tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post700137775718824968..comments2024-03-15T05:45:01.402-05:00Comments on Grits for Breakfast: Roundup: Expensive jails, paid-for pols, broken grand juries, and flawed forensicsGritsforbreakfasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-54349353417765268372014-08-05T16:48:04.717-05:002014-08-05T16:48:04.717-05:00Re: John Wiley Price
We're certainly used to...Re: John Wiley Price<br /><br />We're certainly used to horrible county politicians here in East Texas (http://corruptioncapitalusa.blogspot.com/2014/08/the-horrible-politician-of-year-award.html but John Wiley Price is in a league of his own. The one thing that would prevent monsters like him from becoming so entrenched they are impossible to remove would be term limits on county commissioners and county judges. I say no more than 3 consecutive terms and no more than 4 terms total. (I would count EITHER serving as a commmissioner OR a county judge toward the lifetime term limit.) 16 years is plenty. I also think that those appointed to their offices without being elected should be subject to re-election in the next general election in which an opponent would have had time to file as a candidate. I know this would take all kinds of state constitutional amendments. But these career local politicians are toxic to their communities.Joorie Doodiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12711770130122160427noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-56431824705209481232014-08-01T13:02:29.298-05:002014-08-01T13:02:29.298-05:00In reference to John Wiley, I will say this Grits,...In reference to John Wiley, I will say this Grits, you were correct in saying they had better have him without a shred of doubt. I am roughly the same age as JWP and I can promise you, IF John Wiley Price is a criminal, it will have to be proven WAY BEYOND a shadow of a doubt. IF he is a criminal, I guarantee you one thing, He is the smoothest criminal to come down the pike in the last several decades. The powers that be tried for decades to bring down Al Lipscomb with little success, Jouhn Wiley is no different and much more technologically savvy. I am sure, knowing there were forces in pursuit of him, he left a few intentional rabbit holes for the foxes to fall in. Im not tooting his horn, but I aint counting him out before he is even stumbled, and so far he is lookin as sure footed as ever. It doesn't mean he can't be caught if he is dirty. It does mean he isn't stupid enough not to know they were watching. I am going to watch this unfold with a keen interest.The Homeless Cowboyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06552287747723969215noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-71590787500062313192014-08-01T10:15:27.021-05:002014-08-01T10:15:27.021-05:00Sometimes, if you have the right political connect...Sometimes, if you have the right political connections to Rick Perry, the DA will overrule the grand jury's decision: http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Judge-blisters-Harris-County-DA-over-Medina-case-1790945.php TriggerMortishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13488782801153643342noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-34725238442948770172014-07-31T15:55:03.046-05:002014-07-31T15:55:03.046-05:003:42, maybe reporters' ignorance would be disp...3:42, maybe reporters' ignorance would be dispelled by greater transparency. For that matter, perhaps the more extreme behavior might be reduced if grand jurors knew the transcript of their questioning would later get out. Gritsforbreakfasthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-15891709144522571492014-07-31T15:42:40.328-05:002014-07-31T15:42:40.328-05:00I've been watching this Grand Jury discussion ...I've been watching this Grand Jury discussion in the Houston Chronicle and now Texas Monthly. I don't know that I've ever seen more ill-informed reporting than what has been displayed by Ms. Falkenberg and now Mr. Solomon. This notion that the exclusive role of a Grand Jury is to be a passive, disinterested check on the power of the government is totally contrary to the law. While it's true that ONE role of the Grand Jury is to determine whether there's probable cause to warrant a true bill, in Texas, Grand Juries have near autonomy when it comes to the power to investigate, subpoena or question witnesses, and disagree with or disregard the recommendations of the prosecutors. I'm aware of several cases where the prosecutor recommended a no bill and the Grand Jury disagreed and returned a true bill. It is not at all uncommon for prosecutors to present cases to Grand Juries without making a recommendation as to a true bill or a no bill. Unlike a petit jury which under Texas law has no power to question witnesses, there is nothing that says grand jurors have to sit quietly in the face of testimony they believe to be perjury. They can question witnesses just as zealously as the most enthusiastic prosecutor if they so choose.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com