Saturday, October 30, 2010

Pardoning the Duke of Duval

Pardon Power has an historical piece on President Harry Truman's pardon of George B. Parr and Parr's later association with alleged election fraud on behalf of Lyndon B. Johnson in the 1948 Texas Senate primary. Well worth a read for those unfamiliar with this particularly sordid piece of South Texas history.

7 comments:

  1. What about Duke Daley of Chicago? Richard Daley that is and JFK?

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  2. Machine politics are an American way of life. Now, instead of ward bosses buying groceries for grandma to get her vote, we have Tea Party supporters stomping the heads of little girls.

    Same same.

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  3. Scott In South Austin10/31/2010 01:38:00 AM

    Grits is speaking about LBJ zeety. If you would spend some time in the Parry-Castenada library at UT and read a few books, you would realize how little you understand this state and its great history.

    Go to stacks like the rest of us when we were young Texans.

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  4. Well,, I think it's just a trial for him.

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  5. 7:33, was there a pardon associated with Daley? If you've never checked out Pardon Power, I'd encourage those interested in clemency topics to do so. He has lots of interesting history pieces like this one.

    Zeety, LBJ wasn't so much the head-stomper as the back-scratcher. You can bet that whatever George Parr asked for in exchange for those extra votes, he got. And more. He was a powerful force for a generation of Democrats following his pardon.

    Scott, you seem to get a little grumpy when you're up so late ... get some sleep, amigo. ;)

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  6. Good point, Grits. LBJ was all about getting things done. Too bad there's nobody in Washington like him anymore.

    Not. Even. One.

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  7. "Zeety, LBJ wasn't so much the head-stomper as the back-scratcher."

    Are you joking? LBJ was implicated in numerous murders including the infamous murder of Douglas Kinser at Butler Pitch 'N Putt off of South Lamar Boulevard. The murderer's lawyer was paid by LBJ and even though he was convicted, his sentence was suspended by the Judge (A LBJ supporter) LBJ was a dirty as they come.

    If you would like to read more, I highly recommend "A Texan Looks at Lyndon: A Study in Illegitimate Power" by J. Evetts Haley.

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