Free Republic

Secret parts of a contract for the Trans-Texas Corridor have been out for more than two weeks now. So has a development plan that outlines how state transportation officials and a foreign-led consortium plan to plow the countryside with toll roads and railways to relieve growing traffic on Interstate 35. That's plenty of time to begin scouring the thousands of pages — on the Web at KeepTexasMoving.com — to find out what the big secret was. But so far, no one can or will say if there's a detail, some twist or mumbo jumbo that, if found, would blow the...

The Democratic candidate for state attorney general pledged on the steps of the McLennan County Courthouse Friday to oppose the Trans-Texas Corridor if he’s elected in November. After a 30-minute speech in which he blasted incumbent Texas Attorney General Greg Abbot and other state Republican leaders, David Van Os put his pledge on record at the McLennan County Clerk’s office in the form of a sworn affidavit. In the affidavit, he promised to “use every legal means available to me by (the office of attorney general) to halt and/or invalidate the unconstitutional and illegal . . . Trans-Texas Corridor.” It...

A crowd of about 90 people at the state convention for Tejano Democrats stood up Sunday afternoon in a ballroom at the Omni Bayfront Hotel, clinking their glasses with spoons, applauding and chanting, "Kerr-Y, Kerr-Y," for Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry. David Van Os, a Democratic candidate for the Texas Supreme Court who is running against Justice Scott Brister, had just reminded them of the state's Democratic roots. "Don't believe anybody who tells you this is a rebuilding year for the Democrats of Texas. The hell it is!" Van Os said, reminding listeners that Texas voted for Carter in 1980....

David Van Os said that it was CBS’ intention from the outset to cast Bill Burkett in an unfavorable light. “Dan Rather and CBS were intending all along to use the interview to dump on (Burkett),” Van Os said. “What we got was a bunch of mealy-mouthed bull****.” Van Os said that Burkett had to think long and hard about what to do with the documents in his possession. “Bill was very reluctant to give CBS the documents; because he did not want to become caught up in what he knew would be created if he did,” Van Os said....

The Washington Timeswww.washingtontimes.com Memo lawyer is party activistBy Rowan ScarboroughTHE WASHINGTON TIMESPublished September 22, 2004 The attorney for the man who leaked discredited memos to CBS News' Dan Rather is a Democratic Party activist in Texas who has vowed to defeat what he says is a White House "master plan" for "a one-party America."     David Van Os, a San Antonio lawyer and defender of retired Texas Air National Guard Lt. Col. Bill Burkett's role in supplying forged memos detrimental to President Bush, has held a number of local party posts, including chairman of the Travis County Democratic Party.     Mr. Van...

According to the Associated Press, Bill Burkett is a broken man, a loose cannon seeking to share "the truth" about President Bush's military record. State and National Democrats, including Max Cleland (whom Burkett claims to have contacted), seem to know little about Burkett. But according to Bill Howell, Dallas County Chair for the Texas Democratic Party 1999-2002, Bill Burkett is not only connected to the Texas Democratic Party - he is a major player in the Texas Democratic Party. As first reported last night,, Bill Burkett is certainly well known within the Texas Democratic Party. Tonight, new documents reveal that...

Karl Rove's Master Plan Started With the Texas Courts Getting David Van Os elected to the Texas Supreme Court is not just about winning one race. It is about charging straight at the heart of Karl Rove's master plan. From best-selling author James Moore's (author of Bush's Brain and Bush's War for Re-election) BuzzFlash essay, "Karl Rove's Master Plan: A One-Party America:" "It began here in Texas when Rove was rebuilding the Republican Party in the Lone Star State. Rich people were asked to contribute to an organization called the Civil Justice League. They were billed as a grass roots...

An article on Wednesday about disputed memos obtained by CBS News that cast doubt on aspects of President Bush's service in the Texas Air National Guard truncated a quotation from David Van Os, a lawyer for Bill Burkett, a retired National Guard officer whom Newsweek called a source of the memos. Asked what role Mr. Burkett had in raising questions about Mr. Bush's military service, Mr. Van Os posed a hypothetical chain of events in which someone - not Mr. Burkett, he said - reconstructed documents that the preparer believed existed in 1972 or 1973. Mr. Van Os then asked...

Q: Who is David Van Os? A: A well connected Democrat and Kerry organizer, that's who! He's also Bill Burkett's spokesman and attorney. THE EVIDENCE IN PHOTOS:Van Os with Carville Van Os with Der Schlickmeister Van Os at the podium - Austin rally for Kerry-Edwards on August 22, 2004 Dean speaks at Kerry rally - Van Os on podium to the right. Howard Dean arrives in Houston, greeted by U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee. Van Os was in the SUV with Dean according to his own account here. Queen Sheila and Dean speak at Houston Kerry rally. Van Os is...

Quote of the Week: "This is regarding the silly column that a major Texas newpaper published a few days ago about how Texas Democrats supposedly have no "shining stars." Every Democrat is a leader. As soon as enough Democrats stop waiting for "superstars" and realize that we are all leaders, this state will turn from "red" to "blue" so fast it will make Karl Rove's head spin." David Van Os - Democratic Candidate for Supreme Court

I have committed myself deeply to the democratic political processes of our society, because I believe that “su voto es su voz” – your vote is your voice – and that participation in the political process is one of the highest marks of good citizenship. To that end, I have attended every Texas State Democratic Convention since 1974; I have served as Democratic County Chairman for Travis County, I have served as a Democratic Precinct Chair in both Travis and Bexar Counties, and I have served as president of the Northeast Austin Democrats and chairman of the North East Bexar...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 26, 2004 DFA Contact: Laura Gross, 802-651-3200 Gov. Howard Dean and Democracy for America Endorses David Van Os for Texas Supreme Court San Antonio, Texas—David Van Os, Democratic candidate for the Texas Supreme Court, has been endorsed by Gov. Howard Dean, honorary chair and founder of Democracy for America (www.democracyforamerica.com). Van Os is part of the “Dean Dozen,” a select group of socially progressive, fiscally responsible candidates that represent the spirit of grassroots democracy in this country. On behalf of the candidates, Democracy for America has reached out to their supporters to inform them that Van...

On behalf of our membership the Texas Democratic Veterans Executive Committee is proud to announce that we hereby endorse David Van Os for Texas Supreme Court Place 9. In this endorsement we are proud to join with: Texas AFL-CIO, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Communications Workers of America, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, State Association of Electrical Workers, United Auto Workers, American Federation of Government Employees, Texas Carpenters & Millwrights Regional Council of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters & Joiners of America, Texas Working Families Political Action Committee, Rio Grande Valley Teachers Association, Austin Black Lawyers Association, Hispanic Bar Association of...

  Established fact: the memos Dan Rather used in his 60 Minutes II segment are forgeries. The WASHINGTON POST has reported the memos originated from a Kinko's in Abilene Texas. Bill Burkett, a man with a long festering grudge against the Bush family lives in Baird Texas, 25 miles from Abilene.  It has been report Mr. Burkett has an account at Kinko's The obvious conclusion would be Mr. Burkett is the source of the memos.  Case closed.  End of Story.  And the DNC and Dan Rather would have us believe the story is over.  They want to get to the...

CBS is trying to pin the Rathergate forgery rap on former National Guard officer Bill Burkett - who has no prominent ties to the Kerry campaign or the Democratic Party. According to the New York Times, as CBS was preparing to admit that documents aired by news star Dan Rather might have been fabricated, "a person at the network named Mr. Burkett as a source of records critical of Mr. Bush's Vietnam era service that CBS said last week came from the personal files of Lieutenant Bush's squadron commander, Lt. Col. Jerry B. Killian." So far Burkett has not responded....

Here's a photo of David Van Os, the spokesman for Bill Burkett of Memogate fame, addressing a major John Kerry for President rally in Austin last month. This is the same rally that was headlined by HOWARD DEAN and made pretty big media coverage around the state at the time.

Letter from Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.) Bill Burkett Former Client of David Van Os I have a 30 plus year experience of working within and around litigators in one fashion or another. I would guess that I have worked with over 100 attorneys and on and with about 40 cases; a small number if you're a lawyer, but a rather large exposure if you are a citizen. When I needed an attorney for a case of pure retaliatory abuse that denied me medical care that I had both earned and paid for, I studied the resumes and reputations of attorneys throughout...