Saturday, February 18, 2012

Gary Polland & Party Loyalty

Earlier this week, in his bizarrely-written-in-the-plural website, former Harris County Republican Chairman and Defense Attorney Gary Polland crystalized the problem of bringing politics into the Criminal Justice World with this silly post:


It has come to our attention that several notable supporters of District Attorney candidate Mike Anderson have stated that they will not support District Attorney Pat Lykos if she wins her re-nomination bid in the upcoming Republican Primary Election. TCR is disgusted by this "I'm taking my marbles and going home" attitude. We believe that there is nothing wrong with a robust primary process, provided that Republicans unite behind our Republican nominees against the Democrats. TCR calls on Mike Anderson to ask his supporters to do the right thing and pledge to support the eventual Republican nominee, not the Democrat. If the Anderson supporters still refuse, then Mike Anderson should demonstrate his commitment to our Republican candidates and publicly reject the support of this politically disloyal minority--surely he doesn't need their "marbles" that badly.


Oh, Gary, Gary, Gary.  Thank God you aren't in the restaurant business.  If you were, I suppose we could expect memos like this from you:


It has come to our attention that over the past four years, several of our customers have complained that the Lykos Platter served here at Polland & Woodfill's Country Kitchen has given them nausea, diarrhea and, in some cases, death.  We strongly encourage you to please keep eating the Lykos Platter and try the new Shadwick Salad and the Summerlin Soufflet, as well, no matter how bad it may become.  We are aware that many of you have recently come to try the Anderson Dinner that popped up on the menu against our wishes.  Damn democracy.  Many of you are ordering the Anderson Dinner because it is healthy and does not give you indigestion.  We are doing all we can to take it off the menu as quickly as possible because we believe that a healthy and qualified meal can only exist as part of an illegal and politically motivated campaign against the Lykos Platter.
Unfortunately, we have recently learned that many of our customers have said that they will not eat our nausea and diarrhea-inducing Lykos Platter under any circumstances, even once if we take the Anderson Dinner off of the menu.  Some are even threatening to try something from the Fertitta chain of restaurants in the event we offer you nothing but the Lykos Platter.  
As customers of Polland & Woodfill's Country Kitchen, we find these types of threats to be against our best interests, and we call upon all fans of the Anderson Dinner to disavow them.  If they won't, we call upon the Chef of the Anderson Dinner, Mike Anderson, to disavow them.  Otherwise, he clearly hates food!
In short, we here at Polland & Woodfill's Country Kitchen are committed to giving you food that will continue to make you sick, and you will LIKE it. 


Geez, Gary.  Really?


Here's an idea:  Why don't you write a post on your blog explaining why exactly it is that you think a highly controversial incumbent District Attorney who has led the Office to the point of being the target of multiple criminal investigations, while alienating the major police agencies, decimating office morale, and generally not having a clue is a better candidate for the Republican Party than a highly respected former prosecutor, judge, and natural leader who used to win elections by the highest margins in the county.


Has the Republican Party under your and Jared Woodfill's leadership really gotten so far astray that qualifications truly don't matter anymore? 


Mike Anderson is a true leader that the Republican Party should be jumping up and down about having on the top of the Criminal Justice ticket.  He can give a speech with heart and energize people to do the right thing.  The reason he can do that is because he's a good and honest man who has been in the trenches and can lead from the front.


If you and Woodfill and Pat Lykos were truly interested in the best interest of the Republican Party, you would be encouraging Lykos to withdraw at this point.  The only person bringing down the Party's reputation is her.  None of you will do that, of course, because you don't care about the Party.  You only care about yourselves.


You ask your readers to be loyal to a Party that you aren't loyal to yourself.

36 comments:

Anonymous said...

Why, exactly, does party make a difference in the DA's race?

As someone who generally votes Republican, I can guarantee that I will vote for the Democrat in this race if Lykos is the Republican candidate. Just like I did in the last election.

Anonymous said...

Take it from an active member of the HPD, having Lykos makes me sad that Bradford didn't win......and I despise the guy.

As a straight ticket republican voter, you can bet everything you own that I'll pull dem for DA is Lykos is on the ticket.

Anonymous said...

"Politically disloyal minority" - per Noah Polland = an individual or group of individuals who will not blindly vote for an incompetent political candidate, notwithstanding that candidate is allegedly a member of that group's basic political party, preference or philosophy. No wonder that Polland earns his livelihood in the juvenile courts of Harris County. As 6:34 p.m. (anonymous) and Johnny Holmes in an interview on a phantom blog have previously said that if Lykos is the Republican candidate I likewise also will vote for Zack Fertitta. It is time that the Republican Party, whether state or national, will at least run qualified and competent candidates (and more importantly reject those self-servers "leading" the party). They have an excellent candidate in Mike Anderson - all they have in Lykos is one grossly tarnished candidate who has always had but one objective - self. Polland should stick to his writings in the juvenile courts - an area ostensibly in his competence level.
Calvin A. Hartmann

Anonymous said...

Amen and well-said Calvin.

Anonymous said...

I agree with anon 6:34 I too will crossover to vote democratic if Lycos is the candidate.

It is quite obvious that Gary Polland does not care, his focus is only on Lycos, not what is best for the Republican party.

All I can say is Mr. Polland has lost credibility with this voter.

Anonymous said...

Mr. Polland,

If you want us to vote for Lickus if she wins the primary, how about endorsing the reverse? When Mr. Anderson wins, require Patsy resign immdiately. The governor can then appoint Mr. Anderson to the position until November.

Can you just imagine how the office will be when she loses the primary? She will be kicking and screaming. We will feel her wrath.

Anonymous said...

Ask Gary P who he asked people to vote for between Susan Brown and Lon Harper.

GOP Loyalist said...

Something to consider, Lykos has lost more elections than most people in office, her latest stint working klargely because a single officeholder decided to play kingmaker with his own campaign funds. The smear campaigns such funding bought to discredit her superior primary peers notwithstanding, Lykos is already being cited by loyal, straight ticket voters as a reason they will be more selective this year. For the record, this includes who they contribute to and other ways in which their voices shall be heard.

Do the math: Lykos = more headaches in the future. If she is really such a big party loyalist, she will step down and do us all a favor. For the record, Anderson won office repeatedly and helped other GOP candidates along the way. Treating him as some of the party movers & shakers have done of late is disgraceful and will be remembered.

Anonymous said...

Polland is a loser.

BTW, you took bowl of jelly off of your blog roll, how about taking Grits off as well?

Here's a statesman article where the integrity of Grits author is discussed. The Austin Police Cheif says: "He lied".

C'mon Murray, Grits is as anti-law enforcement as they come. Why is he on your distinguished website?

Anonymous said...

Yo Gary, if you are such the good little Republican why were you such a big Mayor Parker supporter? Psst, you know she's a Democrat right ? Hey maybe because she could pay forty thousand dollars you thought she had to be a Republican. Query, what is the pejorative for someone
who sells themselves for money? Could it be WHORE?

Has your buddy Jared filed for bankruptcy yet? I hear business has dropped off even more since Pressler bailed on him. You could always show him the ropes in the juvenile courts.

Anonymous said...

For the life of me, I cannot fathom why the Republican party has not turned their back on Lykos.

1) She is a republican in name only. Look at all her feel good programs that she has instituted at the DA's office.

2) She has been investigated more times than any other sitting DA. She keeps saying that she wasn't indicted, so therefore she is a good District Attorney. Seriously?! The 185th investigation took several months. It's not like it was just a few witnesses, and she was cleared. It was months and what emerged? Lykos was exposed as unethical, and a tyrant. That should be enough. Lykos excuses Palmer from taking the fifth. You can take the fifth. Totally your right, but you don't get to be an asst. district attorney. If the Texas Rangers clear Lykos.... It still doesn't mean she acted correctly. Shouldn't one act with such ethics that there is never an appearance of impropriety or wrong doing? Especially if you are the elected District Attorney? One would think.

3). She got caught in a major lie to the public. "I didn't order an investigation. Oh yeah, I did. But it was justified because they were acting illegally first! "(There were other lies butt only the CJC world caught them, but this woman has no morals.)

This should be enough. Get her out of there.
Bring in someone that can lead, can be a DA, and knows how to be one. Mike Anderson. Please spread the word.

I am an ADA. I am worried about my job. And I like most other ADA's will vote for Zach Fertita if Anderson does not win the primary. We don't give a crap if Fertita is running as a democrat. Both Anderson and Fertita will do the right thing, and actually know what the right thing is, without being concerned solely with their public image.... Please everyone, tell all your friends to go out and vote. Gary Polland, we are not worried about supporting our Republican party if Lykos is what they think a good District Attorney is.

Anonymous said...

Murray,
Great analogy in your post. Your humor is tremendous again. Thanks for a great laugh!

Mark W. Stephens said...

My question to Gary Polland would be this:

Why should party members/voters remain loyal to the Republican Party, when the Republican party shows contempt for its own members/voters by pushing candidates that are unqualified and inept?

Loyalty is a two way street.

Many voters who typically support Republican candidates do not consider themselves "Republican" as much as they consider themselves "Conservative." Pat Lykos is by no stretch of the imagination Conservative.

If, GOD FORBID, Lykos beats Anderson in the primary...there will be a HUGE swing of Conservative voters rushing to
support Democrat Zach Fertitta. And the Republican Party will be to blame for GIVING the Harris County District Attorneys office to the Democrats...for the first time in a VERY long time.

Mr. Polland is right in that it IS a question of loyalty. However, he has it backwards. It is the Harris County Republican Party that has abandoned its own base. It is THEY who have been disloyal.

Its time for Mr. Polland and the Republican leadership to step up. And time for Lykos to step down.

Mark W. Stephens said...

My question to Gary Polland would be this:

Why should party members/voters remain loyal to the Republican Party, when the Republican party shows contempt for its own members/voters by pushing candidates that are unqualified and inept?

Loyalty is a two way street.

Many voters who typically support Republican candidates do not consider themselves "Republican" as much as they consider themselves "Conservative." Pat Lykos is by no stretch of the imagination Conservative.

If, GOD FORBID, Lykos beats Anderson in the primary...there will be a HUGE swing of Conservative voters rushing to
support Democrat Zach Fertitta. And the Republican Party will be to blame for GIVING the Harris County District Attorneys office to the Democrats...for the first time in a VERY long time.

Mr. Polland is right in that it IS a question of loyalty. However, he has it backwards. It is the Harris County Republican Party that has abandoned its own base. It is THEY who have been disloyal.

Its time for Mr. Polland and the Republican leadership to step up. And time for Lykos to step down.

Anonymous said...

9:33-
How right you are about that certain County Judge-Kingmaker helping get Lykos elected. Talk about a real conspiracy.
The kingmaker harbored a long resentment against HCDA for prosecuting his father. He was determined to enact revenge by doing his best to dismantle the stellar office that Johnny Holmes had built. Lykos was looking for any avenue she could find to get her foot into the door of a public office that could supply her voracious need for power. HCDA is now a shell of what it once was and there is no integrity at the top. We an opportunity to rescue the office by getting behind Mike Anderson. Work hard or it can slip through our fingers.

Anonymous said...

This is the reason I hate Gary Polland. He has single handedly made me no longer vote straight ticket. He's liar and a shitty attorney at that.

He thinks he's powerful - newsflash, he's not.

Pathetic man.

Anonymous said...

Gary is right, everyone should do exactly what he says. He knows everything.

XOXOXXOXXO

Don

Anonymous said...

Remember Pollard thought Janice Law was qualified too.

Anonymous said...

Well said, Mr. Hartman and what a great analogy, Murray.

As an 18 year veteran HPD Officer, I can attest to the decline of morale at the DA's office. It seems that they still hire very competent attorneys, but as of late they have been in fear of doing their jobs... That is "seeking justice". It's no longer about doing the right thing and more about covering their asses so they don't fall victim to the wrath of the administration.

Although I am a member of the HPOU, who is not fond of Lykos for various political reasons, my disdain for her stems from what I see every day at the courthouse and at intake. It angers me that we cannot all be on the same team. A great number of my friends have left the DA's office and I have made a lot of new ones since 2008. However, it's not the same. There is a mutual lack of trust, camaraderie and general sense of a "team".

I am doing everything I can to get the word out to my friends and family that Anderson is the ONLY choice this time around and garbage that we find on "Big Jolly's" blog and trash like Polland just wrote only enhances my argument that the Republican Party has lost it's way when it comes to the DA race.

An HPD Officer.

Anonymous said...

Polland and Woodfill cannot and will not desert Lykos, Shadwick, or Summerlin for several reasons:

1)They are all long-time friends.

2) Sumerlin has worked for Woodfill's law firm for many years and Lana's ex-husband, Judge Jeff Shadwick, worked there for many years.

3) They all do each other favors and Shadwick and Summerlin are likely expected to hand cases to Polland and Woodfill, if elected.

4) All 3 candidates have the same political consultant, Jeff Yates, who was long-time executive director of the county Republican Party and reportedly still gets a hefty $4000 monthly check from the party for "consulting," but Republicans don't seem to know what work he does for his paycheck. This comes from a county party that is chronically broke and often can't pay the bills. Yates has been very close friends with Polland, Woodfill, and Lykos for many years. Yates makes lots of money from consulting for the three candidates, so will stick with them no matter what. Woodfill and Polland will, too.

However, Woodfill and Polland are not all that powerful when it comes to electing candidates. Their picks are often defeated, so let's all just keep working toward getting the word out.

Anonymous said...

I wonder what Mark Donnelly and Riffi Newaz would have to say regarding this call for loyalty? Where was loyalty when they needed it?

Anonymous said...

The political reality of the Republican Primary race for D.A.:

IF REPUBLICAN voters do not get out the vote (looks like around Memorial Day Holiday, or there about, now towards the end of May due to redistricting mess) and vote for truly the best candidate of the three; Mike Anderson then here is what could happen.

No doubt ANYONE - even Lloyd Oliver (I hate to say) would be better than what "we" now have, I think it's fair to say we shouldn't settle - regardless of party affiliation - for second best - with no disrespect to Zack. Surely even HE would admit privately that Anderson has the best resume for the job than even he.

However, over on the Democratic Primary side there just isn't that much "action" because so many of the candidates are incumbent Judges who came in under the 2008 Obama Tsunami and I don't know of any hotly contested democratic races for the democratic voter to get fired up about. They will be waiting for the General.

No secret P.L. has been heavily courting the support of various minority Democratic groups (Ministers Against Crime). So, if enough D's cross over in the primary and vote FOR P.L., and enough R's get apathetic due to the lateness of the Primary in relation to the Presidential primary and see their vote more nationally than local and thus stay home. Then Lykos could have a better chance of winning the R Primary (still think unlikely but don't forget that feeling you had the day after the poorly attended last D.A. election runoff).

In this scenario, the D's know from just this blog that many R's won't vote for Lykos in the General so why not cross over and vote republican for her in the primary, then let the general election tide and disaffected crossover anti-Poland type R's push their candidate over.

Yes, I know, even this would be better than having P.L. But why not get it right the first time and GET OUT THE VOTE IN THE REPUBLICAN PRIMARY to vote for Mike Anderson - the best qualified candidate - and not have to worry about all this other Democratic crossover mess?

Anonymous said...

Hey JV don't try and toss Summerlin in that group. Good try at the deception

Murray Newman said...

Anon 12:16 pm,
Joe Vinas didn't write that post. There isn't anything deceptive about the way he carried himself as either a prosecutor or a candidate. He's been above board the whole time.

Anonymous said...

Seriously, it seems like the ADAs in Harris County are walking on eggshells like the ADAs in Williamson County. Such a shame to have the elected DAs fuck it up and generate paralysis. Young ADAs are afraid to become a scapegoat. Lykos is as much of an ass as Bradley. No morals, no ethics, no business being an officeholder. How long will it take these offices to recover. The public needs to wake up.

Anonymous said...

To Anon. 2-18-12 @ 10:15p

There really wasn't much difference in the way the A-S described the video and Scotts description of the events if you take into consideration his first person account was his experience. Chief Acevado made a very self serving statement to protect his department.

Anonymous said...

I love you guys for doing this. This is a blast for me because I was thinking there is a heart and soul within the Repub party and who is fighting for it?
The upstarts and outsiders-MA supporters or
The establishment-PL supporters.
Does that mean the best candidate should win or should the best party member win?
I respect the heck out of this blog not so much for the posts but the fervor and passion it creates. The threads are always a good read.

You have helped elect 2 judicial candidates. This however is a much bigger task.

There's a party establishment on the local dem side. Look how well that's worked out for 'em. Not very and the elders in that party require a person to kiss their you know what. What a total waste.

It's funner watching you guys. It just is.

Cherrytree Republican said...

If Polland wasn't a self serving teat sucker himself and was truly interested in the local GOP, he would never have backed Lykos. He likes to vilify others for doing what he does but ultimately, this is part of the problem with party loyalty over doing the right thing. I've contributed to party candidates in the past based on his recommendations and those of others high up in the GOP but that stops now given what has gone on.

Anonymous said...

For those of you who didn't have the "pleasure" to work with Summerlin while he was an ADA, let me tell you he had more haters than friends. His philosophy was to kiss up to anyone above him, to sabotage anyone on his level, and to treat like crap anyone below him. Murray and a few others were friends to him, only God knows why. But imagining him as judge is a scary thing. He would have the worst black robe disease of any judge on the bench. He and Lykos are cut from the same cloth as are cut from the same cloth.

Anonymous said...

I once had Polland described to me as "that sniveling little turd." But a judge. Good times.

Rage

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
... philosophy was to kiss up to anyone above him, to sabotage anyone on his level, and to treat like crap anyone below him.


We know them as "The Ocho."

Anonymous said...

By a judge, damnit.

Rage

Anonymous said...

LOL, Anon 9:20am! I don't know what will run me out faster... Lykos being re-elected, or one of the Ocho becoming my chief!

Anonymous said...

1:49-

I hear you. If we can ever have a Repub Primary, I''m walking my neighborhood and encouraging everyone else to do the same!

Anonymous said...

Four years ago the Democratic party pointed out that the Republican county attorney, district attorney, sheriff, and county commissioner were either under indictment, hoping not to be indicted, or just plain crooked. At the end of the powerful 30-second spot they asked, "Had ehough?"

Anonymous said...

Anon 10:55. You hit the nail on the head. I have been to many Republican events where candidates are concerned that this election will be closer than everyone thought and they do NOT want to run with Lykos just as others did not want to run with Rosenthal four years ago.

Episode Seven: The Voters Awaken - A One Act -Sci-Fi Play

SCENE:  The Death Star orbits over Downtown Houston. [INTERIOR] The Imperial Council Chambers. EMPRESS OGG sits at the head of a long table ...