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Court Order Stops Republicans from Replacing DeLay on Ballot — For Now
San Antonio Express-News ^ | 06/08/2006 | Greg Jefferson

Posted on 06/08/2006 8:12:29 PM PDT by anymouse

The Texas Democratic Party on Thursday won a court order temporarily stopping the Texas Republican Party from replacing outgoing Rep. Tom DeLay on the November ballot.

The Democrats sued the GOP in state court in Austin, arguing that Republican officials can't replace the Sugar Land Republican because he technically is still in the race.

And if the courts agree that DeLay withdrew, party officials contend, state Republican officials couldn't select a replacement candidate to take on Democrat Nick Lampson in the fall.

“The election would continue on — they just wouldn't have a dog in the hunt,” said Boyd Richie, the state Democratic Party's interim chairman.

State GOP officials could not be reached for comment Thursday night.

In April, shortly after winning a primary fight, the former House majority leader abandoned his re-election bid, saying he planned to move to a Virginia suburb of Washington.

The state Republican party then declared him ineligible because of residency requirements, allowing party officials to select a replacement candidate.

The temporary restraining order prevents the state GOP from doing that. An injunction hearing is scheduled for June 22 in Austin.

Today is DeLay's last official day in office.

“The Democrats have resorted to their usual method of turning to the courthouse if they can't win at the ballot box,” said Gretchen Essell, communications director for the Republican Party of Texas. “We have followed the process that is delineated in the Texas Election Code. We are confident of the outcome.”

Jared Woodfill, Harris County Republican Party Chairman, called it a desperate move on Democrats' part and said he is confident the GOP will prevail.

“I'm surprised they did it this early. We figured it was coming,” he said, adding that the GOP's position is solid.

“Election law is very clear on this. He's clearly ineligible. It's a pretty open-and-shut case,” he said. “I know we're going to prevail. The law and facts are on our side.”

Noting that Democrats have lost every statewide office to Republicans and that the GOP holds a legislative majority, Woodfill said, “They're desperate. ..... Desperate people turn to desperate measures, and that's what they've done. They're not going to be successful, though.”

Gary Gillen, the new Republican Party chairman for Fort Bend County, described the efforts to obtain a restraining order as a “political play to keep voters from having the opportunity to elect their congressman. It's politics,” he said.

“It's not in good faith. It's just another attempt to manipulate the process,” Richie said of Republican plans to name a replacement for DeLay.

He discussed the lawsuit Thursday night as delegates crowded into the Hilton Fort Worth's ballroom on the opening night of the state Democratic convention.

Richie is fighting for the party chairmanship against former state lawmaker Glen Maxey, his main rival in the four-person race.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: cd22; court; delay; democrat; democratjudge; election; injunction; lawsuit; republican; texas
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TX Rats last gasp in CD 22 race. They are trying to dampen DeLay's fairwell address (but a zotted Zarqawi got in the way.) If the June 22 hearing doesn't toss this bogus lawsuit out, the Appealate court will.
1 posted on 06/08/2006 8:12:31 PM PDT by anymouse
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To: anymouse

I see. It's OK for them to do it in New Jersey under a cloud of suspicion and corruption but we can't do it perfectly legitimately in Texas. Maybe some day I will be able to read this crap without getting furious.


2 posted on 06/08/2006 8:17:20 PM PDT by luv2ski
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To: anymouse
They call themselves democRATS for a reason, vermin pure and simple.

I must say you do grow them BIG in Texas.

3 posted on 06/08/2006 8:18:01 PM PDT by Agent Smith (Fallujah delenda est. (I wish))
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To: anymouse

And the Speaker of the House? AWOL as usual...but then again, this isn't about Jefferson.


4 posted on 06/08/2006 8:18:34 PM PDT by CWOJackson
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To: anymouse

It would be sweet if Delay stayed on the ballot and won anyway. By the way, this 'judge' needs to impeached.


5 posted on 06/08/2006 8:20:24 PM PDT by KoRn
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To: CWOJackson
This is truly mind-boggling, the double-standards here.

I for one would just wish the Republicans would go nuclear on the Dems for a change and stop fighting like an organized British regimen against the Minutemen shooting behind trees and rocks.

6 posted on 06/08/2006 8:21:53 PM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist (Conservatism is moderate, it is the center, it is the middle of the road)
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To: anymouse
“The election would continue on — they just wouldn't have a dog in the hunt,” said Boyd Richie, the state Democratic Party's interim chairman.

I wonder what Boyd would have to say if the Republicans did this to one of his candidates?

7 posted on 06/08/2006 8:22:39 PM PDT by MAexile (Bats left, votes right)
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To: anymouse
The Democrats sued the GOP in state court in Austin, arguing that Republican officials can't replace the Sugar Land Republican because he technically is still in the race.

And if the courts agree that DeLay withdrew, party officials contend, state Republican officials couldn't select a replacement candidate to take on Democrat Nick Lampson in the fall.

“The election would continue on — they just wouldn't have a dog in the hunt,” said Boyd Richie, the state Democratic Party's interim chairman.

To paraphrase Saul Alinsky, if you can't win at the ballot box then go through the courts.

8 posted on 06/08/2006 8:23:34 PM PDT by perfect stranger (I need new glasses.)
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To: CWOJackson
And the Speaker of the House? AWOL as usual...but then again, this isn't about Jefferson.

This is really a state matter. Nevertheless, if it were federal, Hastert would be too busy suing the White House, covering for a caught-dead-to-rights felon, giving Jefferson cover for ignoring a federal subpoena for nine friggin' months!

9 posted on 06/08/2006 8:24:10 PM PDT by sinkspur (Today, we settled all family business.)
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To: KoRn
It would be sweet if Delay stayed on the ballot and won anyway. By the way, this 'judge' needs to impeached.

I'd make my day. Similar to the news out of Iraq today.

10 posted on 06/08/2006 8:25:19 PM PDT by MAexile (Bats left, votes right)
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist
I just want to know what in the blazes they were thinking when they put Hastert in charge?

Let's find the most apathetic, confused, half asleep, silly a$$ed fool we can and put him in charge.

11 posted on 06/08/2006 8:25:40 PM PDT by CWOJackson
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To: MAexile

He'd be screaming like a scared 6 year old kid.


12 posted on 06/08/2006 8:27:28 PM PDT by perfect stranger (I need new glasses.)
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To: perfect stranger

Saul Alinsky, idolized by Hillary Clinton.


13 posted on 06/08/2006 8:29:34 PM PDT by originalbuckeye
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To: CWOJackson
And the Speaker of the House?

I don't understand. How do you expect Hastert to influence a judicial decision?

14 posted on 06/08/2006 8:31:10 PM PDT by Jean S
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To: JeanS

He could stand up for DeLay like he bent over for Jefferson (Rat-LA)


15 posted on 06/08/2006 8:32:23 PM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist (Conservatism is moderate, it is the center, it is the middle of the road)
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To: JeanS
I would have expected the Speaker of the House to have used his position to defend DeLay from the very start of this whole mess...he didn't.

I would have expected the Speaker of the House to have used his position to support DeLay on his last day in office...he didn't.

Hastert doesn't have any influence over a "state" issue, but he does have a voice and a podium...which he reserves for outrage when crocked Democrats are taken to task.

16 posted on 06/08/2006 8:36:06 PM PDT by CWOJackson
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist
How? He's in the U.S. Congress and this was a ruling by Texas (not federal) courts.

What the heck, it's Hastert's fault. Recall him! Impeach Bush too!

17 posted on 06/08/2006 8:37:15 PM PDT by Jean S
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To: anymouse

lol

the democrats can literally run dead canidates..

but the republicans can't run any canidate?

freaking judges need to be tar'd, feathered and run out of this country.


18 posted on 06/08/2006 8:37:48 PM PDT by conservative physics
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To: originalbuckeye
We'll see it when we believe it. —Saul Alinsky
19 posted on 06/08/2006 8:38:52 PM PDT by perfect stranger (I need new glasses.)
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To: JeanS

What Jackson and Extremist are trying to say is that Hastert is going to the wall in defense of a dead-to-rights felon by attempting to get the search of his office declared unconstitutional (which would seriously jeopardize the Justice Department case), and has uttered not a single word in defense of Tom DeLay since his indictment last September.


20 posted on 06/08/2006 8:40:41 PM PDT by sinkspur (Today, we settled all family business.)
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