In other words: A discussion of The Bush Administration
Guess what? I'm posting more about the fleeing Texas Dems. The Texas story just gets more interesting. And why? Because quite frankly the present republican party seems willing to abuse its authority at any opportunity. How much did the republicans do it Texas to get the democrats back? We'll probably never know:
Texas agents destroy rebellion records
FORT WORTH, Texas - Texas Department of Public Safety captains were ordered to destroy all records gathered in the search for Democratic legislators who fled the state in a successful effort to prevent a redistricting bill from passing, according to a published report.
...
Also Tuesday, officials were asked to disclose how federal resources were used at state troopers' request to help track the plane of former state House Speaker Pete Laney when he and other Democrats didn't show up for the Texas House session May 12.
Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge said he would review the decision to withhold information about his agency's involvement. He said there is an internal investigation into the matter.
...
The order, addressed to "Captains," stated: "Any notes, correspondence, photos, etc. that were obtained pursuant to the absconded House of Representative members shall be destroyed immediately. No copies are to be kept."
...
Texas law generally requires that records be kept for a period of time, but it was unclear how those guidelines would affect DPS' actions. A spokeswoman for GOP Attorney General Greg Abbott said it would be a crime to destroy records that had been requested under the Texas Open Records Act.
Three Democratic state representatives filed a request Monday for all documents about DPS involvement in the search; however, it wasn't clear if any requests were made before the records were destroyed.
"As a general rule, government agencies don't destroy records this quickly ... that is very unusual," said Rob Wiley, past president of the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas.
I love Texas. Where else do you get statements like "Texas law generally requires...." Not everytime, mind you, but generally, if its not an inconvience.
- rob 5:01 PM - [PermaLink] -
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more coming...
