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Volume XX Number 16 - October 11, 2021     RSS Feed   

A Periodic Newsletter for Committed Texas Conservatives

In This Issue

Accidental County Judge Hidalgo Embraces Socialism, Anyone Surprised?

Massive Vote By Mail = Fraud

Texas Democrats Whine About State Redistricting

Important Elections In Bellaire, Harris County, Texas

Texas Propositions For November Election, TCR Suggests

Oreta Ellis RIP

Michael Ramirez Editorial Cartoon

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Gary Polland
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Thoughts This Fortnight

TCR Back After A Week

We are back again this week because there are so many things to comment on, so let's go.

Accidental County Judge Hidalgo Embraces Socialism, Anyone Surprised?

After recently giving her a light slap on the wrist for steering a controversial COVID relief contract to a former political associate of Precinct 2, Commissioner Adrian Garcia who stood to make millions in public money to mine voter data for Democrats, the Houston Chronicle Editorial Board was once again worshiping at the feet of Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo.

The liberal-loving newspaper published an opinion piece by Hidalgo where she fell all over herself fawning over President Joe Biden's so-called "Build Back Better Agenda."

I know Texas Conservative Review readers won't be shocked that Hidalgo was all over it for Biden.

He and his plans represent everything she loves and has shown voters as County Judge, a love for playing favorites and diverting needed resources from things that make sense to things that buy votes for Democrats.

"President Biden's plan represents a once-in-a-lifetime chance to cement our path towards a future where our community can live healthier, safer and more prosperous lives and begin to tackle the deep inequities that have sown so much division," wrote Hidalgo, who probably had some help with the piece from her buddies in the Biden administration.

In fact, her Biden buddies probably like her so much because Hidalgo has laid out a blueprint in Harris County they can appreciate.

With the help of fellow liberals Garcia and Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis, she has expanded county government by creating unnecessary departments and bureaucracy.

She has championed an anti-law enforcement, anti-crime victim agenda by going after the men and women of the county's constables. This defunding of police is being done in the face of rising crime and murder rates.

She has supported diverting county money to giving legal advice to illegal immigrants and helped Ellis and Garcia turn the criminal courthouse into one big revolving door for violent criminals who prey on fresh victims after repeatedly being let out of jail.

Look for moves to raid capital improvement project funds to pay for feel-good community projects to capture more Democratic votes.

She and the Democratic majority on Commissioners Court have already been working hard on spending more than a billion dollars in federal COVID money as fast as they can on pet projects and with favored vendors. If they were being so effective tackling COVID with these funds, then why are there so many suffering in the communities they say they champion?

Hidalgo has worked hard to sour flood control efforts and has alienated our transportation partners at the state by suing the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) over $7 billion that could be invested into improving Interstate 45. That is money Hidalgo, Garcia and Ellis are holding hostage, state funds that could be brought to Harris County, because they want TxDOT to alter the long-time plans to please liberal transit consultants.

Yes. It's no surprise Hidalgo supports the boondoggle that is Biden's tear down America plan. She's been taking Harris County apart piece-by-piece since taking office.

Massive Vote By Mail = Fraud

As in so many matters, California leads the way on bad political concepts. They now mail ballots to all voters to those who receive a voter registration card because they have a driver's license. Keep in mind, in California non-citizens and illegal immigrants can get a driver's license, which opens the opportunity for ballot fraud.

It is estimated in the recent recall election, that well over 1 million illegal votes were cast.

But there is more, in Harris County, Texas it was recently revealed by the Houston Business Connection newspaper, that identified numerous dead people applied for and received ballots by mail. The activities of "ballot harvesters" responsible are campaign operatives working for Sheila Jackson Lee! Ballot by mail empowers non-illegal ballot harvesters!

Remember the President Jimmy Carter and Secretary Jim Baker bi-partisan commission on voting said this about ballot by mail, "Absentee ballots remain the largest source of potential voter fraud ... The practice in some states of allowing candidates or party workers to pick up and deliver absentee ballots should be eliminated."

Below is one of many examples of dead persons applying for and voting in 2020. Jessie Burks passed away in 2015, 5 years BEFORE this application was signed and mailed.

The reforms instituted in Texas will hopefully reduce fraud in ballot by mail. However, the Harris County appointed Election Administrator has ignored Texas law and mailed ballot by applications to lots of registered voters! An appointed election official not following the law should be removed and replaced with someone who respects and follows Texas law.

Texas Democrats Whine About State Redistricting

Meanwhile, Harris County Democrats Hidalgo, Ellis and Garcia pick Democratic operative to lead redistricting in state's largest county.

That's right, Matt Angle, a well-known Democratic operative, is in charge of redistricting. Have you heard any complaints about "unfair" redistricting coming from a biased source? No, just complaints about the state program which has just begun and is a work in progress. Have we heard how the Democrats in Illinois and New York are gerrymandering Republicans? No, because that is what both parties do.

As for the idea to have a so-called non-partisan redistricting commission, check their records and you will find they are just a cover for a pro-Democrat redistricting plan.

One other thought, has anyone looked in Texas at the number of minority candidate elections in non-minority districts? More are coming, like Wesley Hunt, Republican Afro-American in Congressional District 38. So why does the person representing a Congressional District have to be the race of the majority of constituents? Isn't that racist too?

Important Elections In Bellaire, Harris County, Texas

Bellaire, Texas is a city of homes. Issues have arisen over the last decade that spotlighted problems with the City bureaucracy and loose supervision by the Mayors and City Council men and women.

Most recently, rising debt, a failure to secure beneficial rate discounts on flood insurance, mishandling of zoning rules, zero lot line commercial development, and allowing a parking lot to be built that was never approved.

In the election of 2020, the City elected reformers Jim Hotze, Catherine Lewis and Nathan Wesley who have made progress getting the City on the right track.

This year, there are three more reform candidates: For Position 1, Kevin Newman and Position 3, Javier Vega and Position 5, Andrea Ehlers.

These three candidates are focused like a laser on controlling runaway debt, aggressive actions for flood control, ending unvoted for property taxes and hiring qualified staff who will do their job correctly.

These candidates will help establish a culture of accountability.

Texas Propositions For November Election,
TCR Suggests

Proposition 1

This amendment would authorize professional sports team charitable organizations to conduct raffles at rodeo venues.

TCR Suggests: If you support more raffles, vote Yes, if not, No

Proposition 2

The amendment would authorize a county to issue bonds to fund infrastructure and transportation projects in undeveloped and blighted areas. It would prohibit counties that issue bonds for such purposes from pledging more than 65% of the increase in ad valorem tax revenues to repay the bonds.

TCR Suggests: No

Proposition 3

It would amend Article 1 of the Texas Constitution to prohibit the state or any political subdivision from enacting a law, rule, order, or proclamation that limits religious services or organizations.

TCR Suggests: Yes

Proposition 4

This would change the eligibility requirements for a justice of the supreme court, a judge of the court of criminal appeals, a justice of a court of appeals, and a district judge.

New requirements would include:

  • Candidates should be residents of Texas as well as citizens of the State;

  • Candidates should have 10 years of experience in Texas as a practicing lawyer or judge of a state or county court for candidates of the Supreme Court, Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, or a Court of Appeals;

  • Candidates should have 8 years of experience in Texas as a practicing lawyer or judge of a state or county court for candidates of a district court;

  • It would disqualify candidates if their license to practice law was revoked or suspended during experience requirement; and

  • These requirements would be applied to individuals elected or appointed to a term beginning after January 1, 2025.

TCR Suggests: Yes

Proposition 5

It authorizes the Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct to accept and investigate complaints and reports against candidates running for state judicial office.

TCR Suggests: Yes

Proposition 6

This allows residents of nursing facilities, assisted living facilities, or state-supported living centers to designate an essential caregiver that may not be prohibited from visiting the resident, even during a pandemic.

TCR Suggests: Yes

Proposition 7

This would amend the Texas Constitution to allow the legislature to extend a homestead tax limit for surviving spouses of disabled individuals as long as the spouse is over 55 years old and resides at the home.

TCR Suggests: Yes

Proposition 8

This measure would amend the Texas Constitution to authorize a total residence homestead property tax exemption for a surviving spouse of a member of the armed services who is killed or fatally injured in the line of duty.

TCR Suggests: Yes

Oreta Ellis RIP

February 24, 1940 - September 14, 2021

We recently lost a giant Harris County Republican leader at age 81. Oreta Ellis served as the Executive Director of the Harris County Republican Party beginning in 1996. She was integral in what is now described as the golden era where the GOP dominated Harris County politics.

Oreta was married to the late longtime Harris County Juvenile District Judge Kent Ellis. She and Kent had three children: longtime State District Judge Mark Kent Ellis, former Associate District Judge Angela Ellis, and James Ellis, a businessman in Hong Kong.

Oreta was a feisty, effective and enthusiastic colleague who made our county a much better place. She will be missed.

Michael Ramirez Editorial Cartoon

TCR Comment: Michael Ramirez is simply the best cartoonist working today. This one captures the border patrol's hard work and destroys the Democratic-Mainstream media's misinformation.


TCR on the Air

Gary Polland is now a regular on "What's Your Point?" hosted by Greg Groogan on Fox 26 Houston, appearing every other week. Tune in or set your recorder for 7:00 am Sundays.

Gary has recently undertaken the hosting duties on a new interview show, Tell It Like It Is. The show is available at American Star TV and at its YouTube Channel. Currently on hiatus.

Red, White, and Blue featuring TCR Editor Gary Polland on Fridays at 7:30 pm on Houston Public Media TV 8, replaying Saturday at 6:30 p.m. on Channel 8, Monday at 11:30 pm on Channel 8.2 and on the web at www.houstonpublicmedia.org.

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About Your Editor

Gary Polland is a long-time conservative and Republican spokesman, fund-raiser, and leader who completed three terms as the Harris County Republican Chairman. During his three terms, Gary was described as the most successful county Chairman in America by Human Events - The National Conservative Weekly. He is in his twenty-sixth year of editing a newsletter dealing with key conservative and Republican issues. The last twenty years he has edited Texas Conservative Review. As a public service for the last 18 years, Gary has published election guides for the GOP primary, general elections and city elections, all with the purpose of assisting conservative candidates. Gary is also in his 21st year of co-hosting Red, White and Blue on Houston Public Media TV 8 PBS Houston, longest running political talk show in Texas history. Gary serves on the Board of Directors of American Values, a national pro-family, pro-faith, conservative organization supporting the unity of the American people around the vision of our founding fathers and dedicated to reminding the public of the conservative principles fundamental to the survival of our nation. Gary is a practicing attorney and strategic consultant. He can be reached at (713) 621-6335.

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