Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Q&A with David Benzion

I have to admit that last week I was a little shocked when recent-Lykos hire David Benzion showed up out of the blue at David Hilburn's fundraiser.  A lot of questions flashed through my mind.

Why are you here when you don't know Hilburn?
Why are you here when you don't know any of the other people here either?
Did you come here because you think Hilburn is a political enemy or are you just tailing Mike Anderson?


And after reading all of David's responses in the comments section that came in through the evening and on into the following work hours day, I realized that perhaps I had not given David the benefit of the doubt.  Perhaps after all this time, we are finally getting some transparency out of the Lykos Administration.  After all, he was there to encourage people to go to the Prosecutor Reunion.  Maybe he was there to answer questions openly and honestly for his new boss.

So, in the spirit of goodwill, I decided to provide him with a forum to explain his side of the story. I wrote some questions here on the blog that he can answer in the comments section like he did on my last post.  I'm glad that he is able to do that, and I look forward to his answers.

So, here are my questions (numbered for easy answering):

1.  What is Lone Star Times and how long did you work there?

2.  How long have you been gone from Lone Star?

3.  When did you realize that you wanted to be a part of a prosecutor's office?

4.  You were hired to write grants.  Please explain what that means to you.

5.  How many grants have you written in your three months with the D.A.'s Office?

6.  What were the grants for?

7.  How did Pat Lykos find out about your grant writing skills and convince you to bring those talents to the D.A.'s Office?

8.  Last Wednesday, you said you were in the neighborhood of Hilburn's party to meet with Tim Fleck and Dr. Richard Murray.  Are these fellow grant writers such as yourself?  Was this part of your job?  If so, do your time sheets reflect you going to meet with these guys?

9.  Did you support Pat Lykos in the 2008 election?  If not, do you support her now?  And if so, why the change?

10.  How many political functions have you attended on behalf of or in support of Pat Lykos since being hired by the District Attorney's Office at taxpayer expense?

Once again, thanks for having the open line of communication with us here on the blog last week, David.  I'm sorry that I misunderstood your intent and I look forward to hearing your answers to the above questions.

Cheers!
Murray

66 comments:

Kevin Whited said...

** Last Wednesday, you said you were in the neighborhood of Hilburn's party to meet with Tim Fleck and Dr. Richard Murray. Are these fellow grant-writers such as yourself? **

One presumes this is what some of us refer to as Houston Journo-List, the once secretive gathering of mostly lefty politico types (Murray, Fleck, friends) and journalists that gathers every Wednesday under the rubric "Roundtable." Participants are supposed to keep it private -- we wouldn't want the audiences of said journos actually to know how some of their news narratives are constructed after all -- but many of the participants have gotten very loose with the details on twitter and elsewhere (like here: http://bit.ly/xeVIjJ).

I'm kinda happy about that. It's about time Houston Journo-List got a little exposure after all these years.

Anonymous said...

Come on Mr. David please answer the questions? We are all waiting for your reply.

Anonymous said...

11. What is your salary?

12. Do you get free parking?

Anonymous said...

Holding breath...turning purple...

Anonymous said...

13. Can someone please explain why Lykos gets reimbursements from County like a kid gets an allowance?

http://www.hctx.net/Auditor/vps.aspx

Seriously, wtf?

Anonymous said...

Of the grant applications written, have any been successful?

So we get an idea of the scope of the problem, how many grants have the DA's office applied for in the previous 18 months, and how many were they awarded?

Anonymous said...

Do you subscribe to Women & Guns?

Anonymous said...

So Lykos’ public information guy gets caught snooping on her potential political enemies, and then tries to cover it up with nonsense about only being on the way to a “meeting” with Richard Murray and Tim Fleck.
Such episodes are all the more reason to evict Lykos from office. We all know she doesn’t have diddly in the way of a prosecutor’s background. So let’s look at how she has applied her supposed administrative “abilities” in what should be the simple task of selecting a public information officer (or communications director, if that is the current handle). Layoffs and buyouts at the Chronicle and elsewhere in the area media have provided scores of qualified, capable and credible veteran journalists who are skilled in media communications.
Most other countywide politicians, from the County Judge to most commissioners, the Sheriff and even department heads (even the toll road authority!) have had the common sense to tap into this ready market of real journalists.
And what does Lykos do, even as she’s accusing her critics of “politics”? She goes out and, under the guise of getting a grant writer, hauls in a political hack of the worst kind. As the spying charade and lame cover-up attempt show, this one is well grounded in the distortion that comes from past in the mud pits of “opposition research” and political propaganda mills like KSEV and Lone Star Times.
In the least, he ought to man up that he was really headed to a bar for a session of drinking and smoozing with assorted political insiders and hacks. And it would still sidestep the far more serious issue: why Lykos is so desperate that she has to add cheap political operatives to the public payroll, and shortchange the Office's credibility and criminal justice mission in the process.

Anonymous said...

Looks like Benzion has been re-educated by the Gang about their policy prohibiting DAO employees from having opinions.

Anonymous said...

Murray, these questions and most of the ones suggested by readers are a major shift from griping to taking action to get answers to address the issues we all know exist.

Day 27 said...

"We are eager to show the public all the evidence in this case." - Patricia R. Lykos (2/1/12)

"The Harris County District Attorney’s Office has long been eager to share what we know with the public. Now that the grand jury’s proceedings have ended, we will be responding—vigorously.

In the days to come, our website—HarrisCountyDA.com—will feature a new section devoted to setting the record straight." (source: www.harriscountyda.com).


Dear Ms. Lykos:

Greeting & salutations. Oh my, what a few days it has been. We are taking it on the chin out here. We need help. Please, in the name of all that is good, release the evidence. Throw us a bone.

Okay - good chat. See you at your boondoogle tonight. Try pantyhose - they are back in style.

Sincerely,

- the public

RickG said...

"suggested by readers"

I think you meant "reader."

Anonymous said...

Does anyone have a clue about what is going on with the Ranger investigation?

Anonymous said...

How about an answer to this: why does the da's office need two pr people? How many media calls are responded to on an average day. Given that there is really only one major newspaper, six tv news shows, and a handful of news radio stations it cannot be much. Given that pat lykos likes to brand herself as a fiscal conservative, how does she justify two communications staff. Would money be better spent on one less person and one more prosecutor? Why is it that for tears divisions filled out their own grants without the need for a full time grant writer. For instance, FCLD filled out their own grant without "expert" help to get new computers. Why now do we need a pr/political/self proclaimed ball busting' consultant to do this?

Mark W. Stephens said...

To Anonymouse February 28, 2012 2:05 PM

Not really. IF Lykos and the gang start answering these questions...THAT would be a "major shift"...

Anonymous said...

It's lonely when you get exiled to intake...

Anonymous said...

To Mark Stephens: I agree but specific questions have to be on the table and straight answers demanded first.

Anonymous said...

Still curious about the wire. Gary Johnson ought to write a book about his times with the DAs office.

Anonymous said...

How utterly absurd it is that each and every baby-prosecutor who now has had an opportunity to try his/her first trial has attained greater experience than the elected district attorney. That is what the voting public must learn and evaluate.

Anonymous said...

How utterly absurd it is that each and every baby-prosecutor who now has had an opportunity to try his/her first trial has attained greater experience than the elected district attorney. That is what the voting public must learn and evaluate.

Anonymous said...

How utterly absurd it is that each and every baby-prosecutor who now has had an opportunity to try his/her first trial has attained greater experience than the elected district attorney. That is what the voting public must learn and evaluate.

Anonymous said...

This is off topic but I know you guys are huge fans of the Divert program so I was wondering what the general feeling is for the new Sobering Center plans HPD has in conjunction with the Star of Hope?

Anonymous said...

4:26-

How utterly absurd that Lykos ever got elected in the first place. It was the perfect storm...

But the storm clouds are starting to clear!

Vote her out on May 29th!!

Anonymous said...

I hear that the Rangers questioned the driver of the car, Harvey, who was driving the photographer, Leon,and that he said that he was taking the 5th. Is that true or does anyone really know? Either way those two guys need to face the GJ about their actions.

Anonymous said...

With the addition of Lykos' latest political consultant to her staff, that is, excuse us, grant writer, and since that individual obviously is currently composing a reply to the Harris County Lawyer's recent questions, it was thought that it would be a helpful contribution to this blog to bring this person up to speed with a suggested "campaign letter" for his new boss; so here goes:
"Soliciting your vote for re-election to the office of Harris County District Attorney it was felt appropriate to summarize the efforts to remove the veil of the "culture of corruption" of the former administrations and to bring the needed transparency to the office. Rather than personally set out those efforts, however, set forth below are what others, in the public sector and also the office, have observed and attributed to me, namely that I have:
1. encouraged a toxic work place atmosphere;
2. sought to increase the attrition of experienced prosecutors, and particularly those from prior administrations;
3. failed to individually prosecute a single prosecution in over three years;
4. sought to preclude selected prosecutors from aspiring to elective offices;
5. publicly demeaned and humiliated prosecutors in the media;
6. failed to discipline employees who have engaged in improper and possibly unlawful conduct;
7. hired and/or transferred unqualified individuals to high paying positions;
8. violated the oath of office to preserve, protect, and defend the laws of the State of Texas by implementing the DIVERT program for DWI offenders and by the manner in which the possession of small quantities of drugs would be addressed;
9. renamed or created divisions within the office primarily for public relations purposes;
10.usurped the statutory responsibility/authority of the County Attorney;
11. hired several media people for public relations purposes and placed them in high salaried positions;
12. in "Clintonesque" fashion created a new meaning for the term/word "investigate";
13. failed to cooperate with and impeded a lawful grand jury investigation;
14. hired an individual on county salary whose resume/curriculum vitae is that primarily of a political consultant;
15. retained an employee who invoked the Fifth Amendment during a grand jury proceeding;
16. misrepresented facts regarding the actions of the office both to the news media and the public regarding the investigation of grand jurors;
17. discharged employees solely for political reasons;
18. interfered with a county contractual relationship with a long time vendor;
19. satisfied a narcissistic appetite by retaining a personal driver and enlarging and substantially redecorating a personal office;
20. spent a significant portion of work hours smoking cigarettes in the "smoking pen."
From the above it can no longer be asserted that the Harris County District Attorney's Offfice is not transparent since the above is apparently known to many.
(A personal note to political consultant -Since the Harris County Lawyer has not provided a "spell check" to compensate for the numerous typing errors and the inability to "proof check" it is assumed that the appropriate corrections will be made before this letter is sent out - there is no desire to embarrass the candidate nor in any wise diminish her accomplishments).
Calvin A. Hartmann

Anonymous said...

News from the Bunker

In addition to Benzion, there have been at least two hires, one of whom is former Criminal Law Hearing Officer, Carol Carrier. She is also an ordained minister. Who is Lykos trying to impress with that one? The other hire is Wonderland Hudson. You would not know of these hires because the flow charts have not been coming out.

Word is that at least 2 people wore wires into grand jury. Since this is not a crime, six is not worried about it coming out. The Rangers investigate crimes, not ethical violations.

232nd grand jury is winding down. Looks like no action there. Hobbs and crew remain camped out during each of their sessions.

Benzion was spoken to about his blogging under his real name during working hours. It will not happen again. Looks like he is being paid from one of the forfeiture funds.

People are still wondering how Bridgwater was able to pay for his grand jury lawyers out of campaign funds. Seems tht Mendoza is too nice to file a complaint. Lucky for Roger.

There is a new rule for cases where police officers are victims. Only chiefs can rec those cases. No one knows the logic behind that one.

While it is true that the FBI is not investigating, we hear they are awaiting the outcome of the ongoing rangers investigation and may reconsider.

Lykos is not happy about the support she is getting from within and outside the office. Seems that her champion Woodfill is suing, in civil court trying to get specific performance to make someone buy his house after the sale fell through. He is represented by Talton in that case. Also Jared has yet to pay his property taxes for 2011 on that same house. Looks like his hard times continue first Pressler bails on him and now he cannot sell his house or seem to pay the property taxes and he has a primary opponent.

Anonymous said...

Attention Leadership Team!

1. Do you wake up every morning wondering which unethical act will be uncovered next?
2. When you walk into the building, do you feel the knives positioning in your back?
3. During the Tuesday morning meetings have you ever notice how many despise being in thee same room with you?
4. During your Leadership Team meetings, ever wonder which person is going to turn evidence over to the media, law enforcement first?
5. Ever think about which hole you will be peeking out of a year from now?

Anonymous said...

The reason 2 Public Relations employees are needed is really quite simple: Mrs. Lykos speaks out of both sides of her mouth; and many times with forked tongue.

Anonymous said...

7:40 p.m.-

The folks you mention were a couple of henchmen-spies Lykos brought over from the County Attorneys Office. Besides being incompetent(which is apparently a criteria) they'd do anything she tells them to. Don't trust them any farther than they can be thrown.

Anonymous said...

Saw the Chron article today about the Lifetime movie involving Kelly Siegler. There was a separate article detailing many of Siegler's high pub cases and how they had been chronicled. The article failed to mention the upcoming sci- fi horror bio pic about Lykos," The Troll Wore Sensible Shoes."

Anonymous said...

Hey Bunker-Boy:

"People are still wondering how Bridgwater was able to pay for his grand jury lawyers out of campaign funds. Seems tht Mendoza is too nice to file a complaint. Lucky for Roger."

Now that is some funny shit!
I guess you being a big bad prosecutor you understand the concept of precedent. You seem to forget your old buddy the Chuckster used his campaign funds to compensate his legal defense team so why the outrage now pumpkin?
Are you suggesting the "Rule of Law" applies to all parties equally unless of course a prosecutor wants to change it on a whim:) Whether it's Lykos, Anderson or a disgruntled ADA justice must be more important than winning. The law is the law and the end does not justify the means just because you want it to or it's easier.

Anonymous said...

Anon 7:45

I don't want to "pick on you" but those are the kinds of comments that makes people discount what we say.

How can we expect anyone to take us seriously if we make fun of people like that.

It says something about US to others. It says that we sound childish.

It doesn't MEAN we ARE childish - but how will the public know that?

Anonymous said...

Hey David Benzion,recent Harris County D.A. POLITICAL SPIN DOCTOR "public servant" hiree. They lackey who's job is to sit in a small closet and monotor comments made on this blog.

David, really now! Don't you know the first thing you gave up once getting hired there, with money that should have gone to a real worker bee like a prosecutor,
were your 1st amendment rights to freedom of speech and press?

So, it is in this vein, with the rubber ball firmly strapped in your mouth, as you sit butt-naked on the floor next to Ms. De Ville to pet or slap as she pleases - that a song is dedicated just to you.

I mean, like you told Murray while playing I Spy: "you're the kind of guy who appreciates a minute of good-natured ball busting"...Right?

PARADISO GIRLS - WHO'S MY BITCH:

Heard it from (a Blog) you was out last night;

Tried to get your hands on (any muck) in sight;

Talkin' 'bout your stuff (on the Blog in sight);

And all the (good people you tried to spy, tag, and tap on who see right through yo crap);

Now why'd you have to go and do a thing like that?

You think you're such a big man, You think that you're the first one to see my (wrath)and to to feel my (slap)?

Now boy (Benzion) you can kiss my ASS!;

(Now listen little boy, and listen real good);

(You are my bitch; You are my hoe, I got you all tied up sittn right here on the flo!)

(If you don't follow my rules then remember this): I've got all yo spin friends all knocking at my door from which I can take my pick!);

I even heard yo momma wanted some of this - So if you think you're the shit (I'm gonna slap you like my Bitch);

(You better check yo self cause now and remember this: Don't come workin for me here less you know YOU ARE MY BITCH! Now sit!

Anonymous said...

Anon 8:17 I guess you are suggesting if someone robs a bank it is a precedent and it is now ok for others to rob a bank?

Big bad prosecutor

Anonymous said...

So lycos and who else wore the wire b4 the GJ? That makes me want to puke it is so sleazy. I think everyone should secretly record lycos and crew every time they speak. What a bunch of POS. Of course lycos has never been worried about ethics. Have to say Bridgwater and lietner have sunken very low if they are ok with this behavior.

BIG JOLLY 2 FACED ? said...

WILL THE REAL BIG JOLLY PLEASE STAND UP !


I was doing a cursory internet search and I found these old articles by David Jennings (aka Big Jolly):




This one it is about "Gutter Politics." Pat Lykos is featured.









http://davidjennings.us/dj-says/politics/242-gutter-politics.html




And - this one is about "Lyin' Patty Lykos" (Big Jolly's words, not mine):




http://davidjennings.us/dj-says/politics.html?start=27

anon 8:17 said...

Dear Big Bad Prosecutor,

Are you implying that fellow Big Bad Prosecutor the Chuckster engaged in felonious conduct by using campaign dollars to fund his legal defense?
I hope it is situational anger and frustration not ineptitude that led to your odd analogy.

anon 8:17

Anonymous said...

11:10 a.m.

JL and RB have already sitting beside the Titanic on the ocean floor for the past two years. They can't possibly sink much more. They are not the same two people we thought they were. Unfortunately, they sold their integrity to PL for a few pieces of silver.

Since she never had any herself, she has no need of theirs either.

Anonymous said...

anon 8:17
Here's the reason Rosenthal could use his political campaign dollars to pay his legal counsel: the need for legal counsel was a direct result of what happened WHILE HE WAS IN OFFICE. Bridgewater using judicial campaign dollars raised to run for office to defend against activity that happened while he was an ADA is a the problem....

Anonymous said...

Anon 8:17 I was actually following your reasoning which seems to be; you should not get upset at bad conduct because someone else previously had engaged in bad conduct.

Of course I find your comment amusing since From the Bunker never mentioned if Bunker was upset at others for engaging the same misconduct. But it is important to Lykos that she run against Rosenthal because she can't run on her record. We have all noticed the Rosenthal is no longer the DA. Perhaps you should too.

Anonymous said...

2:18

Granted Rosenthal behaved badly but his conduct pales compared to Lykos.

The real problem is we haven't had an functioning elected D.A. since Rosenthal. What we have now is an elected Politition masquerading as a prosecuting attorney.

The last competent District Attorney (appointed) was Ken Magidson. He did a magnificent job and served with complete integrity. He offered some advice to Lykos and she essentially flipped him the bird.

Anonymous said...

We've gotten a bit off track from the original post. I am curious when Mr. Benzion might respond to these questions. All of them are legitimate questions. I very much enjoyed his open response a week ago and I look forward to reading his transparent responses.

Thank you, Mr. Benzion.

Anon 8:17 said...

Dear Anon 2:07,

The permissible use of campaign funds for a candidate's legal issues are much broader than you have stated. RB is well within the scope of campaign finance rules to use his campaign account in the manner in which he did.

Dear Anon 2:18,

1. Bunker Boy failed to reference similar bad conduct by others as he singled out his pet grievances and that was my point.
2. Lykos successfully ran against the Chuckster in '08 and your boy Mike Anderson not me is resurrecting that SOB for Lykos to run against in '12.

Mike Anderson is not the guy. The only hope you guys have is a big democrat turnout.

Anonymous said...

Anon 2:44,

Why do you think Pat Lykos was elected in 2008 if she was so bad?

Anonymous said...

Getting dizzy...losing consciousness...come on, Dave!

Anonymous said...

"Granted Rosenthal behaved badly but his conduct pales compared to Lykos"

If true explain why the Texas AG's office was in the process of removing Rosenthal from office unless he resigned?
Lykos is the subject of a witch hunt and she will beat Anderson as she beat Seigler.

Anonymous said...

3:46-

Lykos got elected because her Democratic opponent, Clarence "C.O." Bradford, who had retired from the Houston Police Department, had many controversial issues surrounding him as the Chief of Police.

It was essentially, a "pick your poison" decision for the voters. At the time, Lykos seems less offensive. Not so sure about that today.

PS: The one thing she and Bradford still have in common is that neither has ever prosecuted a criminal case.

Anonymous said...

New intel today from the formerly Woodfil & Pressler firm .... Jared Woodful told his staff he is shuting down the law firm...and since they will ALL be elected to a judicial bench or another elected position, it's ok to shut the firm down now. He also generously offered if they need work ... is this guy an idiot or what? If they need work now .... what 40-50 year old married guy, couple of rug rats, mortgage, maybe law school loans, maybe braces, insurance, groceries, gasoline .....if they need money now, he will pay them an hourly wage IF HE GETS SOME WORK .... and they can just tide themselves over til January of 2013 when they all become judges.

And this man is suppose to be a leader of others?

Mark W. Stephens said...

Breaking News - 13 is reporting that the Special Prosecutors have asked Judge Brown to drop the Contempt charges against 4 prosecutors...

Anonymous said...

Anon 8:17 you are incorrect if you are saying that Bridgwater (or any candidate) can use campaign funds from his candidate account to pay for legal fees that do not directly relate to the candidacy. The Texas Rules of Ethics (specifically Rule 22.17) make this very clear. If the funds are used improperly the candidate subjects himself to civil penalty. If the candidate swears on the form, not only that the funds were used as stated, but also not used for non-campaign expenses and lies about it, then the candidate is subject to a perjury charge. Old timers remember a former judge who lied on his finance report about such things and got indicted for perjury. Of course everyone with that type of institutional knowledge is long gone.

David Jennings said...

Hello, I'm here and I'm standing up! I wrote way more than that! Keep up already! Sheesh.

Anonymous said...

Hey Jim, would you tell David Benzion we are waiting for answers.

Thank you

Anonymous said...

So Anon 8::32 you scold 7:45 for the "Devil Wears SAS" comment and you let 9:16 slide for his rantings. Talk about hurting credibility.

Mark W. Stephens said...

To David Jennings -

Okay. Now sit back down. You're inconsequential :)

Anonymous said...

Sooooo...in 2008, David Jennings called our DA "Lyin Patty Lykos."

http://davidjennings.us/dj-says/politics.html?start=27

And - he said she was the type of person who used "gutter politics."

http://davidjennings.us/dj-says/politics/242-gutter-politics.html\

NOW:

He says she is "mean." But seems to imply that she needs to be so in order to compete in a "man's world."

http://blog.chron.com/bigjolly/2012/02/clear-lake-area-republicans-host-candidate-forums-thursday/

So, which is it? Why the change of opinion?

David Jennings said...

Um, anonowuss 9:03, it's called reading, watching, listening and most of all, learning. You should try it sometime. Might save you from worrying about black helicopters swooping down and taking your picture! But I was fond of that "Lyin Patty" moniker - used it a lot. Too bad I was a bit overzealous in my support of Kelly S. I might have seen the truth earlier, the truth being that while I would still vote for Kelly if I had to do it over again, Lykos isn't what I thought she was and has done a pretty good job in her 3 years of service - sometimes, the voters really do know best! But hey, better late than never, right?

BTW, I'll be there tomorrow night, how many anonowusses will? Hmm? Yeah, I didn't think so. Keyboard cables aren't long enough.

Murray Newman said...

David,

I still find it stunning that you mock people for believing Lykos is out to get them when there are so many documented cases of her vindictiveness towards her own employees. Yet, you are the same person screaming "conspiracy" at the top of your lungs to downplay any wrongdoing by Lykos.

Don't expect there to be a turnout at the function tomorrow night from any Assistant D.A.'s that weren't personal hires by her. The rank and file hate her too much to show up on her behalf and they fear her too much to show up on anyone else's.

Anonymous said...

If Romney's the nominee local Dems believe they can win. Why? they don't think local Repubs will turn out. In fact they think local Repub turn out will be down by 2 per cent over a popular Repub nominee.
I ,of course, think they're smoking crack as usual.
Lykos winning had more to do with the perception of the public of Dems and law enforcement. Bradford had great name ID and benefitted from an historical turnout in '08from the local African American community and he didn't win. Good luck but independent voters do not associate good law enforcement with Dems.
Garcia? Oh yea. Real stupid local Repubs. You run boss hog against Garcia. Yes that's right you ran someone with absolutely no business running so of course you lost that race.
And that's the point I'm trying to make. As mean and astute as local Repubs are why in the world didn't they run a strong candidate against Garcia this time? Why ? you could have beaten him.
Bernstein his political spin meister is not stupid. He gets it. He's done his intel work on Garcia's opponents. You guys just "ceeded" that spot and said ya'll can have it. Really dumb. The Dems are betting on Garcia to save them county wide now and in the future. They held a huge dinner for him after he won in '08and pointed out that he's the biggest vote getter in Harris county history. He'd be easy to attack but not with the turkeys you guys fielded.
Back to PL. Good luck. She can spin what's going on right now. I have noticed something though. Right now she'd lose in the Repub primary. She's got problems.
She remains loyal to some people she shouldn't be loyal to and that told me she wasn't as machavellian as I thought she'd be, ie Palmer. She kept someone she should have fired. She did banish her to a position where she doesn't have to come in contact with the public. Strike that, why in world would she fire someone with a nutty husband who has nothing to do except undermine a campaign. Better to have that person help me than another enemy.
I like this campaign. I want to see the Repubs locally just turn up the heat beginning in late August. No the campaign doesn't begin after Sept 1. I want to see them get people mad. Right now I'm not seeing it.
Oh yea, some folks believe another one of PL's weaknesses is the fact that you're being led by somone, Woodfill, who the ground troops don't like and he loves PL.

Anonymous said...

Mr. Jennings,
We have lived, watched, and learned that Mrs. Lykos is far worse that we feared. And she lies a lot more now than she used to.

I don't know if you're smokin' crack or if you've just gone off the deep end. If, after interviewing John Holmes, you still can see how bad she is there's just no hope for you.

Chris said...

Off topic, but saw this and thought of y'all. From Anu Garg's Word-a-day e-mail:

Etymology of Lyceum
From Latin lyceum, from Greek Lykeion, an epithet of Apollo meaning wolf-slayer, from lykos (wolf) which also gave us words such as lupine (like a wolf) and lycanthropy (the delusion of being a wolf). In ancient Greece lyceum was a gymnasium so named because it was near a temple of Apollo. Aristotle established his school here. Earliest documented use: 1579.

Anonymous said...

Anon 4:37,

I was referring to the Republican primary of '08. As I recall there was another candidate who actually prosecuted a few cases fairly well?

Anon 3:46

Anonymous said...

P.C.D.A.
Friday, 27 March 2009 07:51 | Written by David Jennings | Hey, everyone likes acronyms these days so I thought I'd make up a new one for Lyin' Patty Lykos. Mrs. Lykos is making news again, this time as a Politically Correct District Attorney.

Saying they were negligent and incompetent when they struck seven blacks from the jury pool in a recent murder trial, Harris County District Attorney Pat Lykos castigated two of her prosecutors Thursday, docking their pay and removing them from trial work.

“I assume full responsibility for the incompetence of these two prosecutors,” Lykos said. “There is not invidious racism involved here, but negligence or incompetence, if you will. If I thought for a moment that there were racial motives, they would have been fired.”
Nice. Rather than explain what the issue is, I'll leave it to you to read the full article or you can hop over to LHCCJC where Murray Newman explains it in detail. What I'm concerned about is this: is there racism or not and, if so, who exactly is the racist here?

First, read Mrs. Lykos' words very carefully. She seems to be saying that there was no racism involved but that really isn't what she said. What she said is that there is no "invidious racism". What does that mean?

1.calculated to create ill will or resentment or give offense; hateful: invidious remarks.
2.offensively or unfairly discriminating; injurious: invidious comparisons.
3.causing or tending to cause animosity, resentment, or envy: an invidious honor.
So basically what she is saying is that the two prosecutors were incompetent because they didn't recognize the systemic racism inherent in the jury selection process. Because of this, a black defendent was left with a jury that did not include a black, about which Mrs. Lykos says this:

“That indicates negligence,” Lykos added.
Wow. Just wow. Prosecutors are now negligent if they do not insure that a jury contains members of the same race as the defendent.

Who's the racist?

Does Mrs. Lykos think that American citizens cannot determine the innocence or guilt of someone if they do not share the same skin pigmentation?

One more thing on Mrs. Lykos' apparent quest for 'diversity'. She demotes two proven prosecutors because of, in her mind, negligence in not creating a 'diverse' jury. What should she do to herself for not creating a diverse staff?

But as Lykos was building her Gang that Couldn't Shoot Straight, there was about as much diversity as a Mississippi Country Club in the 1960s. With the exception of former-Judge Hannah Chow (who is Asian-American) becoming the Public Services and Infrastructure Bureau Chief, every last person that Pat Lykos has brought into the Office on lateral hires has been of the Caucasian Persuasion.

Anonymous said...

Anon 10:37am

That lady is definately not a racist. Murrey, I cant belive you allowed that comment!

Anonymous said...

THAT is a copying and pasting of one of Mr. Big Jolly's aka David Jennings' post about Pat Lykos:

http://davidjennings.us/dj-says/politics.html?start=27

So, the previous posters pointed out these 2 articles in which Big Jolly David Jennings is very pointedly calling Pat Lykos a liar and someone who uses "gutter politics."

NOW, he apparently thinks she is just great.

Everyone is entitled to his or her opinion. And - bloggers - unlike real journalists (at least theoretically real journalists) don't have to check facts or strive to give a balanced view.

That's why you can have some, such as Big Jolly David Jennings, stating in plain language that Pat Lykos is a liar and engages in gutter politics in 2008. And NOW, in 2012, she is just peachy.

He even has an "article" over at the Chronicle right now about how great she is.

Two thoughts of Big Jolly David Jennings about-face:

1) Either he forms his
opinions quickly and without REALLY thinking about all the issues. (hence - she's a lying, gutter politician in 2008 and a tough ole' gal just tryin' to compete in a man's world in 2012)

OR

2) He isn't a good judge of character (explained by the WIDE range of opinions bw 2008 and 2012). In which case, no one should pay attention to him.

OR

3) He has SOME OTHER REASON.

Who knows - the point is that I don't want to put stock in someone who can't make up their mind like that.

P.S. Big Jolly David Jennings - not nice to call people names who ask you why the change of opinion. It is a fair question.

Anonymous said...

anon @4:23 said he or she is still wondering about the wire .... I wonder how many other illegal wires were done? I wouldn't put it past the current administration to do anything illegal.

Anonymous said...

Well Damn! It's begging to look like David Benzion is not going to answer any of the questions that have been posed to him. Is there some remote possibility that Lykos has put her muzzle on him.

Maybe Leitner can give him lessons is learning how to heel...

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 ...