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In a deeply conservative red state, the few strong abortion supporters who dot the map of Texas are thrilled by one of Texas’s lieutenant gubernatorial candidates, Senator Leticia Van de Putte. Van de Putte boasts a fairly consistent pro-abortion voting record; indeed, she boasts a D score from the state’s premier pro-life legislative organization, Texas Right to Life. If elected along with gubernatorial candidate Wendy Davis, the near future of women and pre-born children in Texas would be considerably more bleak than it is today, under the stalwart pro-life leadership of Governor Rick Perry. Here is the full Van de...

Can a Hispanic be an American without feeling conflict? That question was posed Friday by a European journalist to Sen. Leticia Van de Putte on the opening day of a trans-Atlantic forum on immigration and border issues sponsored by the German Marshall Fund. The three-day conference involved two dozen invited journalists as well as such political luminaries as John Bruton, the former Irish prime minister, and Jorge Castaneda, former foreign minister of Mexico. "The whole idea is to bring together European and American journalists who work on similar issues, so they can broaden their horizons and network," said Ursula Soyez...

SAN ANTONIO (Talon News) -- A Texas legislator has submitted a bill that would instruct public schools to submit a health report card along with the academic performance of their students. State Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, a Democrat representing San Antonio and Bexar County in Texas District 26, is sponsoring the "Body Mass Index Bill," or SB205. Van de Putte said teachers and parents "should be just as concerned with students' physical health and performance as we are with their academic performance." Van de Putte, who was elected to the Texas House in 1990 and then to the Texas...

A public television debate Sunday night allegedly turned disorderly, leading two candidates in two separate races to file police reports against their opponents. Monday, those accused are speaking out. News 4 WOAI broke the story Sunday night. U.S. Representative District 20 candidates Rep. Charlie Gonzalez, Roger Scott and a third candidate had just finished an on-camera debate at the KLRN-TV studio, when the executive producer there says he heard a loud altercation off-camera. That producer told News 4 WOAI the shouting could be heard in the background of another debate already in progress. Republican candidate Roger Scott told News 4...

Who Is The 'Racist' Texas Senator? Wentworth? Ratliff? Who? Who? Who? The Snitch Has The Answer! "If you're going to act like a Mexican, we're going to treat you like a Mexican." SA's Leticia Van de Putte has finally identified the racist rat in the Texas Senate who coined that phrase. She did so inadvertently. We will explain, and name the name, but first... * * * The quote above, attributed to a "republican" and cited by State Senator Van de Putte last year, sparked nation-wide outrage and fueled racial hatred and division in Texas. She said it was uttered...

Democrats blast redistricting in national radio address Associated Press AUSTIN (AP) — Democrats used their national radio address Saturday to accuse congressional Republicans of trying to steal votes in Texas and called on President Bush to put a halt to congressional redistricting efforts in his home state. State Sen. Leticia Van de Putte of San Antonio accused the GOP of using recount, recall and redistricting efforts in Texas and nationwide in a "new playbook for a narrow Republican majority attempting to use government to expand partisan power." She called the effort to redraw congressional voting districts an attack on minority...

Texas senators return BY TRICIA CORTEZ Times staff writer Before a cheering crowd of family, friends and supporters, the "Texas 11 Minus One" delivered hugs and speeches Wednesday afternoon in Laredo after returning from a defiant six-week holdout in Albuquerque, N.M. While the Cigarroa High School band played and stylish Ryan Elementary cheerleaders performed, the 10 Democratic state senators received a good dose of Texas heat while they stood on a makeshift stage in an airport hangar before an enormous Texas flag. Hanging over the air was the possibility of being arrested by Texas Department of Public Safety agents. City...

State Senator Leticia Van de Putte of San Antonio, head of the TX Senate Democrat caucus, will be interviewed and take calls on C-SPAN from 9 to 9:30 a.m. Thursday. She is expected to attack Republican redistricting efforts as "unfair" to minorities.

Cost of exile adds up for Democrats BY LISA FALKENBERG Associated Press Writer Sen. Gonzalo Barrientos passes up lunch at the Hilton for a $6 chili dog with sauerkraut. Sen. Eliot Shapleigh has asked the other two partners in his El Paso law firm to take on his clients while he's away. Sen. Leticia Van de Putte took a loan out on her life insurance policy to make up for lost wages. In their 30 days of self-imposed exile, the 11 Texas Democrats who fled the state to block a vote on congressional redistricting have found their own ways of...

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- After rumors swept the ranks of Texas Senate runaways that arch-foe Tom DeLay had been in town, the Democrats swept their Marriott hotel rooms Wednesday for electronic bugs. They found no evidence of eavesdropping, but 11 Texas Democratic senators on the lam in Albuquerque took the possibility of cloak-and-dagger tactics at least somewhat seriously. "There have been some clicks and some things like that," said Sen. Leticia Van de Putte of San Antonio, chair of the Senate Democratic Caucus and a leader of the boycott of a special session on redistricting. She said staffers did not tell...

Demos threaten court action to block sanctions; Republicans stand firm Associated Press AUSTIN (AP) — Republican Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst on Tuesday dismissed as baseless and frivolous legal threats by 11 Texas Democrats boycotting the Senate chamber over how congressional voting districts are drawn. He indicated Senate Republicans would not impose further sanctions on the Democrats, who went to Albuquerque, N.M., three weeks ago to avoid a second special session on redistricting. "We've done what we can and we expect our senators to come back," Dewhurst said. Republican senators last week adopted a resolution that denies their Democratic colleagues and...

Redistricting feud erases spirit of bipartisanship in Legislature Associated Press AUSTIN (AP) — In late April, Republican and Demo cratic state senators seemed as though they were school children having a great time on a field trip. They took a yellow school bus to an East Austin residence where they stood behind their leader, Republican Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, as he announced a sweeping proposal to change how the state funds its public schools. Afterward, the lawmakers lined up at an ice cream cart, joking and laughing on that hot and sweaty day. Fast forward a few months. Nearly all...

Perry signals firm stand on redistricting Associated Press AUSTIN (AP) — A day after Senate Republicans voted to impose fines on their Democratic colleagues who are boycotting the chamber over congressional redistricting, Gov. Rick Perry on Wednesday indicated he would call another special session on redistricting and other issues. "If there is work to be done, I expect the Legislature to be here conducting" it, Perry said, when asked if he would call another special session. "You could surmise that if they want to stay in Albuquerque, that's their choice, but there is work to be done in this state."...

Democrat leader Van de Putte pulls no punches in fight with Republicans ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Sen. Leticia Van de Putte of San Antonio had just finished her second legislative session as a state senator when her 10 Democratic colleagues chose her to lead their caucus. Less than two months later, she led those same lawmakers in a historic boycott of the Senate chamber in protest of a Republican effort to redraw the state's congressional districts. The two-week boycott has stopped business in the Senate chamber because without the 11 Demo crats, there are not enough senators present for the...

Exiles' leader doesn't shy from a challenge Van de Putte's tenacity earns praise from fellow Senate Democrats 08/11/2003 Associated Press ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Sen. Leticia Van de Putte of San Antonio had just finished her second legislative session as a state senator when her Democratic colleagues chose her to lead their caucus. Less than two months later, she led 10 of those same lawmakers in a historic boycott of the Senate chamber in protest of a Republican effort to redraw the state's congressional districts. The boycott hits its two-week anniversary on Monday. "They are strong. They are strong," Ms. Van...

Lawmakers go to courts Both sides file actions over redistricting feud AUSTIN (AP) — The heated battle between Democrats and Republicans over congressional redistricting moved to the courts Thursday with both sides in the Senate stalemate pressing their cases. Gov. Rick Perry and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, both Republicans, made a filing in the Texas Supreme Court asking that the boycotting Democratic senators be ordered back to work. The 11 Democrats, who are holed up in an Albuquerque, N.M., hotel, filed a lawsuit in Travis County District Court asking that state officials or their deputies be prohibited from arresting them...

Perry rips absent Demos Executive order clears $700 million for schools Associated Press AUSTIN (AP) — Republican Gov. Rick Perry, again chastising Senate Democrats for fleeing to New Mexico amid a congressional redistricting battle, on Wednesday ordered that $700 million be paid to Texas schools this month. Perry issued an executive order preventing Foundation School Pro gram payments from being delayed until September, thus eliminating uncertainty for districts, he said. "It's a big chunk of change," Perry said. Lawmakers were to have addressed the payments — clarifying a discrepancy between two bills passed this spring — but 11 Democratic senators...

Democrat calls Perry shame to Bush legacy Walkout leader dubs governor 'great divider' ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Unlike George W. Bush, who united people when he was Texas governor, his successor, Gov. Rick Perry, is dividing Texans, the leader of the walkout by 11 Democratic senators said Sunday. "The difference was Bush was the great uniter. Perry and (U.S. House Majority Lead er Tom) DeLay are the great dividers," said Sen. Leticia Van de Putte of San Antonio, chairwoman of the Senate Democratic Caucus. Van de Putte also said the current special legislative session, which Perry called last week, is...

Walkout leader blasts PerrySenate Democrat says governor's push for remap has been divisive08/04/2003Associated Press ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Unlike George W. Bush, who united people when he was Texas governor, his successor, Gov. Rick Perry, is dividing Texans, the leader of the walkout by 11 Democratic senators said Sunday. "The difference was Bush was the great uniter. Perry and [U.S. House Majority Leader Tom] DeLay are the great dividers," said Sen. Leticia Van de Putte of San Antonio, chairwoman of the Senate Democratic Caucus. Her comments came on the sixth day of the Democratic boycott of the Texas Senate in...