[wku man]

This is such a weird situation, the whole Travis County Public Integrity unit thing. From what I've been able to learn, apparently, in 1982, the Democrat Travis County DA just created the unit, and assumed for himself the power to investigate state officials and offices. The 'Rat governor at the time naturally approved it, which seems to me to be the real abuse of power. Since then, the unit has been dedicated almost exclusively (so it seems to this outsider) to bringing charges against Republican state officials and Republican-led state agencies.

The upshot is that, given that Travis Co./Austin is so overwhelmingly Democrat/Communist/Leftist/friggin' weird, having the DA there with the authority to investigate and bring charges against state officials, who are largely Republican, and department heads, also largely Republican, it's the tyranny of the minority.

Tom DeLay said on Fox News this morning that the unit is unConstitutional, which it seems to me it is. After all, why would a DA, elected locally, have the power to investigate and bring charges against officials elected by voters statewide? Why would a local official have the authority to just assume statewide power with no legislation to back it up?

Texan FReepers, do I have the background story right? Is this something that's common knowledge outside the state of Texas, and I'm just now waking up to it? If so, that's freakin' strange. I think if I were a Texan, I'd be fighting it with every fiber of my being, also!

Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!

[MamaTexan]

The 'Integrity Unit' wasn't common knowledge as far as I knew or have heard anyone mention.

There's a push to get it put under the Attorney General where it belongs, but if it has no Constitutional basis to begin with, I'd rather it didn't exist at all.

[Ben Ficklin]

"Texan FReepers, do I have the background story right"

You left out one of the main things. The state govt funded PIU. The state lege, which has been controlled by GOPers for a long time, appropriated the money.

Then Perry used his line item veto power to veto the funding for PIU. But that was only after Lehmberg refused to resign. If she had resigned, Perry would have left the funding intact. And if she had resigned, then Perry would have had the authority to replace her with someone of his choice, no doubt a republican. So you would have the governor actually controlling the DA's office in Travis county.

Also, you might want to do some research on the history of who all the PIU has prosecuted thru the years. Your statement that it has been only republicans is not correct.

[deport]

This unit should be set up under the Texas AG. It investigates public corruption,
insurance fraud, and motor fuels tax fraud. Several attempts have been made to do
that but hasn’t been successful. I’m not sure why outside of political power.

They issued something over 400 indictments in 2013 I read somewhere but can’t point you
to the article now. Also Earle indicted some 19 politician of which five
were Republicans of which
Tom DeLay would be the most prominent.