Posted on 05/01/2015 12:10:15 PM PDT by GIdget2004
A 16-year Republican veteran of the Legislature wrote Gov. Greg Abbott saying he is appalled that the governor has given credence to a fringe group that fears the U.S. military would stage a take-over of Texas.
Abbott has ordered the Texas state Guard to monitor a large-scale, eight-week military exercise this summer of special operation forces. Social media has pushed the conspiracy notion that the exercise, called Jade Helm 15, is a ruse to confiscate guns and declare martial law in hostile states.
After citizens raised concerns, Abbott said the state Guard will keep tabs on the operation to ensure Texans that “their safety, constitutional rights, private property rights and civil liberties will not be infringed.”
In his letter to the governor, Todd Smith of Euless, who retired from public office in 2013, said he is “horrified that I have to choose between the possibility that my Governor actually believes this stuff and the possibility that my Governor doesn’t have the backbone to stand up to those who do.”
He said he wrote because the thought that the U.S. military would be a threat to Texas is “embarrassing” and it is important “to rational governance that thinking Republicans call you out on it.”
“Is there ANYBODY who is going to stand up to this radical nonsense that is a cancer on our State and our Party?” Smith asked.
(Excerpt) Read more at trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com ...
Didn’t know that, thanks for the info.
I remember stories at the time of people having heart attacks because they were scared out of their wits, but I didn’t know anyone had been shot during Clinton’s stunts which were clearly designed to create fear and panic in people.
He might have a case if the gov’t was not currently being occupied by islamic loving communists bent on the destruction of everything American.
Really doesn’t matter who is running the country, military exercises should not be run in the streets of any town other than passing thru on the way to designated isolated training area’s.
The former GOP person is an idiot.
“Note the key word.. FORMER”
The idiot earned that key word so he should wear it with pride.
So far, I trust Abbott. Todd Smith is a looser lawyer who is trying to stay relevant.
Shame on The Dallas Morning News for publishing his opinion.
I guess they are still trying to sell papers.
Many of those who were burned alive in Waco were Black.
Where was the outrage?
Todd Smith of Clueless.
Waco, where the Clinton adm. arranged with Gov Ma Richards to use Texas National Guard military equipment for the standoff with the Davideans before the initial raid had taken place and were a talking points memo from the WH written before the initial raid had taken place referred to things that never happened as the reason for the standoff.
I got that info first hand from one of the ATF investigators that was investigating what had happened at Waco.
Just guessing here that Todd Smith was a social liberal, a tax hiker, possibly a gun grabber in his time in the Texas legislature and that his retirement was a good example to others like him.
We've been at war for decades now. Most if not all have been in the middle east. The big dust bowl of the earth. So, again, training exercises in urban and small town America will give them experience to deal with....the middle east?
What are they doing, why are they doing it and why in our towns and cities? Not trying to be conspiratorial, I just want to know what the hell special forces hope to learn from this.
Just appears to me a message from the federal government to Texans. We can reach out and touch you if we so choose.
Are they practicing snatching civilians and herding to detention? Why Texas?
We used to have such a thing as Posse Comitatus.
(The purpose of the act – in concert with the Insurrection Act of 1807 – is to limit the powers of the federal government in using its military personnel to act as domestic law enforcement personnel. It was passed as an amendment to an army appropriation bill following the end of Reconstruction, and was subsequently updated in 1956 and 1981.)
So, this federal act no longer exist? If it doesn't...why not? Are we now allowing military on our streets?
Yes, ignorant of history. Just proof even Texans can elect RINOs.
He's my governor too and I think it's OK to trust but verify. I even voted for him because he was smarter and more conservative than Wendy Davis. I'm proud Greg Abbott is our governor. Sorry you do not agree.
Fortunately he was booted in the primary. He had a smell.
Never met a Todd that I trusted.”
How about Todd Palin?
never met him.
I trust his wife.
In Obama's Amerika, with every governmental coven being armed, academic & media narrative of "white privilege", biased IRS decisions, biased State prosecutor's announcements, and (presumably) less than two years left for this caliphate, it's only reasonable for local authority to question and monitor ANY federal activity within its borders.
After all, we have precedent of US citizens being killed by overwhelming government forces. We have precedent of government lawlessness, deceit, and division....
We have not a single precedent for trust.
Powerful law firm - looks like he’s a solo practitioner. Hard to make a living doing that. Usually lots of small settlements while reaching for that home run ball.
Good for Todd Smith!
Trust this government at your peril. I wouldn’t put anything past them. Corrupt, ingenuous, non-transparent, immoral losers running the country into the ground.
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