The Dallas Morning News. February 22, 2020
Governor Abbott gives the gift of hope by making it easier for trafficking victims to apply for clemency
The announcement from Austin is good news we’ve been waiting for
On Thursday, Gov. Greg Abbott granted a Christmas wish that has been on our list for two years: a clear path to restoration for incarcerated victims of human trafficking.
Abbott announced the creation of a customized clemency application for survivors of trafficking and domestic abuse. Under the new protocol, Texas inmates will be allowed to cite their experience as victims when requesting relief from the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles.
“Texas is committed to empowering survivors of domestic abuse and human trafficking,” Abbott said. “And one of the surest signals of that goal is laying out a true path to redemption and restoration.”
We couldn’t agree more. On Christmas Day 2018, we called for just such a program. Acknowledging that the governor can’t grant clemency without a recommendation from the parole board, we wrote, “We therefore call on that seven-member board and state officials to reassess the rules governing pardons and clemency in regard to victims of sex trafficking. We believe the board can create a process for those convicted of prostitution or drug-related crimes committed while they were being trafficked.”
And again, a few days after Christmas 2019, we called on Abbott to use the symbolic power of the holiday tradition of granting clemency to achieve more than forgiveness for a handful of people, but instead, “to use the power of clemency in the service of a grand and important revolution against modern-day sex slavery.”
The following week, the governor issued a full pardon to Robbie Ann Hamilton, a trafficking victim who committed petty offenses many years in the past, during a time when she was addicted to drugs and trafficked. It was the right thing to do and it sent a powerful message to help reframe how Texans think about people caught in webs of abuse and oppression.
We also support the manner in which Abbott is approaching these changes. Last summer, Abbott vetoed House Bill 3078, which would have set up a new review panel outside of the parole board to process these kinds of applications. Abbott said he lauded the effort but “adding a thick layer of bureaucracy” to the Board of Pardons and Paroles was “not the way to help victims of human trafficking.”
We agree that the existing parole board is capable of hearing these requests. The new clemency application will rightly include not only those Texans trafficked for sex but those trafficked for labor and those who committed crimes while under the influence of an abusive partner.
As always, we advise caution and prudence. In 2018, we recommended a clemency process that excludes anyone guilty of unlawful violence against others or who has been a perpetrator as well as a victim of trafficking. The Board of Pardons and Paroles still has work to do in reviewing these applications.
But for thousands of victims who have been coerced, tricked, lied to and made dependent by means of drugs, debt or physical violence, Abbott’s actions here are a gift and a reminder that leadership matters, progress is possible and hope should burn brightly within us even as we face tough challenges.
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Houston Chronicle. February 22, 2020
Thumbs: The Leaning Tower of Dallas; Astros get roasted
(Thumbs up) Stand back, Pisa. A botched demolition has left Dallas with its own leaning tower, an 11-story building near downtown, frozen, mid-topple. While not as aesthetically pleasing as its Italian counterpart - the Texas version features a lot less marble and more mangled pipes and concrete - it’s proven to be quite the attraction. Some see the tower as a symptom of rampant development, others have found joy in the urban oddity, snapping selfies and calling for it to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The building is set to come down soon, but perhaps a city that lists a presidential assassination site as a landmark should think twice. For Big D, the tipsy tower might have some staying power.
(Thumbs down) Speaking of Dallas-set disasters, the long-running “reality” series “Cheaters” is returning for a 21st season. The show purports to capture people cheating on their partners as well as their comeuppance, often accompanied by a flurry of hair-pulling and flailing punches. If you’ve never seen an episode, do yourself a favor and don’t start now. You’ve already missed the height of the series’ absurdity, when host Joey Greco was allegedly stabbed and rushed to the hospital (on camera, of course). Still, if you’re curious to see what guests of the Maury Povich show do on their off hours, “Cheaters” airs in Houston at 1 a.m. on The CW 39.
(Thumbs up) Jayme Wooley, a sophomore at Axtell High School near Waco, rose to the occasion last week, giving away 170 flowers to every girl at his school, from sixth to 12th grade, to celebrate Valentine’s Day. The budding cupid felt bad over some girls not receiving valentines the year before, so he wanted to fix the thorny issue (with an assist from mom, of course). It’s unknown if any love bloomed from the 15-year-old Romeo’s actions, but he can rest assured that his classmates will forget him not.
(Thumbs down) Things got heated for Buffalo Wild Wings last week, as fallout from a foul Astros tweet threw local franchise owners a curveball. The chicken wing chain’s national Twitter account made no mention of the Houston team, but it was clear who they were talking about when they said “THAT’S how you punish a team that cheats,” in response to Manchester City soccer club being banned from the Champions League for two seasons over rule breaking. Astros fans did not react well to the tweet, threatening a boycott. Buffalo Wild Wings apologized and became another cautionary tale of how companies can strike out when they try to get cute on social media. Go ‘Stros!
(Thumbs up) That said, the team did cheat, and an argument can be made that Major League Baseball failed to hand down a fair punishment. It is in that vein that we enjoyed the cathartic experience that was #CancelHouston, which trended on Twitter this week and mercilessly skewered the Astros with such bon mots as “all Astros players must wear the same child size uniform as Jose Altuve” and “for the next four years, the Astros have to win every game by two.” Sure, the whole thing was instigated by smug jerk comedian Daniel Tosh, but sometimes you need a good laugh to wipe the slate clean. Either that or what one disgruntled season-ticket holder did: sue the team for negligence, breach of contract and violations of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act. So, how about we meet at Buffalo Wild Wings and add some sweet sauce to a sour situation?
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Odessa American. February 18, 2020
Get out and make your voice heard
The point: Early voting begins today and it’s a chance to avoid the rush of actual primary day.
Lots of griping goes on about the state of government from the very top to the very local.
Certainly we are seeing it play out nationwide and in our own neck of the woods with a hotly contested congressional race and two county commissioner races.
Our often poor voter turnout in Ector County means that lots of the complaining going on is being done by those who didn’t bother to get out and exercise the right to vote.
That’s a shame.
Early voting begins today for the March 3 primary and it’s an important time.
Those two Ector County commissioner races will be decided in the primary as there are no democratic challengers for the November general election to who wins the GOP primary.
The local offices matter.
They matter in huge ways. Local taxes and what those local taxes are actually spent on are decisions that are made at the local level.
This commissioners court will likely decide the if, when and what to do about the Ector County Courthouse. Build a new one? Where to build a new one? Fix the old one? Who knows.
They will decide which roads to work on and when to do it.
They will decide how to attract enough staff to handle the new Ector County Detention Center building and how to pay enough law enforcement to actually keep them here. They will decide where your tax dollars are spent.
Sure, the national scene is all over the news and who sits is in the White House is important to all our lives.
But these local races make the decisions that affect us every single day.
Odessans should also want to have a say in in who represents this district in congress.
It’s important.
There are many chances to vote (provided you are registered) in both early voting or on the actual primary day of March 3.
The following locations are available for early voting in the March 3 joint primary election:
Ector County Courthouse Annex Room 104, 1010 E. Eighth St.: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. today through Friday; 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday; 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday and 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.Monday to Feb. 28.
Medical Center Hospital Primary Care West, 6030 W. University Blvd., Westlake Hardware, 4652 E. University Blvd., Odessa College Sports Center, the Family Health Center, 840 W. Clements St.: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. today through Friday; 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday; 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday; 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Feb. 28.
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Fort Worth Star-Telegram
February 20, 2020
Denied money for Panther Island is maddening. Can’t Texas senators help Fort Worth out?
The latest developments on Panther Island - the federal government’s refusal to provide funding beyond a token amount for a needlessly repetitive study and more delays and additional costs for bridge construction - are frustrating, no doubt, for local officials and particularly for local business owners in limbo over the bridges.
But worse, they contribute to the cynicism and overwrought accusations of corruption around what remains a vital flood protection project for Fort Worth.
The funding impasse in particular has sparked discussion of different ways to move the project forward. But here’s the irritating truth: There is no practical alternative to federal dollars when it comes to digging the bypass channel that would provide a new path for Trinity River water and create an urban island.
Mayor Betsy Price wants to get private investors and developers involved in hopes of striking a public-private partnership that could spur development. But it would take a most-optimistic developer to see a way to generate enough profit to justify the needed millions to dig the river channel. Besides, local taxpayers have put plenty of money into this project already
More to the point, such talk could put the focus back on economic development. One of the problems in Washington has been suspicion that flood control was taking a back seat. Leaders of the board overseeing Panther Island have worked for months to counter that perception, undertaking an outside review and bringing in a new coordinator. Bringing private developers to the table could undo those efforts.
After all, it appears the Trump administration needs no further excuse to block the money. Rep. Kay Granger, the project’s long-time champion, told our Editorial Board last week that White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney is the impediment. She contends that he has changed the way the White House budget office (which he also oversees) considers such projects. Mulvaney hasn’t responded.
If Granger, who has decades of experience in the federal appropriations process, is right, it’s time for other Texas lawmakers to get more involved. Panther Island has Congress’ approval, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers long ago said it was necessary to prevent a catastrophic flood in Fort Worth. Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz need to lean on Mulvaney or, if necessary, go to the president they’ve been studious about building ties with.
After all, as Granger and other project proponents note, the idea of building the bypass channel has been studied to death. The $1.5 million appropriated for another study may be small change in the gargantuan federal budget, but waste is waste. There’s no new information to be gleaned from another review.
As for the bridges, at least more delays and an added $20 million can’t delay the digging of the channel any further. That’s small consolation to the business owners who’ve lost customers because of construction.
Over the rest of the year, local officials must continue to bang the drum for important flood control work. They must push for whatever local work can be done. After all, momentum counts.
As for the bigger picture, it’s fine to explore alternative ideas, but calls to abandon or greatly alter Panther Island simply don’t make sense right now. Fort Worth, like many cities, has had to wait on big federal projects before. So far, that’s still the prudent, if aggravating, course.
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