2012 will be remembered in some quarters as the year voters rebuffed two of Texas' most ardently "tuff on crime" prosecutors. Williamson County DA John Bradley's ouster in the Republlican primary has been much discussed, but this week voters in Robertson County finally rejected long-time DA John Paschall, whose prosecution of the Heare drug stings earned him brief but unfavorable national notoriety. That a challenger defeated the long-time incumbent with 52% of the vote is flat-out remarkable and can only be read as a personal rejection of Paschall. (Cue the music!)
Recently Grits had urged that a special prosecutor be appointed in the murder of a local civil rights activist (who was a relative of two of the Hearne-drug-sting defendants) because Paschall couldn't be trusted to objectively handle the case. Thankfully, the voters took care of any such conflict. Paschall's replacement was a staff attorney at the local drug court and, if he's competent at all, will be a welcome breath of fresh air. That may be the most heartening news I've heard out of Tuesday's election.
MORE: See a page of opposition research on Paschall compiled by a local attorney/critic.
Too bad Harris County voters didn't reject Anderson. The only good thing about him winning is that the possibility of riots has increased substantially because he has pledged to NEVER prosecute police officers, not even token prosecutions of which Lykos was famous. Should be an interesting 4-years...
ReplyDeleteUPDATE ON JOHN BRADLEY POSTED TODAY ON Wilco Watchdog:
ReplyDelete"In other news, sources are saying that former Wilco DA John Bradley is in "secret talks" to have two positions created for him at the county level. Sources indicate that Bradley wants to "take over" appeals for indigent defendants on a contractual basis.
According to the source, Bradley is in the process of "setting up" meetings with county commissioners and is trying to “quickly and quietly” push this through. This is baffling and quite ironic considering Bradley has cost Williamson County hundreds of thousands of dollars fighting appeals."
http://wilcowatchdog.org/2012/11/09/election-day-voting-irregularities-in-wilco-.aspx
Even left-wing advocates who are pro-criminal are not immune to the everyday behavior of the criminals who they defend. Being a masochistic chump is no defense. See this story.
ReplyDeleteCBS 5 Cameraman Beaten, Robbed After Oakland Live Shot
November 8, 2012 12:35 PM
OAKLAND (CBS SF) – A photojournalist for CBS 5 San Francisco was beaten and robbed of his camera by a group of young men in Oakland following a live newscast report Wednesday.
Photographer Gregg Welk and reporter Anne Makovec had just finished their noon report on the passage of Prop 30 in front of Oakland Technical High School on the 4300 block of Broadway.
After the live shot, an unknown number of men rushed up, punched Welk and grabbed his camera, according to CBS 5 Communications Director Akilah Bolden-Monifa.
The men then fled in a car with the camera. Welk suffered minor injuries, was treated at a hospital and released, according to Bolden-Monifa. Makovec was not hurt.
The attack was the latest among a series of incidents involving members of the press in Oakland. In recent months, journalists with the Oakland Tribune, KTVU and KNTV have been accosted and robbed of laptops, cameras and tripods. The cost of broadcast-quality cameras can run into the tens of thousands of dollars each.
During last year’s Occupy Oakland protests, a number of TV news vans were vandalized and a photographer for KGO-TV attacked while covering a murder near the Occupy encampment.
Anonymous @ November 8, 2012 12:35 PM
ReplyDeleteIs your comment posted on the wrong blog?
However, I am curious about your comment. Are you saying the reporters were left-wing advocates and are pro-criminal? Perhaps you're from Cali and know the reporters.
Or, is it just a word of warning for those with a distaste for injustice?
Correction to my last post. It is directed at Anonymous @ 11/09/2012 03:25:00 PM November 8, 2012 12:35 PM
ReplyDelete03:25:00 PM
ReplyDeletewth are you talking about? leftwing advocates, procriminal types and masochistic chumps?????
guess your man lost
So many of these assaults these days have a racial angle to them.
ReplyDeleteI need to believe at least our local elections are real, i.e, no interference by Electronic Voting Machines. It's always hard to unseat any incumbent, but it starts with SOMEONE running against him.
ReplyDeleteSo I agree he must have awoken the neighbors who decided to vote him out. What a concept! And he could always run again, rethink his actions, etc. It's a great system, when not manipulated.
TRANSPARENCY is critical, thus of course the thing those in power hate the most. People can't vote well when they don't know the issues & candidates (which happens quite a lot).
Probably our only remaining recognized right is that to lobby (bribe). We can organize and PAY those in power to do our special-interest bidding. But we're competing with long-term organized big cults and co's. All the more important for folks to realize the foxes are eating the hen house.
Crapya, it's captcha:
10:50 in the AM, While we are proud to hear that some voters finally woke the hell up, where can we find these quotes regarding Anderson? This would officially make him an elected 'Policecutor' in the state's most embarrassing county.
ReplyDeleteIf we do learn the he indeed said this, then the joke is again on the voters. The ones that vote just to be voting, sleep-vote and those that live in a us against them world in Harrlarious County, TX.. Thanks.