Our "Warrior for Justice",
TXSharon, originally reported on this issue. I know that she's overwhelmed with last minute issues running up to 11/7, so I'm going to make an attempt to do her justice in my
first diary posting. I'm also expanding significantly on a post by
PDiddie from earlier this morning.
Over the weekend the story was picked up by several newspapers and also the Associated Press. Today, the Austin American Statesman finally decided to weigh in on the story, albeit in what I consider to be a highly unusual manner.
First a little "refresher" for those of you who may have missed the original diary on this one.
This is the history of an implosion that started 5 days ago... First WFAA in Dallas picked up the story (and it was not a "scoop" delivered by the David Van Os Campaign. I can assure you that David has more integrity than that!)
(Blogger note: I'm making it easy for you... Just click here:
[http://www.wfaa.com/...]
(It takes a while to download, be patient.)
Following is David's response to the story:
Statement of David Van Os - October 27, 2006
The "good guy" image of himself that Greg Abbott is spending millions of dollars to promote is phonier than a three-dollar bill. Beneath the glossy campaign ads, he's a thief and a hypocrite, and his claim to be such a nice guy is a pack of lies.
Abbott has been caught red-handed using film produced by state employees on state equipment and on state time in his campaign commercials and in his campaign website. WFAA-TV laid out the undeniable evidence in its 10:00 news on October 27. Anyone with an Internet connection can view the story at wfaa.com.
The WFAA report also reveals that Abbott set up an expensive video department in the AG's office on tax dollars so he could produce films for his grandstanding at the taxpayers' expense.
Greg Abbott is a state employee. State law prohibits state employees from using state resources for political purposes. It's stealing the taxpayers' money.
Hey Greg, WRONG is WRONG, LYING is LYING, and STEALING is STEALING.
There's no difference between stealing a penny and stealing a dollar; cheating on a test or cheating in an election; little white lies or whoppers.
Just like all the other insider politicians, Greg Abbott thinks he has an entitlement to public office, as if it were his personal property.
Greg Abbott is so sure of his entitlement, he thinks he has a special privilege to steal public equipment and resources to promote himself. If he doesn't apply the law to himself, then he'll also selectively enforce the law - and that is what he does.
He gives free passes to big campaign contributors through non-enforcement of consumer protection laws; but enforces the law vigorously against those who are defenseless and usually penniless.
He garnishes a child's bank account so he can get a statistic claiming he's collected child support - by taking the money from the very child the money was intended for.
He calls himself the holy defender of the Ten Commandments while trampling on its injunctions not to steal, lie, or idolize himself.
He calls himself the patriotic defender of the Pledge of Allegiance while disgracing our nation's fundamental value that government belongs to the people.
We the people have got to take our government back from the crooks. Greg Abbott is such a hypocrite it makes me want to throw up, and it's time the people throw him out of the office he is stealing from them.
Over the weekend, dedicated grass roots believers in David's campaign went on a massive campaign to make sure this story didn't just roll over and die. Every major media outlet (newspaper, radio and television) was bombarded with the story. It was picked up by the Associated Press.
I guess when something hits the AP Wire, it makes the Austin American Statesman prick up their ears and listen. Here is a link to their full story:
[http://www.statesman.com/...]
This is the headline they chose, but more on that later:
Abbott: Ad using state tape is legal
Rival accuses official of stealing tax money to promote himself
Instead, the arrest video highlighted in a campaign commercial for Attorney General Greg Abbott was shot by a state employee at taxpayer expense. In fact, video of everything from Abbott's news conferences to the latest bust of suspected child predators can be found on his campaign and official state Web sites -- all shot by his $70,000-a-year state-paid videographer.
That must be one heckuva videographer! His salary is at the very high end of the pay scale for State Employees, as is easily evidenced by checking out the following from the web site:
[http://www.hr.state.tx.us/...]
[http://www.hr.state.tx.us/...]
$70K to operate a camera...Hey, nice work if you can get it!
In essence, candidate Abbott filed an open records request to Attorney General Abbott for the videos produced by the state. No reimbursement was required, according to the Abbott campaign, because the video copies cost less than $10.
Sounds a bit like the fox guarding the hen house, if you ask me! Clearly, Abbott goes to Abbott to request the video and it doesn't cost him a stinking dime! Basically, Joe Taxpayer has paid for the video in his campaign advertising! Heaven forbid he should spend any of his estimated $7MILLION dollar campaign war chest to produce something "fresh" or "original"... Hey, why would he when it's already been done for him?!?
The article goes on to quote from Abbott's office that they video all kinds of neat stuff...like when Mr. Abbott receives an award and such. There is a very fine line between public service and self promotion that has obviously been crossed here by Mr. Abbott. Sure, his office, with a budget of $500,000 (of which, more than 10% goes to the videographers $70K salary) produces training videos, public awareness video to educate parents about the dangers of their children's use of the internet, etc.
Bill Burns, a retired state employee who was a videographer for four attorneys general, including Abbott, said the job changed when Abbott took over four years ago. It became more about promoting Abbott, he said, as opposed to doing the legal, internal work.
"There is nothing more important to the Abbott administration than his name identification," Burns said. "It's all about him."
Careful, Bill, those are mighty harsh words for such a "dedicated" public servant! (Yeah, that's called sarcasm.) It certainly points out, from someone who previously held the job and has obvious issues with the misuse of government equipment, staff and other resources just how hypocritical Mr. Abbott is when he says he's doing it as a "public service".
There are several more paragraphs that I won't dissect here, so as to not violate copyright restrictions.
"It's stealing the taxpayers' money," said David Van Os, Abbott's Democratic opponent. "Greg Abbott is so sure of his entitlement to public office, he thinks he has a special privilege to steal public equipment and resources to promote himself."
Of all things in this article, this is what I find to be so patently offensive in the Austin American Statesman's article. They quote David Van Os in ONE SENTENCE and yet they feel his quote is so volatile that they reference it directly underneath their misleading headline. When first seeing the headline, one would be led to believe that there would be some comprehensive analysis from David Van Os as to why this is so wrong. I just want to scream, "COME ON STATESMAN! These are the candidates running for the highest law enforcement position in our great state! You've basically given Abbott a "get out of jail free" card and made Mr. Van Os appear to be terse, at best! Nothing could be further from the truth, which is why it's so wonderful to be able to end this diary on a positive note.
David, my friend, your response is truly "newsworthy". I'm proud to say that I cast my vote for you last week during the first week of Texas' early voting.
Yesterday, David Van Os released a strong statement. We can only hope that it will not go unnoticed by the media. They have a responsibility to report the news. Not part of the news. Not the news that suits them. Not the news that supports their owner/publisher's political persuasions...but ALL the news.
Fortunately, David Van Os isn't a man that gives anyone a free pass that doesn't deserve it...This is the latest response from David:
October 31, 2006 PRESS RELEASE
"There is nothing more important to the Abbott administration than his name identification. It's all about him." - Bill Burns, former Abbott videographer
Statement of David Van Os: "Today's Austin American Statesman in a front page article by Laylan Copelin quotes Abbott's bogus defense to using state property for his campaign commercials: He made an open records request to himself and granted his request. "Greg Abbott's four years as attorney general stand out as one long Halloween Day parade of masquerading as the state's lawyer while using state office to promote himself. As one of his former employees told the Statesman, *`There is nothing more important to the Abbott administration than his name identification,' Burns said. `It's all about him.' *
"The law is clear: he can't use state equipment or state employees for his political campaigns.
"And now as he offers his flimsy excuses, is he speaking as the state's lawyer or his own lawyer? "Greg Abbott's time as attorney general has imposed a rampant conflict of interest on the people of Texas. When your lawyer has a conflict of interest it's time to fire that lawyer. Good people of Texas, the time has come to fire this unethical travesty of a lawyer and hire a new one. Greg Abbott has to go!"
Texas deserves better than Greg Abbott. He should be ashamed of his actions, whether they were actually illegal or only grossly unethical and an abuse of power of monumental proportions. For shame.