If you are, like me, a career Republican voter, you are no doubt "enjoying" finding your mailbox so stuffed with political mailers these days that you need a crowbar to get them out. Pat Lykos and her cohorts are definitely doing all they can to generate enough negative mailers to deflect attention from her terrible tenure (and possibly break the back of your mailman in the process).
Lykos' accusations against Judge Mike Anderson run from the benign to the out-right false and reek of a candidate who is desperate to shift focus away from her phenomenally bad tenure as District Attorney.
If you want an idea of just how petty Lykos' attacks are, my personal favorite is that she takes issue with Judge Anderson's use of his old courtroom to shoot a commercial for his campaign. She feels that he owes the county some money for borrowing an empty courtroom for an afternoon.
Um, okay. This is coming from the woman whose first act as Elected D.A. was to use taxpayer money to install hardwood floors in her office. She quickly followed that up by paying taxpayer dollars to hire a public speaker to lecture the Assistant D.A.'s that their primary goal as prosecutors was to make Lykos look good. She's treated herself and her leadership team to the best Continuing Legal Education (CLE) seminars that the State of Texas has to offer, and she also treated herself to a nice CLE in freaking Hawaii. I just got back from honeymooning in Hawaii and it sure would have been nice if the taxpayers would have sent me and my bride like they sent Lykos.
And don't get me started on her using her employees to investigate her "political enemies," also known as Grand Jurors.
The hypocrisy of her criticizing Anderson for spending an hour or two in an open-to-the-public courtroom is astounding. By the way, I wonder if she ran her attack on Anderson by Lykos "Leadership" Team member Roger Bridgwater, who did the exact same thing during the 2008 election.
But Lykos' petty attack on Judge Anderson isn't limited to the silly courtroom-use attack. She and her new attack dog, Dave "Big Jolly" Jennings (who seems to be taking charisma lessons from his friend and resident psychopath Don Hooper lately), sent out a laundry list of misleading statements about Judge Anderson designed to confuse the voters. Big Jolly has taken his vast knowledge of the law that he has gained working, um, not in law, to tell me how wrong I am in analyzing legal issues lately.
Here are some of the entertaining misleading and dishonest facts that Big Jolly and Hooper have been trying to sell on the internet and through mailers:
1. Mike Anderson gives probation to illegal criminal aliens as both a prosecutor and a judge.
WHY IT IS MISLEADING: Lykos and Big Jolly's assertion is passing the buck from the District Attorney's Office to the Courtroom. She cites two cases coming from the 262nd District Court when Judge Anderson was on the bench, where the Defendant got probation. There is absolutely NO mention of anything from his prosecutorial days.
The Assistant District Attorney has a duty to inform the Judge whether or not the Defendant is an illegal alien, and there is no indication of what Judge Anderson did or did not know. Also keep in mind the fact that with Judge Anderson's twelve years on the bench, the Lykos campaign can only produce two cases to accuse him of. Additionally, where is the proof that those two defendants were here illegally?
2. Judge Anderson failed to get a case indicted on time and the defendant and the defendant made bond.
WHY IT IS MISLEADING: The Defendant may have had a brief moment of freedom, but ultimately, prosecutor Mike Anderson got her a Life sentence. Ironically, the defense attorney on the case seems to have been none other than Lykos' 1st Assistant, Jim Leitner.
3. Mike Anderson isn't Pro-Life, because he gave a judicial bypass on someone seeking an abortion.
WHY IT IS MISLEADING: This one is misleading for a lot of reasons. Number One, Lykos and Big Jolly make the assumption that Anderson granted a bypass. Whether he did or not would be sealed under the law. In the event that he did grant a judicial bypass, as a judge he swore an oath to follow the law. Remember when frequent Republican target Judge Kevin Fine ruled the Texas Death Penalty statute was un-Constitutional? Well, the argument was that he wasn't following the law. Ultimately he was forced to. Judges swear an oath to follow the law whether they agree with it or not. You've seen very recent history of what happens when a judge elects not to do so.
SIDE NOTE: Anderson has repeatedly stressed his Pro-Life beliefs even though they have absolutely nothing to do with the job of being District Attorney. Lykos is attempting to create an issue where there isn't one.
SECOND SIDE NOTE: It would be worth doing some digging to see if Visiting Judge Lykos ever granted one, herself. Some judges are known to ask for a substitute (visiting) judge on days where an unpopular decision is going to be forced to be rendered. Did any of those ever cross Lykos' desk when she was visiting?
4.Mike Anderson gave probation to a home invader.
WHY IT IS WRONG/MISLEADING: The Lykos mailer cites to Cause No. 1269890 which comes back to a drug case, where the Defendant got a probation. I'm not sure what she was talking about here, but the facts have never really been her strong suit.
5. Prosecutor Mike Anderson had the highest backlog in the courthouse.
WHY IT IS MISLEADING: Anderson was sent into high docket courts to get the numbers down. Every assignment has a Day One where the high docket is in existence. This bizarre stat twisting is just pathetic. Those courts where Anderson went got their dockets under control thanks to his supervision.
6. Mike Anderson shoved a complainant in a criminal case to the floor in court.
WHY IT IS MISLEADING: It must be lovely for Pat Lykos to have the ability to have access to all of the prior ADA personnel files at her disposal as part of her job. It is a shame that she doesn't have the intellectual honesty to share the full story that comes within that personnel file. The truth of the matter is that an agitated complainant during docket call became angry and tackled then prosecutor Mike Anderson and he defended himself. That complainant himself was arrested.
Do you really think for one second that District Attorney Johnny Holmes would not have fired a prosecutor who was physically attacking complainants on criminal cases? Seriously?
Next up on the blog will be some interesting stats that have happened under the Lykos Regime. Once you read those, you'll understand why she's been sending out such dishonest mailers and why Big Jolly is the only shill in town foolish enough to buy into them.
31 comments:
Hey Murray, be sure and address the fact that Lykos is covering up the prosecutor-caught-on-tape-having-phone-sex-on-county-line-with-individual-whose-phone-was-tapped-in-ongoing-criminal-investigation. That sure undercuts her getting-rid-of-the -frat-house-mentality-thingie. Right now is the perfect time to misbehave as much as you want in the office -- Lykos is not going to punish anyone for any misdeeds right now and chance it hitting the press.
Your explanations seems to give those reading this Blog that you're really desperate.
Well, like you said, the truth and Lykos have never been close friends. Just like I heard she told people at the King Street debate that she was going to actually try that last death capital case (Officer Irby,I think)until the defense made her an issue because she use to be a police officer. Really? What about all the the others? YOU LIAR! She says stuff and some just bite on it and take off. I expect that from some people but not people like Big Jolly. But he is as bad as any of the blue hairs that think Lykos is their friend (little do they know she insults them behind their back and sometimes to their face and they don't know that either). I've heard him say before that if he is wrong he will admit it. Again, not true. He is flat out wrong about the DWI reduction he posted about recently. It doesn't matter what any criminal lawyer tells him, HE is right. He may be fooling his readers (if he even has that many), but those of us who know the law and how things work know he is just being a fool.
Anon Don 2:10 a.m.,
Hooper, have you ever considered that the reason your behavior is so erratic is that you stay up so late?
Hooper needs to understand the connection between sleep deprivation and mental illness. His erratic behavior reminds me of the song by Matchbox 20:
...All night Hearing voices telling me That I should get some sleep Because tomorrow might be good for something... I'm not crazy, I'm just a little unwell...
"Your explanations seems to give those reading this Blog that you're really desperate."
Not only are you STILL incapable of composing a complete thought, you attack the intelligence of those who can.
Get a pair of balls, Don. Or, did your wife get those in the divorce?
I'm suprised that when Danny Dexter was running against Judge Brown, Pat's cronies didn't send out a mailer accusing Judge Brown of beating a defendant's fist with his nose during a trial. What a bunch of douchebags.
Let me tell you about my day yesterday. Woke up, had coffee outside with the birds singing, then picked up a bundle of push cards and went block walking. Didn't hit every house because not every house votes in a primary. I had a list of traditional primary voters. By 1 pm, I had dropped off literature at 83 traditional primary voters. Not all were home or answered the door, of course, but 47 people did open the door. Of these, I talked to 6 of them at length.
Will all 83 vote? Nope. Will all 47 that opened the door vote? Likely. Will the 6 vote that took the time to talk to me? 100%. And those 6 will vote for my candidates. Many of the 47 will vote for my candidates. Some of the 83 will vote for my candidates.
Once home, I had a couple of hours before church. It is apparent to anyone that bothers to look that Kristin Guiney is in trouble - what should be a slam dunk is going to be close or a loss. So, I wrote a blog post about her race - I know, no one reads BJP, so who cares. Well, it isn't that only 2 or 3 people read it, it is WHO reads it. I wake up this morning and that post is all over Facebook, in various forms. Will it help her? Yeah, as a matter of fact, it will. She also needs money, unlike Mr. Anderson, who has plenty. I'll bet I've given her more than 99.99% of the people that read this blog and I haven't given her much - wish I could give her more.
What did you do yesterday to help your candidates? Attack an obscure blogger that no one reads because he supports a candidate you don't like?
What are you doing today to help your candidates?
How about some specific answers?
What about the mental health programs? I keep hearing the DA's Office has a mental health unit - what are they actually doing? Does anyone know? When Lykos was sworn in in 2009, she said she'd save the county 15 million dollars a year due to her mental health initiatives. Anybody remember that?
What happened to the investigation with the boy who was harassed because he was gay?
They talk about Haverstock being "cleaned-up." How about some numbers? How many arrests before, after - and include the general area.
Please add more to this list - I want real answers.
I currently work for the DA's Office. I used to see my job as an honorable one--we were wearing the white hats, after all, and trying to fix the injustices of violent crime. I thought I'd stay with the office for a few years and then move on to a more lucrative gig. Then I got sucked in by the decency of the people I worked with, the abilty to help victims, and the thrill of taking the bad guys off the streets. I loved trying cases and seeking justice.
After the Rosenthal "incident", I struggled with my coworkers to gain back the public's trust and confidence. It was not an easy path, but we managed to find our way. Then Lykos walked into our doors.
Along with many others, I tried to accept her and her "leadership team" as our new bosses. We knew more about criminal law and prosecution than most of them, but we tried to catch them up to speed. We made an effort to mesh. Then Rifi and Mark were publicly chastised, a friend got called out for doing her job, and we had to explain a PIA plea bargain on a less than a gram case. And we realised that the efforts we made to adjust and get along were not reciprocated. There was no more Holmes' "if you can articulate a good reason for what you do, I will always back you." We were all pawns, being subjected to getting thrown under the bus at any time.
I still love being a prosecutor, but I no longer love my job. I don't wake up in the morning, eager to go to work anymore. I dread it.
Lykos took away more than our reputations, she took away our idealism. She stole our reason for being.
I pray that we get back in office a DA who will support their people and give us back our passion for the job.
Help us. Please.
Dave,
I'm so glad that you asked about my day yesterday. It was a long one.
My boy and I woke up around six thirty and headed Downtown. I moved offices and the movers got there bright and early. Around nine o'clock, I took my son to his soccer game where I was helping be a substitute coach. We came back and finished the move to the new office after soccer and then he and I grabbed lunch together.
After that, we went to Todd Dupont's crawfish boil that my office helped sponsor and we talked to everyone there about making sure that they had voted and that they were going to make sure their family voted.
When I got home, I was wiped out. I would have liked to have taken a nap, but I was too busy having to respond to the B.S. misrepresentations your blog and Lykos' mail outs have created. There is something about the intellectual dishonesty in them that I just can't leave them ignored.
I then talked to my wife for about an hour and went to bed.
This morning, I got up and did a Crazy Check on my blog commenters. Sure enough, Hooper had chimed in as usual. He's a pretty easy one to figure out. If you say his name anywhere, he has to go ballistic on his own blog. He usually writes something he feels is witty and then he remembers something else he wanted to say. So, once Hooper posts one comment on his blog, he'll post like three in a row. It is like clockwork.
Then, I had breakfast with my son, ran to Target and Staples and came back up to my new office for unpacking duty. I'm getting my information together for my post on the dramatic rise in crime under Lykos' tenure that I hope to publish today or tomorrow. My kid's soccer wrap up party will be this afternoon, and I'll be talking to the other parents about making sure that they vote and they vote for the best candidates.
I appreciate your post on Guiney. I'm glad that we see eye-to-eye on that race. She's a fantastic candidate and I know she appreciates your support. I am also proud to say that I've donated to her campaign -- and Joe Vinas' -- and Brad Hart.
Guiney and Vinas have tough races and they are both the most qualified. I hope everyone will get out and vote for them.
And we are the ones accused of creating a frat house environment??? Hey boss, did you forget about the following:
While being grilled by journalists about a program for DWI suspects in 2009, Harris County's district attorney cracked, "I wish I had a Jack and Coke right now."
(source: http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Prosecutor-Lykos-forced-to-play-defense-in-3500568.php)
Also, check out what Troy McKiney had to say about DIVERT when it first came out. He is an expert in this area of the law:
http://www.chron.com/default/article/DA-s-DWI-diversion-program-riddled-with-flaws-1737226.php#page-1
Lykos needs to go.
So, there's all this talk from Don "Hooked on Phonics" Hooper about Mike Anderson's incompetence as a Judge. Why hasn't anyone mentioned Patty's incompetence as a Judge? There was that "yarmulke" incident. And then the cases reversed on appeal. And the extraordinarily high turnover among DC and ADA staff in her court...
I spent yesterday on cell and emailing all old friends, college buds and their wives, church friends, parents of kids I have coached over the years. I figured one contact would suffice. After reading Jennings post I felt it my duty to inform my circle on his ignorance and biased views of his troll favoritism.
Ahhhh Christmas in May.....
Mr. BJ, yesterday I was up at 5:00 am to drive to a location 37 miles from my house to work a poll from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm. I met people and talked with them. Many said they already knew about Lykos and were going to vote for Mike Anderson. When one told me he had known Lykos for thirty years, I told him I have known her for 35 years and worked for her for awhile so I was working hard for Mike Anderson. He walked over, talked to me and left going to vote for Mike Anderson. I had told him I have known Mike Anderson for 30 years, explained Mike's experience and that I know he will be a great District Attorney. This was my fourth day working a poll from the time it opened until it closed. I will be working next week from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm. I can not tell you how important it is that Lykos be replaced and unlike you I have personal knowledge of her and her team.
The day before, I donated another $500.00 to Mike Anderson after hearing more of her lies about those who left when she became DA. I have donated a couple thousand dollars to Mike and had to cut back on some things to provide that support. No regrets.
I think about those nights and weekends when I was working to prepare cases, talk to witnesses and listen to victims.That was time away from family. I did not see you or Lykos working those hours and I did not see a frat house. What I saw was a dedicated group of attorneys who worked hard and would celebrate a tough win together as well as commiserate a tough lose. Lykos confuses camaraderie and commitment to justice with a frat house. And you and the Chonicle applaud her. Shame on you. Shame on her.
It's not ironic Murray, it's coincidental.
Anyone who quotes matchbox 20 needs a beatdown.
Amen 2:21. Amen. You are 100% correct. BJ assumes that he is the only one working for "his" candidates. Look how great he is. If you can't see it, don't worry he will tell you. He should be ashamed, but he is not. He is no better than the rest of the egotistical liars. He fits right in with Lykos, Hooper and the rest.
Today I voted in a Republican primary for the first time in my life. I am a lifelong Democrat. I made the switch because I cannot stomach seeing Lykos on television one more time making a total mockery of the HCDAO. I based my decision not just on rumor or what I have read on this blog, but on her many public instances of dishonesty. Specifically, her handling of the numerous grand jury investigations into her office.
I voted for Anderson because I believe, if elected, he would do a better job than Lykos. I am not sure if he will get my vote in the general election just yet. I have more research to do on that. But for today, he motivated me to do something I have never done before.
Jennings says here that Anderson has plenty of money, I guess that means he knows that Anderson also has plenty of supporters.
Someone copy and paste this article in the comment section at Bigjolly on the Anderson Hotze article, and watch it disappear.
Hell, I only vote in the Republican primary.
Rage
Lykos accusing Mike of having large docket backlogs is really the pot calling the kettle black. Ask some of us who were assigned to her court in the '80s. The docket was so backed up that witnesses were literally hanging from the rafters on Monday morning. Trial cases were reset so often that witnesses finally just quit showing up on the trial dates. There were so many trial cases that sometimes you'd find yourself finishing readingthe offense report while the jury panel was being seated,
I think you all are missing the point here. Rather than bash Big Jolly and his crew, lets move to get out the vote. He is not the one running for office and we are all playing into his game by giving his antics the time of day. It is distracting from the goal of anyone who supports Anderson.
Stay positive, stay focused and get a few of your friends out to the polls with you. One vote means so much more than giving Lykos supporters the satisfaction of thinking they will be relevant come November.
Go the polls and convince friends, neighbors and family to do the same. The best way to succeed is to not see her name on the ballot in November.
- A Houston Police Officer.
To Anonymous May 20, 2012 3:26 PM
Welcome aboard and thank you for supporting Mike Anderson. Apparently, you're not alone. I've spoken to many people who have voiced the same opinion and are now Supporting Mike Anderson.
Apparently the last mailers from Pat Lykos, which are full of lies and hatred, have really been the last straw for a lot of folks. It really seems to be backfiring on Lykos. Those Pat Lykos flyers have done more to motiviate people to vote for Mike Anderson than anything I could have told them.
So, whoever Pat Lykos political consultant is, THANK YOU! You're doing a great job, so keep it up PLEASE!!
And anonymous May 20, 2012 3:26 PM...THANK YOU once again :)
BJ:
I am sorry for you because you have been deceived by lies. PL has publicly lied on so many occasions that she cannot be believed. She will reap what she has sown and you will share a portion of that outcome.
I was wondering how much money Pat Lykos is going to refund the taxpayers for impersonating a District Attorney?
Just wanted to thank all those that participated in Friday's Money Bomb event (as well as Murray for allowing the idea to be posted in the first place). We blew away the targets and delivered some very nice additional closing resources for the campaign!
If you didn't get a chance to contribute, still not too late (See Murray's post under $49.99).
Otherwise, take Big Jolly up on his challenge and see how many of your circle you can reach out and touch -- pretty sure only hitting 43 in a full day is a pretty weak effort! Use your email lists and send a personalized note explaining why you think Mike is the best selection. Most people are pretty ill-informed on all the down-ballot candidates, so a note from someone they know indicating positive comments about a specific selection can be VERY impactful.
Once again, thank you for the outstanding response to the challenge Friday!
My SO and I "blockwalked" our apartment complex this weekend. At my mediocre apartment complex, I was SHOCKED at how many people already knew about the DA, they just didn't know there was voting. It gave me hope. I would say about 3/4 already had a negative opinion of her; nobody had anything positive to say.
They had all kinds of reasons for booting Patsy, their own loved ones' experiences with HPD/the DA, rape kit backlog, various QX messes, some sassy quotes even I had never heard, general HPD issues, a couple knew about the grand juries. People had heard all kinds of things, I was amazed.
Pat Lykos' political consultant is Jeff Yates. He is also the consultant for Lana Shadwick, Robert Summerlin, and Roger Bridgwater.
People aren't this stupid. They know more than this, and these mailings are desperate. This is a good sign! She knows what people think about her, and it's not pretty.
Not surprised they would try to send out bad intel about exit polling to keep Anderson supporters complacent. Don't let them win. How will you feel if she wins by a handful of votes? Get everyone out. I sent $500 towards the money bomb. Anyone know how much it raised? Or when, or if, they are going to use the Johnny Holmes ad? Anxiously waiting
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