Election '06 - Texas CD 7

Election Night Party

2006-03-02T16:27:00.000-08:00

Join us March 7th at Salento Cafe, 2407 Rice Blvd. (Rice Village), at 7pm for our victory party.

A Letter from the Candidate's Wife

2006-02-25T06:41:00.000-08:00

To Mr. Hurta and other current and former Henley students:

I am writing this to you all because I truly respect what you are doing and your ambition to affect change in Washington. You have been a voice for Mr. Henley that has held nothing but class. Although we disagree with which candidate we support, and I’m not trying to change your minds, I would like to clear the air about a few things. I am writing this for two reasons. One, if Mr. Murff wins this election, I want you to know what you’re getting. Two, if Mr. Henley wins this election, I want you to know that he was not a victim of attacks through all of this.

Let me start by saying, that Mr. Murff is a very honest person. That is one quality I know he owns. He does everything strictly by the book. Due to the fact that his honesty was under attack by the Henley campaign, Mr. Murff wrote the letter to the constituents of CD7 that is now shown on DemsUnderground. I am sorry that when Mr. Hurta approached Mr. Henley about whether or not he had been saying things about Mr. Murff’s military record that Mr. Hurta was told by Mr. Henley that he had never mentioned it. Although a Henley supporter may have been the one to question Mr. Murff’s military record to begin with, Mr. Henley has more than mentioned this issue ever since, along with many other things. For example, at one meeting, Mr. Henley brought up Mr. Murff’s military service by saying, “I have seen the length of time that Mr. Murff served, and I know that if you serve less than two years, then you cannot be a veteran.” That is hardly the truth. He also said that the Band of Brothers was just another special interest group that Mr. Murff is involved with. Mr. Henley has brought this up several times and it is very insulting.

When it comes to the endorsement issue, Mr. Henley campaigns on this repeatedly. It is the truth that Mr. Murff received the endorsements, but after the Henley campaign called and attacked each endorsement, each gentlemen needed to look out for his own campaign and promised Mr. Murff that they would be there for him after the primary. At a meet and greet at the "Patriots for Regime Change" club, Mr. Henley attacked Mr. Murff and lost his temper at the same time. It was the meanest I’ve ever seen him. Mr. Murff had to, again, correct the endorsement issue. Mr. Henley didn’t stop there, he got very angry. The host then stopped the question/answer session, and had to remind Mr. Henley that we are all Democrats and we shouldn’t be attacking each other. Mr. Henley didn’t back down, instead he argued with the host that if he didn’t like it, he shouldn’t have invited both candidates in the same room. A lot of people were turned off with Mr. Henley that night. Although this was the angriest I’ve seen Mr. Henley, it is not the first time, in this campaign, that he has lost his temper. I really wish that he would stick to the issues instead of attacking his opponent.

Whoever goes against Mr. Culberson has to hold himself with dignity and class. If Mr. Henley is this angry at someone within his own party, I can’t imagine how he’ll react to someone like Mr. Culberson, who will attack Mr. Henley every chance he gets.

There have been countless meetings that Mr. Henley has attacked Mr. Murff with lies. He’s even started some new ones. This past weekend, at a house party for Mr. Murff, a supporter came to Mr. Murff and me and said that her and her husband had been to two or three meetings where Mr. Henley had spoken. She said that each time, Mr. Henley questioned Mr. Murff’s military record, brought up the endorsement issue, and even questioned Mr. Murff’s legal credentials as an attorney. I have heard other rumors that I don’t care to get into because the truth was so far stretched that it can not be dignified with an answer.

Mr. Murff has never made up anything about Mr. Henley. The most he’s ever said about Mr. Henley is that he and his family were involved with the White Water scandal. Mr. Murff was not belittling Mr. Henley on this topic, he was merely pointing out that whoever wins this primary has got to appeal to Republican voters. I am glad that there are still people out there, like Susan McDougal, who are willing to risk their freedoms for the things they believe in, but that simply is not the point.

I wish both candidates the best of luck and that CD7 will finally get a voice in November.

Sincerely,
Lindsey Murff

Strong Commitments for the Future

2006-02-13T07:13:00.000-08:00

February 8th turned out to be an awakening for this Nation. When I and 39 other Democratic veteran's (www.bandofbrothers2006.org) took the stage before the U.S. Capital to proclaim that our fight had just begun, a shot was fired across the bow of the failed leadership currently occupying Congress and the White House.

Later that evening, personal commitments were made by Senator John Kerry and Retired General Wesley Clark, as well as many others in attendance, to fully support the campaigns of those of us who have so valiantly served this Nation and have now returned to continue our service in Congress.

I know how important that commitment will be for I have already found my own military service record attacked by my primary opponent (who has never served). This "swift boat" Karl Rovian style of attack was certainly expected from the other Party, but has been disgraceful coming from a fellow Democrat. It means a great deal to me to have Senator Kerry tell me that if he is needed in Congressional District 7 to rebut similar attacks as those made against him, Senator Max Cleland and most recently Representative Murtha, he will drop everything and be on the next plane out.

Wow... nearly 20 years ago!

True leadership must have the ability to unite the constituents of Congressional District 7 rather than divide us. My primary opponent's bizarre strategy of attacking Democrats and veterans must have John Culberson smiling pretty big right now; Jim Henley's doing half the work for him.

Band of Brothers to take Washington

2006-01-18T14:45:00.000-08:00

Remember this date: February 8th, 2006.

The newly formed Band of Brothers 2006 will be gathering in Washington as part of a coordinated effort to showcase the cohesiveness of the nearly 50 veterans who are seeking seats in the 110th Congress. Former Senator Max Cleland will lead the group in meetings throughout the day, including opportunities for press photos on the steps of the Capital Building and meetings with key Congressional leaders.

We are all strong, principled citizens who have had enough of the current direction of our country, and are ready to fight — as Democrats have always fought — for solutions to the problems of security, health care, and corporate and political corruption.

While individually, each veteran offers hope in one district — together we are a new movement. As veterans who have fought for America, we will fight for all in Congress.

For more information on the group, you may visit: www.bandofbrothers2006.org

On the Campaign Trail

2006-01-01T08:01:00.000-08:00

I officially began my bid for Congress in late September, 2005. And, after lengthy discussions with family and friends, it was determined that my next stop was to meet with members of Congress, the DCCC and campaign strategists in Washington.

David with U.S. Senatorial Candidate, Barbara Radnofsky

I spent the second week in November on Capital Hill and it became clear that in order to remove John Culberson from office, I would not only have to energize the constituents of CD7, but I would also have to bring this race to the national forefront. In that effort, I introduced myself to as many Congressional leaders as possible and spoke at great lengths about the lack of representation on behalf of the district and the prospects of electing a Democrat to a district that at one time was considered to be the most Republican Congressional district in the Nation.

David with Texas Gubenatorial Candidate, Bob Gammage

I received a great deal of support and encouragement along with some interesting tidbits about Representative Culberson. Apparently there is little respect for a lawmaker who will say one thing to someone's face and then stab them in the back. No wonder his accomplishments while in office are few and far between.

Explaining how we are going to take our Nation back in 2006

As soon as I returned home, I began an extensive tour of our local Democratic Clubs. Speaking to members of nearly every Democratic Club in the District, I have had the pleasure of meeting and becoming friends with some of the most incredible, dedicated individuals, who have sought to restore integrity and sanity to our political system for as long as they could remember.

Receiving some good advice from Texas Representative, Scott Hochberg

With my official filing for a place on the ballot on January 2nd, I take the biggest step of all, on a path dreamed about by many yet traveled by few.

Filing News and Announcement Party

2005-12-31T17:52:00.000-08:00

Mark your calendars!

Join me Monday, January 2nd at the Harris County Democratic Party Headquarters as I file for a place on the ballot to replace John Culberson as Representative to Congressional District 7.

My family and campaign staff will be joining in on this momentous occasion and everyone will be welcome to share lunch with us afterwards.

Some great looking bumperstickers will be available to all.

ANNOUNCEMENT PARTY

Be a part of history by attending my Announcement Party on January 11th from 6:00pm through 8:00pm at Christie's Seafood and Steaks at 6029 Westheimer, 1.5 miles West of the Galleria.

This will be a night to remember as I announce my candidacy and put forth a bold new initiative for our Nation's future and its government. You will leave inspired, full of hope and once again, proud to be an American.

See you there.

Culberson Debunked - Now You See Em... Now You Don't

2005-12-08T15:00:00.000-08:00

The Houston Press picked up on this during the first week in December and followed the developing story from senior reporter Sterry Butcher of the Big Bend Sentinel.

Sheriffs diffuse congressman’s account of Al Qaeda terrorists in Far West Texas Jails

By STERRY BUTCHER - Senior Reporter Big Bend Sentinel

FAR WEST TEXAS - A Republican congressman who last week declared to Fox News that a suspect associated with Al Qaeda was held recently at the Brewster County jail may have had his stories mixed up, according to area sheriffs and the FBI.

John Culberson, R-Houston, has been active in the recent effort to get more federal dollars to sheriffs’ offices along the U.S.-Mexico border. Last Friday, he went on the “Hannity and Colmes” talk show to discuss border protection issues. He told his hosts that he’d met with sheriffs at a conference in Laredo.

“And the Hudspeth County Sheriff, Arvin West, and the Brewster County, Ronnie Dodson, confirmed for me that they had an Al Qaeda terrorist, an Iraqi national who was on the FBI’s terrorist list as an Al Qaeda member in the Brewster County jail,” Culberson said, according to the show’s transcript. “He had been apprehended by Mexican authorities, handed over by the Mexican authorities to the Hudspeth County sheriff, with whom the Mexican authorities had a good working relationship.”

“You’re saying within the last six weeks that we know for a fact that Al Qaeda terrorists have crossed our border are in the United States,” host Sean Hannity asked.

Yes, the congressman replied.

“Both Sheriff West and Sheriff Dodson, the two sheriffs from Hudspeth and Brewster County, had this information confirmed for them by the FBI and the Department of Justice, who came down, and this guy was on the FBI’s Al Qaeda list of terrorists,” Culberson said. “He was picked up and questioned. First, questioned carefully by the FBI and then picked up and taken out of the Brewster County jail.”

Well, not quite.

“Congressman Culberson has two or three different stories confused,” Brewster County Sheriff Ronnie Dodson said Monday. “We have no terrorist in our jail.”

Dodson and West are among the sheriffs who have talked with Culberson in recent weeks about the challenges presented by the rugged, porous U.S.-Mexico border. Culberson was gathering these stories as background information for a $100 million “border law enforcement” bill he introduced on November 17.

“Congressman Culberson has been getting a lot of stories and they’re running on top of each other,” said Dodson. “We’ve all visited with him; every sheriff had a different story to tell him.”

Both the Brewster and the Hudspeth county jails receive payments from government entities to temporarily house federal suspects in the local jails.

“We had one guy about a year and a half ago who had a ‘jihad’ tattoo on him,” said Dodson. “He was interviewed and cleared by the FBI. And we had a guy from Presidio in jail who had drawn a picture on his pants of Osama bin Laden, and we didn’t know if that was a joke or not. That was way over a year and a half ago.”

Over in Hudspeth County, West has heard of a suspect in the Mexican border town of Porvenir who was of interest for his potential link to Al Qaeda, but this person did not cycle through his jail.

“There was a guy arrested in Mexico in March or April who was identified as possibly being part of Al Qaeda,” West said this week. “He was given to Mexican immigration and Mexican immigration turned him over to American immigration. I never saw the guy. I got this information back in April as a for-your-information type deal. Since then, I put it on the back burner and made mention of it at one of our meetings where we were discussing the potential of drug trafficking through there, or the potential of the Taliban or anyone coming through here.”

The FBI corroborated the sheriffs’ reports.

Bill Vanderland of Midland, the FBI supervisor for the Permian Basin and Big Bend, said Tuesday that it appears the reports of Al Qaeda terrorists detained in Far West Texas jails has been “blown way out of proportion, but with the purist of motives.”

In the post-9/11 years of heightened alert and security, area sheriffs, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol officials have contacted the FBI about four times regarding individuals in custody who, for various reasons, were suspected of terrorist ties, said Vanderland.

“We have found no identifiable links to terrorism” in the Big Bend region, he said.

Vanderland noted that all agencies should be vigilant in the wake of 9/11, but with the Border Sheriffs’ Coalition and other information mechanisms now in place, the lines of communication among local, county, state and federal agencies have never been better.

When contacted Tuesday, the congressman’s office maintained that Culberson relied upon Dodson and West for the information he related on the talk show.

“It’s way too important to leave anything to chance,” said Tony Essalih, the congressman’s press secretary. “We definitely talked to the sheriffs at length about this.”

West does acknowledge that it’s possible that a terrorist could cross a Far West Texas border.

“ In talking to my counterparts in Mexico, they were telling me of four Pakistanis trying to hire coyotes,” said West. “The potential is there. We’ve got a lot of wide open spaces and a lack of manpower.”

Dodson is aware of Culberson’s bill and welcomes the prospect of federal financial help.

“We appreciate that,” he said. “There’s a need. But if something is really happening, we will let the proper authority know. You’re safe in my hands.”

Unilateral Destruction - Let's Start with Al Jazeera

2005-11-22T13:20:00.000-08:00

Wow, just when we thought this current Administration could sink no lower, we hear from across the Atlantic (the Daily Mirror, reporting) that President Bush seriously considered bombing Al Jazeera's headquarters.

Were it not for the cool headed Tony Blair, this Nation might have bombed its way into an international catastrophe far beyond the quagmire we currently find ourselves in with Iraq. While I am certainly not a supporter of the Al Jazeera Network and have found their reporting vile and without repute, it is frightening to even contemplate that the leader of the free world (as if that means anything anymore), could believe this type of preemptive strike an option.

International relations have been destroyed by this Administration and America's credibility, relating to any issue has steadily declined. Our chances of garnering international support to finish our "nation building" endeavor in Iraq may have disappeared into the desert sands forever with this latest revelation.

Hope in 2006

2005-11-21T07:57:00.000-08:00

The voters of CD7 hold firmly in their hands, a chance to truly make this Nation better. For many years, we have watched our congressional leaders pander to big money interests and shirk social responsibility. We have witnessed unacceptable declines in educational opportunities, seen our hopes for a national healthcare plan disappear, and threw up our arms in frustration as vicious attacks were made against social programs aimed primarily at benefiting middle and lower class families while unsound tax policies were implemented benefiting those who need help the least.

Yet, Democrats have not been the only ones to have suffered under this current political machine. In speaking to constituents in CD7, Republicans are equally as frustrated with their Party and feel abandoned and misled. In that regard, it is easy to understand why. Representative Culberson has been no friend to small business (typically supporters of the Republican Party). Having voted against Small Business Administration Funding of SBA Loans on numerous occasions, this is but one example of his policy of voting against the interests of those who support him the most. As you can imagine, the list is voluminous and further illustrates the Congressman's complete abandonment regarding veteran's issues, support for medical research, and any rational hope of a balanced budget. But I digress.

During the second week in November, I had an opportunity to meet with congressional leaders in Washington who shared my enthusiasm for change in '06 and offered support, not only for my campaign, but for the run being made by Nick Lampson against Tom Delay. Those of you familiar with Delay will most certainly recognize many of his characteristics present in Culberson, who between the two of them, have passed campaign contributions back and forth over the years.

On more than one occasion, members of Congress expressed confidence that a two for one deal could be pulled off in '06. But it all begins with you. One voice can make a difference and it is time that we make our collective voices heard.