Bill to Move Public Integrity Unit to AG's Office

[Mr. Deez]

http://www.mystatesman.com/news/news/senate-panel-oks-moving-public-integrity-unit/nkX4z/

Apparently, the Senate State Affairs Committee has approved a bill to move the Public Integrity Unit from the Travis County District Attorney's Office to the Attorney General's Office. I'm not entirely sure why the PIU was ever put within the control of one county's DA's office. That seems like a stupid place for it to be. However, I'm not so sure about moving it to the AG's office. Essentially, it's going from one partisan's office to another partisan's office who's in the same party as the people he's supposed to investigate. I don't see Ken Paxton as being a serious advocate for the public against a bunch of crooked Republicans in the Legislature or Governor's office. Sleaziness and corruption were common even when it was with the County's office, and under this bill, it'll probably run wild.

I think a smarter idea would be to move the PIU to the State Prosecuting Attorney's Offfice - a far less partisan office.

 

[Crockett]

Well, AG candidates always tout their law enforcement and prosecutorial connections on the campaign trail. This would give the AG a chance to actually do what voters think they do.

Obviously, a public integrity unit needs lawyers that are not only highly skilled, but also courageous and passionate.

 

[Mr. Deez]

Well, AG candidates always tout their law enforcement and prosecutorial connections on the campaign trail. This would give the AG a chance to actually do what voters think they do.

Obviously, a public integrity unit needs lawyers that are not only highly skilled, but also courageous and passionate.

Yes, this is true, but the Attorney General is an inherently partisan position, and in a one-party state like Texas, he's elected on the same de facto political ticket as the people he's charged to prosecute. I think the more separated the PIU is from partisan politics, the better. Moving it from the DA's office to the AG's office makes that problem worse, not better.

In addition, even though one shouldn't consider the current political climate as the deciding factor in making structural changes to government, it's hard to ignore the fact that this would eliminate the Democrats' last piece of influence on Texas politics. If this bill becomes law, the GOP will truly have absolute power. There will be no check at all, and that's dangerous.

 

[Crockett]

Real leaders can rise above partisanship in pursuit of justice. If things get too cozy or corrupt there will be consequences. Texas won't always be run by the same faction of the same political party.

 

[Mr. Deez]

Real leaders can rise above partisanship in pursuit of justice. If things get too cozy or corrupt there will be consequences. Texas won't always be run by the same faction of the same political party.

This is true, but when there's no accountability a lot of irreparable damage can be done in a short period of time.

 

[Sangre Naranjada]

This wouldn't be an issue if Rosemary Drunkberg could have controlled herself.

 

[Mr. Deez]

This wouldn't be an issue if Rosemary Drunkberg could have controlled herself.

Rosemary Drunkberg is a walking dumpster fire and should have resigned. However, this issue is bigger and much, much older than her fiasco. They've wanted the PIU out of the DA's office as long as the GOP has held significant clout in Texas politics. It goes back more than 20 years.

 

[AustinBat]

It's been partisan since it has been in the DA's office. I was at Girl's State with Lemberg, and despised her when we were 17. I got to screw her out of a chance to talk on the floor of the House, which I loved. No one who watched her DUI videos could have any respect for her. She is pathetic. And just look at Wikipedia to see all the money Ronnie Earle wasted trying to convict Republicans. And LeCresha Murray -thousands of dollars were spent trying to convict an 11-yr-old black girl when forensics showed no evidence that she was involved.

 

[Sangre Naranjada]

They've wanted the PIU out of the DA's office as long as the GOP has held significant clout in Texas politics. It goes back more than 20 years.

Granted. I remember Ronnie Earle's witch hunts against GOP politicians too. And I think you might be on to something with respect to the State Prosecuting Attorney's Office. However, I would like to hear more about the role of this office if you don't mind teaching for a bit.

 

[Mr. Deez]

Granted. I remember Ronnie Earle's witch hunts against GOP politicians too. And I think you might be on to something with respect to the State Prosecuting Attorney's Office. However, I would like to hear more about the role of this office if you don't mind teaching for a bit.

The State Prosecuting Attorney's Office represents the State of Texas before the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. It's an appointed office, so politics are going to be present, but there's a reason why even well-informed people like you aren't familiar with it. It's not an especially partisan or political office - certainly much less so than the Travis County DA or the Texas AG. It's not a big operation, and they'd probably have to expand a little to handle the duties of public integrity, but it would be worth the cost to have fair, nonpartisan people who have the public's respect and trust keeping their eyes on our public officials.

 

[majorwhiteapples]

Two things here, the people elect the Senators and Representatives in Texas, so the public is getting what they want.....

I forgot my second point.........oh yea, I thought someone on this board said about 6 or 7 years ago that Texas would be Blue by 2016?

 

[Mr. Deez]

Two things here, the people elect the Senators and Representatives in Texas, so the public is getting what they want.....

Not sure that they're getting what they want, but they are getting what they deserve.

I forgot my second point.........oh yea, I thought someone on this board said about 6 or 7 years ago that Texas would be Blue by 2016?

Not me. I don't think Texas will go blue in the foreseeable future. The Battleground Texas people really don't know what they're dealing with.