Former U.S. Rep. Allen West is vying to unseat Texas GOP Chairman James Dickey. For months, the race for Texas GOP chair has been in full swing, with incumbent James Dickey and his high-profile challenger, Allen West, appearing at a slew of at times feisty forums. But it was not until last week that the two had to disclose their campaign finances for the first time — and West’s report brought something of a bombshell: Not only did the former Florida congressman raise nearly half a million dollars — a …

Big bucks — and a big donor — fuel Allen West’s bid for Texas GOP chair Read More »

In Houston, human trafficking victims have filed federal lawsuits against the corporate owners of hotels where they were allegedly forced into the sex trade. In Dallas, attorneys and activists angered by murders of children in city-owned rental properties are trying to force the city to adhere to the same standards it requires of private owners, in keeping tenants safe from violence. The common denominator in the two situations is the need for a legal handle to force rental property owners to accept some responsibility for allowing their premises to be …

Attorneys and activists want property owners to work harder to keep tenants safe Read More »

Perhaps, rather than sending troops into Iraq and Kuwait to defend U.S. troops already there, we should accede to the local nationalist demands, start bringing our troops home, and let Iranians, Iraqis, Libyans, Syrians, Yemenis and Afghans settle their quarrels. Fifteen years after the U.S. invaded Iraq to turn Saddam Hussein’s dictatorship into a beacon of democracy, Iraq’s Parliament, amid shouts of “Death to America!” voted to expel all U.S. troops from the country. Though nonbinding, the expulsion vote came after mobs trashed the U.S. embassy in an assault that …

If Baghdad Wants Us Out, Let’s Go! Read More »

By David Stockman By the twisted logic of Imperial Washington, you could say the Iranians were asking for it. After all, they had the nerve to locate their country right in the middle of 35 U.S. military bases! Then again, your saner angels may ask: What in the hell is Washington doing with a massive military footprint in a region and in a string of backwater countries that have virtually no bearing on homeland security, safety and liberty? Djibouti? Oman? Kyrgyzstan? Uzbekistan? Afghanistan? Bahrain? Kuwait? And, yes, Iraq and Iran? …

How The Donald Assassinated ‘America First’ Read More »

Two years after the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement received a complaint regarding alleged training violations by Montgomery County Precinct 4 Constable Kenneth “Rowdy” Hayden, commission officials confirmed the error in reporting the training was not due to any action by Hayden. Gretchen Grigsby, director of government relations at TCOLE, said that while Hayden was reprimanded in the case, Hayden is appealing the action. Hayden received the reprimand because he is the supervisor of Chief Deputy Barry Welch’s, who taught the class Hayden attended. Welch, Grigsby said, was reprimanded for …

Montgomery County Precinct 4 Constable cleared of any wrong doing over alleged training violations Read More »

This is an editorial about engineering laws and regulations that seem to be routinely ignored in Montgomery County. It is based on previous reporting about flooding in the Lake Houston Area. I don’t wish to demonize engineering, one of the most honorable professions around. If you’re one of the vast majority of honest, ethical professional engineers who strive daily to serve clients and protect the public, thank you. You can stop reading here. This editorial is not about you. It IS for the few who ignore their professional code of …

Editorial: Are Engineering Laws and Regulations Routinely Ignored in Montgomery County? Read More »