number of reasons:

First, I have 27 years of experience working within the criminal justice system. As a former Adult Probation Officer in Dallas County, I have been deeply involved in the court process negotiating with both prosecutors and defense attorneys in recommending possible case dispositions. My criminal justice career has included holding positions requiring me to not only supervise those that go outside the law, but also to manage officers charged with supervising the adult probationers.

Second, I have great interest in young people that too often fail to see the value of education and become truants. Unfortunately, the result of such behavior too often ends up in misdemeanor and felony courts later, at great expense to the taxpayer.

Third, I believe Collin County residents should have a qualified choice in deciding who will best serve them in the position of Justice of the Peace.

I believe the Justice of the Peace position is one that provides the opportunity to intervene early and to change the course of young people’s lives. I have the work and life experience, the education, and maturity to serve Collin County well as Justice of the Peace for Precinct 3, Place 2.”

Upon coming to Dallas in 1978, Mr. Flores was hired by the Dallas Adult Probation Department (now known as the Dallas Community Supervision and Corrections Department). He conducted casework on adult probationers on supervision for cases that varied from murder to criminal mischief and everything in between.

In 27 years as an officer, Flores rose in position and responsibility from caseworker, to assistant supervisor, supervisor and finished service as Unit Manager & Administrator.

Rey Flores has an impressive professional background in criminal justice that is well suited to the position of Justice of the Peace that he is seeking, as Flores has the following experience:

• As an administrator, Flores had supervision and oversight of staff conducting work in 15 felony courts and 11 misdemeanor courts.
• Served on the initial taskforce charged with creating the first drug court in the State of Texas, and then went on to supervise and create programming for that court and a subsequent felony re-entry court.
• Supervised staff conducting internal counseling programs, inpatient drug treatment programs, a restitution center and a reporting center geared to provide education and numerous living skills.
• Supervised the internal officer training program and conducted the State required officer training certification.
• Served as a facilitator for the National Association of Drug Court Professionals, providing instruction and direction to judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys and other court staff interested in developing their own drug courts.

Rey Flores has an exceptional history of community involvement:

• Dallas County Community Action Board
• Dallas County Youth Services Advisory Board
• El Centro College Hispanic Advisory Board
• Promise House Board of Directors
• Metroplex School Advisory Committee
• Treatment Alternatives to Incarceration Board
• Dallas County DWI Taskforce
• Eastfield College Social Work Substance Abuse Advisory Board
• Criminal Justice Work Group of the Coalition for the Mentally Ill
• Dallas County Charitable Campaign Employees Committee

Contact:
Judy Conover
972.422.0455
www.floresforjp.com
rey@floresforjp.com

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