Greg Abbott is the Republican Party’s nominee for governor of the state of Texas in the November, 2014 general election. In order to better understand the candidate, it is crucial to understand who is supporting him. Project Vote Smart http://votesmart.org/ lists his campaign contributors and this website will take on the task of helping voters to better understand the background of this candidate’s financial contributors.
The first contributor that Project Vote Smart lists is deceased billionaire Harold C. Simmons from Dallas who reportedly contributed $575,000 to candidate Abbott prior to his death. Mr. Simmons also called Pres. Obama “the most dangerous man in America.” According to Christopher Helman, of Forbes magazine, upon his death, Mr. Simmons controlled three companies with a combined market cap of $7.5 billion. He was an avowed libertarian and contributed heavily to gay rights and abortion rights organizations which contradicts Mr. Abbott’s far right anti-gay and anti-abortion agenda.
According to Mr. Helman, Mr. Simmons showed “an omnipresent eagerness to invest in the dirtiest of industries, in recent years one of his primary foci had been Waste Control Specialists, which successfully beat back opposition from environmentalists to open a low-level radioactive waste dump in Andrews, Texas, near the New Mexico border. So far thousands of tons of waste have been buried there.”
He was notorious for the number of lawsuits filed against him for massive contamination of the environment by the companies he controlled.
Texas voters should consider this financial contributor as well as all the others of candidate Greg Abbott before casting their ballot in November.
Houston – On Saturday, July 12, 2014, about 25 activists braved the Houston summer heat and a thunderstorm in front of the Galleria shopping center to express their opposition to U.S. military intervention in the Middle East. It was a peaceful, spirited demonstration called by the Progressive Workers Organizing Committee. A number of organizations participated including LCLAA, Houston Peace and Justice Center, Houston Communist Party, CPUSA including a number of labor activists.
A Texas judge sentenced former U.S. Congressperson Tom DeLay to 3 years in prison for conspiring to launder and direct some $190,000 in corporate contributions to Texas Republican candidates in 2002. DeLay was also known as the “Hammer†for his unscrupulous misuse of power in manipulating the U.S. Congress to uphold the interests of the most wealthy in this country.
Many Texans are asking “What took you so long?†and would just like to see the disgraced Congressperson get his just due.
His attorneys are, of course, appealing his conviction.
Texans and other interested parties will just have to wait as the justice system carefully considers what is the least punishment they can mete out to Mr. DeLay without arousing the working people who were his victims when he was in Congress.
Some may ask why it is that such a corporate criminal gets such lenient treatment by the justice system when poor working people get the book thrown at them for minor offenses. Perhaps we should ask “what is the purpose of the criminal justice system?†Is it to protect working people or corporate interests?
HOUSTON – The Houston Chronicle and Channel 13 (ABC) news have posted an article and video documenting the destruction of priceless art works at TSU last week. The scene of the crime was the main administration building where many beautiful murals adorn the walls. Two of these world class art works were unceremoniously destroyed last week.
You can find the Houston Chronicle article at http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7189008.html
Please take time to view this video from Channel 13 (ABC) news. It takes about five minutes or less and will fill you in on what is currently happening at TSU. http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/local&id=7646677
You may be aware that TSU has a world class art museum (The University Museum) which is the showcase for some of the art of Dr. John Biggers. Dr. Biggers’ work is well known throughout the world. Some of his students embarked on a project in which they painted beautiful murals on the halls of Hannah Hall at TSU. This project started in the 1960s and depicts the struggles of the times as seen through the eyes of Houstonians. The murals are historical and are a Houston treasure. I have viewed the murals myself and they are indeed stunning.
If you are so moved, please contact the Texas Governor’s office to express your displeasure with what has happened. The opinion line is (800)252-9600. The phone number is (512)463-2000 and the fax number is (512)463-1849. You can also ask that the murals be designated as an historical site.
You can also contact the TSU Board of Regents to express your displeasure by calling (713)313-7900 or send an e-mail to Griffin_ka@TSU.EDU . You can fax a letter to (713)313-7901 or mail it to:
Karen Griffin
Executive Director/Office of Board Relations
Texas Southern University
3100 Cleburne St., Hannah Hall 104
Houston, TX 77004
