Posted on 06/11/2008 11:23:16 AM PDT by trumandogz
Some security cameras at the Texas Governor's Mansion were "not operational" during an early morning fire Sunday that nearly destroyed the 152-year-old state treasure, according to a source familiar with the investigation.
The source, who did not want to be identified because of the ongoing investigation, said other cameras at the property were properly working.
Another source familiar with the investigation said a lone Texas Department of Safety trooper was on duty when the fire began and was stationed at the security booth in a carriage house behind the mansion.
The source said authorities believe that trooper acted appropriately in responding to the fire.
Gov. Rick Perry had a news conference in front of the charred Mansion Wednesday morning. He said the mansion would definitely be restored and that First Lady Anita Perry would be heavily involved in the effort.
"When I heard my feelings went from heartache to pretty damn mad to angry," Perry said of the fire, which is a suspected arson. "We will find who did this... They will be punished."
Cameras not working and trooper asleep in the carriage house.
And Perry wants us to trust him with the TTC.
If the source is a state employee, he/she needs to be rounded up and fired.
The source for this article maybe the same as for an earlier article about the DPS officer being in the carriage house which came out right after the fire, maybe the next day. Supposedly the DPS is investigating the actions of the officer[s] according to an earlier story.
I’m ok with that. I’m not ok with unnamed sources leaking info about the investigation though.
I live two miles from the Governor’s Mansion and ride or drive past almost every day. It is situated within a few hundred yards from the Capitol Building and should have been monitored and secured.
Someone or likely several people screwed up big time and the People of Texas have lost a treasure.
I would have thought that the current chief executive would have made sure that the security procedures were being followed.
I’m just saying it’s too early to start blaming people. I’m upset about this too. Unfortunately, we do have to protect ourselves from stuff like this but the person responsible is the one who burned it down. I don’t care if there was no security...they had no right and I just want to keep the focus on the culprit and make sure justice gets served. I don’t want to see someone get a slap on the wrist for claining that if Texas had been doing their job then the arsonist could not have done what he did.
Even an Austin jury will sentence the perp to the max.
However, if the state employees would have done their jobs the culprits would have been caught of the fire would not have occurred.
HUGE NEWS ON TTC - TxDOT Listened, nixed original I-69 plan!
http://travismonitor.blogspot.com/2008/06/i-69-to-follow-existing-roads-per.html
“I’m just saying it’s too early to start blaming people.”
And you are correct. It’s seems an ‘internet’ thing to shoot off mouth first based on a snippet of news and get facts later.
Finally, TxDoT listened to Texas citizens, truck drivers, farmers and cab drivers.
Nah.....don’t go beating up on T. This is personal for us. We want the person who did this in Huntsville...like yesterday.
I’m not arguing with that. Can we fix it...quitely though? :’)
That’s a large compound and the fire started on a porch and the guard can’t be everywhere at once. I’ve been in the mansion and seen the lovely old furniture and grand piano from early days. I was heart sick until I heard the furnishings and art had been removed for renovation of the mansion. When they find this criminal, they better put him under lock and key fast cause we’re a “carry” state and our Bubbas are mad. Surely there’s a hanging tree somewhere near the capitol.
By the way, the state Democrat convention ended in Austin on Saturday before the mansion burned in the middle of the night. Just saying...
First of all, the Carriage House is on Lavaca, not Guadalupe.
I am not all that sure what the trooper was doing in the Mansion’s Carriage House at 1:45 a.m. but I know what he was not doing. Because of that, the Governor’s Mansion was saved not by the state trooper who was being paid to guard that mansion but rather some drunk walking home from 6th Street who was first to call 911.
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