Our FINAL Round of 2016 Primary Endorsements

"When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice;
But when a wicked man rules, the people groan."
Proverbs 29:2

[Author's Note: You can see our first round of endorsements here and our second round here.]

With election day 11 days away, we make the following endorsements:

STATEWIDE (Judicial)

Ray Wheless, Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 2:

We've previously discussed this race. In Texas, there is a separate judicial track for civil and criminal cases.  The Court of Criminal Appeals is the highest criminal court in Texas and is the equivalent of the Texas Supreme Court.

We first became interested in this race when we realized that the corrupt judge whose unethical activities led to his recusal in the Ken Paxton case was one of the three candidates.  That candidate is a disgrace to the legal profession against whom we've filed a complaint with the state commission on judicial conduct.  We've heard conflicting reports about the second candidate, but at best nothing excites us.

Ray Wheless spoke at the Central Texas Republican Assembly's November meeting.  We were impressed by his knowledge and legal acumen.  Judge Wheless is from Collin County, where he has held a variety of judicial positions.

UNITED STATES HOUSE

Anyone but Pete, CD-32:

We've documented our differences with Pete Sessions over the years.  As a member of House leadership, Pete Sessions has been a key player in every Republican betrayal we've seen out of D.C. in the Obama era.  As recently as December, Pete Sessions voted for a grotesque spending bill.

In addition to his awful actions on policy related matters, Pete Sessions is also a RAGING jerk; in many ways, Pete Session is the Byron Cook of the United States House of Representatives.

We've heard good things about all of the challengers.  We haven't had an opportunity to differentiate them in an detail, but against Pete Session it doesn't matter.  #NoRePete.

TEXAS HOUSE

Jess Fields, HD-14:

We've known Jess Fields for several years due to his work with the Texas Public Policy Foundation.  We've been impressed with his sharp wit and incisive sense of humor.  We expect Jess Fields to give Jonathan Stickland a run for his money on the back mic.

Jess Fields is a prominent supporter of the liberty cities movement.  Liberty cities are a creative solution that undermines big city governments.  We like creative solutions that undermine big government.

Unfortunately, he's a dirty stinking Aggie, but that's probably an advantage in a district that includes College Station.

WILLIAMSON COUNTY

Shawn Dick, District Attorney:

Shawn Dick is challenging a DISGRACEFUL incumbent with whom we've had issues for many years.  This is the DA that tried to lock up some kid for life over a couple pot brownies and suppressed evidence in a capital murder case.  We've also heard from folks in the WillCo legal community that lower profile abuses happen every day in that office.

In addition to his time as a prosecutor, Shawn Dick has also worked as a defense attorney.  When someone is making decisions that could take away someone else's freedom, we think it's a good thing for that person to have been on the other side of the courtroom.  Speaking of the disgraceful incumbent, she actually had the nerve to attack him over this.

A vote for Shawn Dick is a vote for basic ethics and integrity in a critically important office.

Bill Kelberlau, Sheriff:

Bill Kelberlau is running to be a constitutional sheriff.  For those unaware, local sheriffs have a TREMENDOUS amount of authority to stop the Federal government from enforcing unconstitutional laws.  Milwaukee County (Wisconsin) Sheriff David Clarke is probably the highest profile constitutional sheriff today.

Bill grew up in South Texas and spent 30 years in the Navy in a variety of sensitive position.  That background leaves him well-prepared for the challenges he will face in law enforcement.  Bill Kelberlau also testified at Don Zimmerman's Austin City Council hearing on Syrian 'refugees' and, considering that a sliver of Austin extends into Willco, having Bill Kelberlau around to drive the Austin City Council NUTS is worth the price of admission all by itself.

When Donald Trump comes for our guns, Williamson County is going to want Bill Kelberlau as Sheriff.

TRAVIS COUNTY

Jason Nassour, Commissioner's Court (Precinct 3):

We started noticing problems with the incumbent last year when he was a loud and prominent supporter of the Courthouse bond on the Commissioner's Court.  That right there should tell you something.  Why was the lone REPUBLICAN on the commissioner's court loudly supporting a $300 million boondoggle that would only benefit rich downtown lawyers?!?  But it gets worse.  He's recently taken a number of other screwy votes.  We've also discovered recently that he's given money to Kirk Watson.  The incumbent is a good guy, but he's clearly been working in government for too long.

Jason Nassour, by contrast, is an entrepreneur who owns several well known local radio stations.  A newcomer to politics, Nassour was motivated to run for office by the incumbent's support for the Courthouse bond.  Jason Nassour wants to sell all county property within the city limits and use the proceeds to build a new multi-use county facility FOR CASH in an unincorporated area.  Have we mentioned we like creative solutions?!?

The debate last month between Jason Nassour and the incumbent speaks for itself, you can view it for yourself here.

James Dickey, Travis County Republican Party Chairman:

Since James Dickey became county chairman two years ago, the Travis County Republican party helped put the first two conservatives EVER on the Austin City Council.  The Travis County Republican party has a DA candidate on the ballot for the first time since we've lived here.  Finally, we learned last week that the Travis County Republican Party actually has more precinct chairs at the moment than the D's.

With a property tax revolt and an affordability crisis at hand, the issue environment favors conservative solutions in an obvious way.  We've had discussions with James Dickey about specific ways to address these issues, and we intend to ramp up those discussions after March 1st.  Why mess with a good thing?!?

One note about James' challenger: Robert Morrow is a friend and patriot.  He does valuable work in the areas to which his talents are suited.  The job of county chairman, however, is a poor match for Robert's strong suits.

Public Safety committee STIFFS Zimmerman (and Abbott) over Syrian "Refugees"

Council Members Don Zimmerman, Ora Houston, and Greg Casar

"Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man,
But afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel."
Proverbs 20:17



This afternoon, the Austin City Council's Public Safety Committee rejected Council member Don Zimmerman's (Far Northwest Austin) resolution to support Governor Abbott's refusal to participate in the Obama administrations Syrian 'refugee' resettlement program.  Council members Ora Houston (East Austin) and Greg Casar (Northeast Austin) voted against the resolution, Zimmerman voted for it.  Council Member Leslie Pool was not present.

Colonel Clarke Straughn testified first.  He fully supported the Governor and Council member Zimmerman.  Straughn pointed out that some of the Paris bombers entered Europe as 'refugees.'  He reminded the committee about the 2013 threat against Sixth Street.  Zimmerman asked him several questions.

Multiple representatives from the local refugee resettlement agency Caritas spoke against the resolution.  Their message was essentially: "trust the Feds."  They described how the alleged 'refugees' would be 'vetted' by the NSA, the CIA, and the State Department.  We find it difficult to think of three Federal agencies we trust less (though they could have thrown in the Federal Reserve and IRS for good measure).  Putting it mildly, the Federal Government does not deserve our trust.

To be fair, the Caritas representatives may have given a decent description of how the refugee program has functioned in the past.  But if anyone trusts the lawless Obama administration to maintain the program as it has existed historically, we have some mineral rights in South Texas we would LOVE to sell them.  Seriously, they cited the freakin' NSA favorably....

Two other people, including Williamson County Sheriff Candidate Bill Kelberlau, also testified in favor of Zimmerman's resolution.  They pointed out that Syria doesn't have the capability to share the information the United States would need to properly vet these folks.  Kelberlau also discussed the need for a "comprehensive risk analysis."

This author had also signed up to testify, but we were pushed back to citizens communication due to time constraints and decided not to wait until the end of the hearing.  Had we testified, we would have pointed out the similarities between the discussion Austin is having and the sanctuary city policies in San Francisco that led to the tragic murder of Kate Steinle this past summer.  Remember, the pro-Sanctuary City Sheriff of San Francisco county LOST his election earlier this month following Steinle's murder.

Bottom Line: Given how the votes on Council are structured (for now), the fix was in on this hearing before it began.  It still was a useful discussion to have and got several more Council members on the record.  If, God forbid, something happens a la Kate Stienle in San Francisco, the Council members who promoted this recklessly INSANE policy are going to OWN it.