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Making an Impact
“The Lone Star Project … hammers Republicans whenever it gets a chance, promoting strong local Democratic candidates and even bringing lawsuits.”
(Roll Call, Stuart Rothenberg,
March 12, 2009)
“Anyone who questions whether [The Lone Star Project] can make life difficult for a Republican legislator should talk to former Sen. Kim Brimer.”
(Austin American Statesman, February 17, 2009)
“[The Lone Star Project] is responsible for the aggressive stance the party has taken toward DeLay and other Lone Star State Republicans since the 2004 election.”
(The Washington Post, March 6, 2006)
"David Dewhurst has said most Texans don't have much sympathy "for someone who that can't fill out a two page [health insurance] application every six months".
The Democrat-supported Lone Star Project in Washington reported this week that Dewhurst failed to file necessary forms at least six times in recent years.
(San Antonio Expres News,, 4/12/2007)
"The Justice staff memo was obtained by the Lone Star Project ...The story broke the same day the U.S. Supreme Court was considering legal challenges to the plan brought by Democrats and minority groups."
(Houston Chronicle, 12/3/2005)
"The Texas chapter of the NAACP, along with the Lone Star Project, have analyzed the amicus brief filed by the Justice Department and have concluded, justifiably, that the Voting Rights section of the Justice Department is now controlled by partisan political appointees."
(Roll Call - Donna Brazile, 2/28/2006)
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Commissioners Court Sabotaging Investigation
Dallas Republicans waste taxpayer funds and disrupt investigation
Craig Watkins has earned a reputation for competence, toughness and fairness
Craig Watkins makes Ken Mayfield and other partisan Dallas Republicans nervous. For two decades, they had fellow Republicans in the DA’s office they could rely upon as political friends. Craig Watkins, however, has shown an independent streak and an instinct for fairness that isn’t guided by partisanship. He is a tough prosecutor who has sought the death penalty in many criminal cases. At the same time, Watkins has won national acclaim for success in using DNA testing to exonerate innocent individuals who were improperly convicted by reckless prosecutors. Watkins was even chosen by the Dallas Morning News as 2008 Texan of the Year for his hard work . (Source: Dallas Morning News, December 28, 2008)
Now, rather than roll over for a partisan Republican Commissioners Court, Watkins is fighting to protect the integrity of his office and its jurisdiction while following the evidence regardless of the political fallout. |
Dallas County Constables have found themselves in hot water recently for contracting auto towing services to a company with a troubled past and little oversight. (Source: Dallas Morning News, July 21, 2009) The Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins has acted responsibly by following normal prosecutorial conduct and refusing to comment on a pending investigation. Recently, DA Watkins said, “If a crime has been committed, we will follow the law and do our jobs. However, under no circumstances should anyone expect the district attorney to discuss the particulars of any potential investigation or case.” (Source: Dallas Morning News, August 25, 2009)
Rather than wait on the results of the DA’s investigation and risk that Republican officeholders will be implicated in wrongdoing, Dallas Republican County Commissioners, led by beleaguered District 4 Commissioner Ken Mayfield, have moved to hire both an outside consultant and an independent legal counsel to investigate ONLY Democratic Constables. Their partisan action will not only squander over $300,000 in taxpayer funds but also could sabotage the DA investigation and shield Republican constables and other officeholders whose actions should also be scrutinized.
Facts and Background
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There is widespread concern in Dallas County regarding possible corruption by both Democratic and Republican Constables.
(Source: Dallas Morning News, July 21, 2009)
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News reports have made clear that Dallas District Attorney Craig Watkins is pursuing the matter vigorously.
(Source: Dallas Morning News, August 25, 2009)
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DA Watkins is following appropriate legal protocol by not identifying specific targets of his investigation until adequate evidence is gathered and indictments are sought.
(Source: Dallas Morning News, August 25, 2009)
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Republican Commissioners, led by Ken Mayfield, have moved unilaterally to spend over $300,000 in taxpayer funds for a handpicked outside investigator who has been directed to investigate ONLY the two Democratic constables. Their investigator has no subpoena power or authority to conduct a thorough examination. In fact, he has been reprimanded by the Department of Justice for misconduct bringing his overall competence into question.
(Source: Dallas Morning News, August 25, 2009; The Associated Press, April 17, 2002)
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Further, to provide themselves political cover, Mayfield and friends used more tax money to hire an outside insurance lawyer to give a legal opinion supporting their actions.
(Source: Dallas Morning News, September 30, 2009)
GOP-picked investigator almost botched OK City Bombing Case
Danny Defenbaugh |
Dallas County Republican Commissioners, with the help of discredited County Judge Jim Foster, picked disgraced former FBI special agent Danny Defenbaugh as their outside investigator. Danny Defenbaugh is the special agent who was in charge of the Oklahoma City Bombing investigation. Defenbaugh jeopardized the case against mass murderer Timothy McVeigh when he withheld critical information from the defense. Withholding the information constituted a serious breach in legal ethics. The Associated Press reported that, “In a March 19 report, the Justice Department recommended Defenbaugh and three other agents be disciplined for the FBI's failure to turn over thousands of pages of documents…The delayed turnover of documents resulted in an extraordinary four-week delay of McVeigh's execution last year.” (Source: The Associated Press, April 17, 2002) Defenbaugh was formally rebuked by the Department of Justice for his misconduct. (Source: Department of Justice Report, March 2002 ) He retired in disgrace one month after the disciplinary action.
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Ken Mayfield
Republican
County Commissioner
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Will Ken Mayfield and Republicans follow Texas open record laws and disclose their actions?
Ken Mayfield has a history of underhanded dealings. For years he has been moonlighting as a defense attorney while collecting a full time salary of $126,801 from Dallas County taxpayers. While Mayfield is the chair of the Dallas County DWI Task Force, he is also a DUI attorney defending drunken drivers, some who have been involved in serious accidents and had a Blood Alcohol Content of more than twice the legal limit. Further, as County Commissioner, Mayfield has influence over the budgets of many of the judges he appears before. (Source: Dallas Morning News, September 29, 2009; Mayfield's official website.) The Lone Star Project has submitted open records requests to Ken Mayfield and to other Dallas Commissioners calling on them to reveal their internal discussions and correspondence regarding the use of taxpayer funds to pursue an unneeded and partisan investigation. See the Request Here.
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