In case you haven't seen it already, make sure to check out Lisa's column on Carvana Cloud leaving the Office in today's Chronicle.
I love it that Lykos gets caught in a lie about the number of minorities in the Office. I also think its pretty damn interesting that she doesn't deny screwing over Carvana for political reasons. Hopefully Lisa's column today will make more citizens of Harris County aware of what the hell Lykos and her Davidians are doing.
37 comments:
Murray, we know others are leaving=hiding on 5
When you put everything on the line, as Carvana did, there is no guarantee you aren't going to lose, as Carvana did. It is obvious that what Lykos did was politically motivated, but I think that it is total BS that she and others (you, Murray?) are spinning this into a race issue. Lykos would have done the same to anyone who was so openly in support of one of her opponents. Surely you can attest to that.
Stick to the issues, the real issues. I get so sick of people bringing race up just so they can have an extra point to add. Do I agree with most things Lykos has done? HELL NO. Do I think that Carvana was "demoted" due to race? NO.
As a long-time prosecutor who started in Harris County, I find this all leaving me rather melancholy. I wanted the new leader to be triumphant, to resurrect the honor that once existed at that office. The evidence is not there to say it will happen with Lykos. So, who could do it? (And please don't list anyone who has already tried.) Who, from around the state, could lead such an office to redemption?
Carvanna got run off because she supported Bradford, not because she is black. The diversity argument is a red herring. There are plenty of other things to criticize Lykos for, I just don't think this is one of them.
This is just politics, plain and simple. Carvanna supported Bradford, and if he won, she would probably be somewhere on the 6th floor right now. Instead he lost, and she has to pay the piper. It was a gamble she lost. She didn't have to get involved in the election.
Just like you, Murray. You gambled on Kelly, when she lost, I'm sure you never thought you could work for Lykos and everything would be peachy.
Whether Lykos' motivation for what she did to Carvana was more driven by race or politics is a little more difficult to determine due to Lykos' life long troubles with honesty. That being said, however, she campaigned on the issue of both diversity and transparency and she is miserably failing in both departments -- mostly becausd she isn't attempting them.
I'm very curious about who the "two bureau chiefs" are that she considers to be minorities. I'm sure Hannah Chow is one, but I have no idea who she considers to be the other. What's Lykos definition of minority? Somebody who isn't Greek? I don't get it.
I think that Lykos moving Carvana would have been much easier for her to explain if she hadn't "demoted the position" that Carvana held only for the period of time that Carvana held it.
If you couple other things that Lykos has done and look at what she did to Joe Owmby, and the fact that out of all of her felony District Court Chiefs and above (which is a total of about, what, 50 people?), there is ONE Hispanic Division Chief and ONE African-American Division Chief -- you start to see some statistics that are pretty damn hard to explain.
Hard to explain if you are going to be honest. Perhaps Lykos isn't being racist, but she damn sure isn't being diverse. There is a high ranking felony two who is an African-American female that the Davidians certainly seem to be in no hurry to promote. And with the rash of people quitting right and left, you would think it would be easier to move people up the ladder as they wished.
I left under Ken for a reason, but it wasn't race.
Per the texas bar site:(http://www.texasbar.com/Template.cfm?Section=Minority_and_Women_Lawyers&Template=/TaggedPage/TaggedPageDisplay.cfm&TPLID=4&ContentID=6429)
There are approximately 83,713 lawyers licensed to practice in Texas (as of December 31, 2008, the mid-point of the Bar's fiscal year). Minorities represent approximately 16 percent of the lawyers in Texas, with 7 percent being Hispanic, 4 percent African American, 2 percent Asian American, less than 1 percent Native American and 1 percent other races/ethnicities. The breakdown by gender shows that 32 percent of the attorneys in Texas are female, while 68 percent are male.
So, if you look at the stats of the office, there appears to be 18 or so Afican American Attorneys, out of 300 = 6% -- which is above the average above.
I would also like to see how many African Americans have been hired since January 1st and the percentages.
I'm tired of hearing the race card.
Just my 0.02.
7:23,
Lykos' terrible job performance notwithstanding, your hidden agenda is neither accurate nor sound....
I do not believe that Lykos is racist or even makes decisions based on race. I believe she rewards loyalty, but thinks that most people are against her (which is about true considering the state of mind of most of the ADAs).
With regards to the Chronicle article: congratulations to Carvana for finding her constitutional right to free speech and using it. The article is well-written and she voices a lot of the concerns and contentions of many ADAs who just don't feel the liberty to speak at this time (cuz they want to keep their job!).
RAGE fan...where are you, Rage?
Uh-oh, does this mean all the titty babies have to like a Chronicle columnist now?
Who are the other people leaving? We are hearing a lot of rumors about our co-workers.
It's not a race issue it's a beyotch issue, and there are four beyotches at the top: Liecos, Chow, RB and wee man.
I feel sorry for my friends who still work there.
The Chron really missed the mark on this one. Lycos actually got a pass; her comments are not challenged in print. Rather, Lisa took the easy way out by writing a race bait article, which the Chron loves, but also doesn’t lay any blame on the 6th floor. While the article opens up with comments on the morale, etc, that is not followed. What Lisa could have done if she wanted to show some real journalism would have been to follow-up on the low morale, talk about the attrition, the culture of fear and back stabbing and the total lack of communication.
Sadly, the Chron used Carvana, and she played into their hands. She looks like a sore loser who is tossing out the race card. I love her to death, and the way she was treated with the intake situation was sad, but in the vacuum of the election, politics is the name of the game. (Look what happened to the District Clerk's office!) We all serve at the pleasure of the DA, like it or not.
The real story is about not following up on campaign promises and how the office is being mismanaged by political hacks. But that story lacks the race card, the sympathetic/sad ingénue (depending on your view) and would require the Chron to do some real work. They would rather just toss gas on the racial fire and watch it burn. Besides, Brian just might lose his sweet little gig on the 20th floor. Holding tight on 20.
Murray, you're my boy. And Carvana's departure is a loss for the office. But don't play the race card. She vocally supported Lykos' general election opponent. Did you think she was going to be given a cookie? While Carvana was a good prosecutor, she wasn't some super lawyer who the office couldn't do without. I despise Lykos. But race wasn't an issue here. If anything, she was allowed more lattitude. After all, you, Lucy, adn other Kelly supporters were canned without being given a chance.
The Chron article was horrible, it read as a pro affirmative action piece. So by Lykos being painted as anti affirmative action, this article strengthens Lykos with her base. Carvana could have said 100 things that were great and deserve the attention of the people, but once she said minorities will not be treated fairly until minorities are in high positions then people in the majority turned off. She basically said White people discriminate against minorities. Murray in this case you are brave to address this subject and no matter how many numbers, stories, or pictures you have many will find a way to excuse what you say. For many Americans race problems don't exists. As a black man when I experience racism or discrimination I keep it to myself and deal with it. Why, because no one wants to hear it or will believe it. Attorney General Eric Holder said it best we are cowards when it comes to the race conversation.
Current Bureau Chief Steve Morris sometimes in his old days with the Office went by the nick name "Indian" because of his Native American ancestry. There's your 2nd minority bureau chief.
No it will not make a difference as the voters of this county have proven themselves to be Stupid. It is also to far from the next district attorney race to make a difference. By the time the next election rolls around the "minority problem" will have been fixed and Lykos will not smell as bad as a three day old corpse.
SAH
SAH,
I beg to differ. Troll Lykos will not be able to adequately mask her pungent malodorous stench in 2012. Sure she will hire some throw down temporary brothas and sistas for political window dressing before the next election, but her sham "leadership" will be too exposed by then. Statistical manipulation (eg. PTLs on DWIs) will not be enough to cover up the widespread incompetence and pervasive corruption and she will be crushed like a cheap troll pinata....
CAR
I still support pat lykos, she has made this office a better place to work and has brought down the good olboy system. Dont be a hater because you are not considered to be a team player,murray move on with your life.Murray you can collect food stamps and do court appointments to get by.Make your car your office,meet at mcdonalds to sign up clients, but dont be a pat hater
Anon 9:29,
I'm with you, baby.
Please provide your name and shipping address and I'll send you an autographed copy of my new book, Helter Skelter's Blind Minions.
Love and kisses,
Charley
Anon 9:29,
I'm with you, baby.
Please provide your name and shipping address and I'll send you an autographed copy of my new book, Helter Skelter's Blind Minions.
Love and kisses,
Charley
anon 9:29,
The difference between the new Lykos hired ADAs and the new former ADAs that are now in private practice is the success coefficient.
Ask around and you will see that all the boys and girls, including Murray, that have recently left their ADA jobs are kicking ass in the private sector with much better hours to boot.
You are probably one of "Projecting Pat's" recent incompetent hires that never quite cut it in private practice and are now grateful to suckle the gubment's hind teat and feed at the gubment trough without the requisite skills or dedication to perform the duties of an ADA with even marginal ability.
I loved the fact that Chow talks about recruiting efforts. She failed to mention that the office has killed the pre-commit program. Chow's idea of recruiting is to hire people the hiring committee rejected.
The question about racism is a difficult one to resolve. I recall being told that actions speak louder than words so lets forget the words and look at the action. Carvana supported Bradford and was a two in a prized position. When Lykos took over Carvana was moved to intake and remained a two even though the position was a chief's slot. When she left on medical leave, she was replaced by a white male who was immediately made a chief. This raises the question. Lykos has promoted white ADAs who supported Kelly. This underlines the question. In her interview with Lisa, Lykos stated she only makes decisions based on the good of the office. Was it good for the office for her to hire her untrained and unqualified friends to run the office and fill other spots? This calls in question Lykos' answer to Lisa about her decision making. The question of racism clearly is on the table. The only way to really resolve the issue is to be with Lykos when she is not acting as the political Lykos and is herself. Those comments made by Lykos when she is not guarded might well resolve this issue.
Pat Lykos' gross incompetence in carrying out her sworn duties as District Attorney of Harris County has become a clear and present danger to the safety of the citizens of Harris County.
It is time to seriously consider taking steps to seek her removal from office.
It is time to seriously consider taking steps to seek her removal from office.
Then do something, you pansy. Quit bitching on the internet, and put your nuts on the line.
If you have any.
rage,being picked on all your life for being a punk has jacked you up badly.respect is something you earn not demand.whoever called you "son of troll" nailed it.
respect is something you earn not demand.
You think I'm demanding respect from a bunch of crybabies who I wouldn't piss on if they were on fire?
If y'all think she's so bad that she needs to be removed, do it. Put your reputation on the line like Murray, Carvana, and even Siegler did, and start a petition.
All of this "hiding on 5" crap is ridiculous. Stop being crybabies, and do what you think needs to be done.
Rage
Rage,
"EVEN Siegler" put her reputation on the line? Are you fucking kidding me? Who made more of a sacrifice for HCDAO than Kelly Siegler?
As for standing up to sign a petition, relatively few prosecutors openly signed on for Kelly or any other candidate and now you expect them to sign a petition to remove an incompetent monster they are too scared to even contradict?
Cowards will always be cowards and heroes will always rise up to protect them.
and now you expect them to sign a petition
Actually, no. I don't expect them to do a damn thing.
Rage
Just another night on the blog--a bunch of people who don't work at the DA's office trying to tell everyone else what to do and how to do it.
Who're the pussies, exactly?
-a bunch of people who don't work at the DA's office trying to tell everyone else what to do and how to do it
Yeah, that Murray Newman. He should keep his trap shut.
Right?
Rage
Anon 9:32, does it count if I used to work in the Trial Bureau at HCDAO?
The prosecutors who exhibit disgraceful fear in the face of personal adversity are the ones I refer to as pussies. Actually, they give vaginas a bad name so let's heretofore refer to them instead as fucking cowards.
There is a difference between being insubordinate and being derelict in carrying out your sworn duty. A prosecutor should have the strength of character to honorably uphold the principle of fairness while enforcing the actual legislative intent of the law . He/she should not shirk this responsibility out of fear of retribution but rather accept personal risk when the need arises to assure that justice is served rather than a damn fool result. Donna Goode, Maria McAnulty and Kelly Siegler have all lived by that example and I am proud to have worked with all three (3). Each did it their own way to different ends but with class, dignity and honor.
It would be arrogant for one who holds the freedom and sometimes even the life of others in his/her hands to themselves act in a cowardly fashion while facilitating the disposition of a defendant's destiny.
Apparently you disagree.
9:32, mirror mirror on the wall....
"The prosecutors who exhibit disgraceful fear in the face of personal adversity are the ones I refer to as pussies."
WHO are these people exactly? Is everyone left at the office a pussy? Why? Why is a continuing desire to prosecute criminals a bad thing because the boss is bad? How many people there survived more than one DA regime change? Why should they all quit now?
Anon 9:46,
No doubt prosecuting criminals is a good thing irrespective of the boss' misgivings.
A regime change by itself is not cause for all ADAs to resign immediately.
Now for Dave's top 10 reasons why certain prosecutors (you know who you are) at HCDAO are in fact cowards.
You are a cowardly ADA if you:
10.engage in unlawful acts just because your boss tells you to
9.coerce defendants just because your boss tells you to
8.fail to ensure that a defendant is provided due process just because your boss tells you
7.do not confront your boss when she tells you to breach your sworn duty to uphold the law
6.cover your ass at the expense of doing what is just and right
5.blindly follow policy you know to be inappropriate because you are afraid to challenge authority
4.wet your pants any time you smell a Marlboro or hear someone order a Jack and Coke
3.are willing to settle for a hung jury in the name of political correctness
2.wet your pants whenever a defense attorney threatens to file a complaint on your behavior so you acquiesce in shame
1.are afraid of voir dire challenges so you no longer are able to select a jury objectively
413--I haven't seen anyone at the office like this--have you?
Don't believe what you want to believe, just because it's easy to do.
9:07,
*I don't want to believe it either.
*It is anything but easy to believe.
*I wish it weren't true but that won't make it so anynmore than your denials.
*We all know who many of the cowards are.....even the sleepers.
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