Van De Putte's Senate Seat Targeted By Republican(Texas SD26)

A 'RACIST' STATE SENATOR CHALLENGED Van De Putte's Senate Seat Targeted By Republican Jim Valdez Announces Candidacy; Comes Out Swinging At Embattled Leticia

(Editor's Note: Republican Click here for background stories. Below is the text of his statement.)

Today I am announcing my intent to file for elective office for the 2004 Republican primary as a candidate for State Senator, Dist 26. The basis in my seeking this office, currently held by Leticia Van de Putte, is to ensure strong effective representation for the district and most importantly restore integrity to the seat she now holds.

The unfortunate facts that must be considered in this election cannot be denied. Ms Van de Putte made a conscious decision to abandon the people who elected her to represent them on the Texas Senate floor. She chose to retreat in the face of adversity. Her actions cost the State of Texas millions.

The inflammatory rhetoric and allegations Ms Van de Putte used in the heat of the redistricting issues are inexcusable. Her claims of racist remarks made by a Republican Senator have not been substantiated. She refuses to reveal the source of these allegations. Her own colleagues, State Senators Frank Madla and Judith Zaffirini, who were present when the remarks were made, could not confirm her allegations. A State Senator who would use such rhetoric to divide her constituency and the Senate by racial lines has no place in any elected office.

My candidacy provides the opportunity for a fresh face that can work with both parties to accomplish the tasks that the citizens of Texas elect us to do; ensuring the economic prosperity of Texas with the creation of Jobs and providing an educational system within our State that is second to none.

(Senator Van De Putte is offered unedited space in this publication to respond.)

Demand Kerry & Edwards RESIGN from Senate!Help RightMarch.com Take Out FULL-PAGE Boston Ads!

ALERT: As you know, two of the most liberal men in the U.S. Senate -- John Kerry and John Edwards -- are now the presumed nominees for the Democrats' bid for the White House. They'll be accepting their nominations in Boston this month. RightMarch.com plans be there... IN THEIR FACES... in more ways than one. But we need YOUR help to do it! First of all, we plan to take out at least FIVE FULL-PAGE ADS in the greater Boston metro area, DEMANDING that Sens. Kerry and Edwards resign from the Senate in order to run for President and Vice President, because they're there so rarely there's no way for them to actually represent their constituents. Sen. Edwards has missed 43 percent of Senate votes while running for President; Sen. Kerry has missed 88 PERCENT. That's simply NOT RIGHT, and the public is not being well-served. In 1996, Republican Sen. Bob Dole of Kansas resigned his Senate seat - and his powerful post as Senate GOP leader - shortly before he formally accepted the Republican nomination for president. Shouldn't the American people insist that Kerry & Edwards have the integrity to do the same? Adding insult to injury, according to the Boston Herald (3/1/04), "Kerry has been a virtual no-show in the U.S. Senate over the past 14 months, but he hasn't missed a paycheck," even though "federal law says some of his $158,000 salary should have been withheld." Edwards continues to cash HIS checks, too. But, as the New York Post noted (6/16/04), "In 2000, then-Texas Gov. George Bush reimbursed his state a day's salary for every day that he was campaigning out of state and then-Lt. Gov. Rick Perry had to step in as acting governor." Sens. Kerry and Edwards need to RESIGN NOW, and stop taking taxpayer money that they haven't earned! Will YOU help us take out a full-page ad around the Democrat Convention in Boston, DEMANDING their resignation? TAKE ACTION: Top Republicans in John Kerry's home state of Massachusetts have already been urging him to resign from the Senate to run for president. The North Carolina GOP has nicknamed John Edwards "Senator Gone" for constantly forgoing his duties as Senator during his "Pick-Me-For-V.P.-Tour". John Kerry and John Edwards made a commitment to the people of Massachusetts and North Carolina -- a commitment to do a job, and a commitment to represent their states in the United States Senate. In fact, they took an oath of office. If they won't do the job they swore to do, why would we ever want them in the White House?

When Sen. Leticia Van de Putte of San Antonio and the infamous 11 democrats fled to Albuquerque to avoid a special session, she painted a picture that portrayed her as a modern day "Rosa Parks," and blamed "the whites" for forcing her flight. That race card was played, and then put to the bottom of the deck.

She posed as just a poor senator spending her own money to take a brave stand.

From the oppulent Marriott hotel she spoke with the Star-Telegram. Here is part of that newspaper story:

Despite the obvious comfort, Sen. Leticia Van de Putte of San Antonio, the chairwoman of the Senate Democratic Caucus, stressed that this is no pleasure trip. They came to New Mexico to block an unfair redistricting plan pushed by their Republican colleagues, she said.

"It shouldn't make any difference to anybody -- the senators themselves are paying for this, and not the taxpayers and not anybody else," said Van De Putte, the organizer of the second orchestrated walkout in 2 1/2 months by Texas Democratic lawmakers. "If it comes out of somebody's pockets, it's out of our own." (Star-Telegram 7-30-2003, Emphasis added)

Not true. She used campaign funds for that jaunt. If you are a contributor, it came out of your pocket. The information that follows was gleaned from a campaign report quietly filed in January -- almost 6 months after the trip.

Until now, it has gone unreported by the news media.

Here are some of the things she bought, some of the places she went, and other expenses incurred during her pilgrimage to the Land Of Enchantment:

Pyramid Lobby Bar 5151 San Francisco Rd NE,,Albuquerque,NM,87109,20030806, $1043.19, Travel Expense:Lodging

Albuquerque Cab Company,,,,3223 Los Arboles, 20030802, $13.00,transportation

Albuquerque Cab Company,,,,3223 Los Arboles, 20030802, 13.00,transportation

Bennigan's,,,,2105 B. Louisiana Blvd,,Albuquerque,NM,87110, 20030909, 28.93,food

Bennigan's,,,,2105 B. Louisiana Blvd,,Albuquerque,NM,87110, 20030909, 34.93,food

Capricho,,,,228 Old Santa Fe Trail,,Santa Fe,NM,87501, 20030831, 63.77,gifts

Christian Wolf Gallery,,,,206 1/2 San Felipe NW,,Albuquerque,NM,87104, 20030824, 166.33,staff & constituent gifts

Capricho,,,,228 Old Santa Fe Trail,,Santa Fe,NM,87501, 20030831, 63.77,gifts

Dillard's,,,,10000 Coors Bypass NW,,Albuquerque,TX,87114, 20030901,155.69,Gifts

Domino's Pizza,,,,5800 Osuna,,Albuquerque,NM,87109, 20030803, 40.00,food

Foley's,,,,Coronado,,Albuquerque,NM,87114, 20030803, 31.23,gifts

Garson and Sons,,,,303 Romero St. NW,,Albuquerque,NM,87104,20030824, 22.11,supplies

Garson and Sons,,,,303 Romero St. NW,,Albuquerque,NM,87104,20030824, 3.14,supplies

Hispanic Cultural Foundation,,,,1701 4th Street SW,,Albuquerque,NM,87104, 20030823, 117.00,staff gifts

Hispanic Heritage Celebration,,,,Risen Savior Hispanic Music Choir,,Santa Fe,NM,87501, 20030829,10.00,donation

IHOP 1400 Mercantile,,Albuquerque,TX,87107, 20030802, 28.72,lunch meeting

IHOP 1400 Mercantile,,Albuquerque,TX,87107, 20030802, 32.72,lunch

La Placita Restaurant,,,,208 San Felipe NW,,Albuquerque,NM,87104, 20030816, 62.08,food

Loretto Chapel,,,,211 Old Santa Fe Trail,,Santa Fe,NM,87501, 20030816, 9.22,gifts

Loretto Chapel,,,,211 Old Santa Fe Trail,,Santa Fe,NM,87501, 20030816, 4.51,gifts

Loretto Chapel,,,,211 Old Santa Fe Trail,,Santa Fe,NM,87501, 20030831, 12.50,gifts

Mannies Family Restaurant,,,,2900 Central ,,Albuquerque,TX,87106, 20030816, 37.12,food

Mario's Pizzaria ,,,,2401 San Pedro Albuquerque,NM,87110, 20030815, 55.02,food

Marriott,,,,5151 San Fransisco,,Albuquerque,NM,87109, 20030802, 897.92,staff lodging

Marriott,,,,5151 San Fransisco,,Albuquerque,NM,87109, 20030910, 100.00,Incidental expenses

Museum Gift Shop,,,,2401 Twelfth St. Albuquerque,NM,87102, 20030823, 15.00,gifts

Museum Gift Shop,,,,2401 Twelfth St. NW,,Albuquerque,NM,87102, 20030823, 13.30,gifts

Smith's 8100 Wyoming NE,,Albuquerque,TX,87122, 20030801, 57.21,supplies

Smith's,,,,8100 Wyoming Blvd NE,,Albuquerque,NM,87109, 20030801, 30.45,supplies

Smith's,,,,8100 Wyoming Blvd NE,,Albuquerque,NM,87109, 20030805, 17.36,supplies

Smith's,,,,8100 Wyoming Blvd NE,Albuquerque,NM,87109, 20030829, 15.39,supplies

Runbery,Luke,,,6232 Canario Ct. ,,Albuquerque,NM,87120, 20031009, 75.00,door prize for event Texaco,,,,7611 Lomas NE,,Albuquerque,NM,87110,20030825, 15.00,fuel

The Charm Company,,,,2022 S. Plaza,,Albuquerque,NM,87104, 20030824, 176.18,staff gifts

The Charm Company,,,,2022 S. Plaza,,Albuquerque,NM,87104, 20030909, 44.97,staff gifts

Walgreens,,,,2625 San Pedro Dr. NE,,Albuquerque,NM,87110, 20030816, 13.19,food

Whataburger,,,,2808 Carlisle Blvd NE,,Albuquerque,TX,87110, 20030803, 47.75,food

Whataburger,,,,2808 Carlisle Blvd NE,,Albuquerque,TX,87110, 20030814, 46.78,food

Yellow Cab,,,,500 Kinnley NW,,Albuquerque,TX,87102, 20030731, 30.00,transportation

Yellow Cab,,,,500 Kinnley NW,,Albuquerque,TX,87102, 20030731, 10.00,transportation

Yellow Cab,,,,500 Kinnley NW,,Albuquerque,TX,87102, 20030731, 10.00,transportation

Yellow Cab,,,,500 Kinnley NW,,Albuquerque,TX,87102, 20030803, 60.00,transportation

Yellow Cab,,,,500 Kinnley NW,,Albuquerque,TX,87102, 20030808, 28.00,transportation

Yellow Cab,,,,500 Kinnley NW,,Albuquerque,TX,87102, 20030810, 28.00,transportation

(Taken from campaign records filed in January of this year. Click to view original report.)

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