Politics

Lesson learned from federal corruption trial: How to gain access to the portals of power at City Hall

As City Council Considers New Lobbying Rules, We Learn Carol Reed Banked $65,000 From Mayor's Back to School Fair

Brandon ThibodeauxIn case you missed it, Reed was profiled in December 2007 by former Observer-er Matt Pulle.In this week's paper version of Unfair Park, Schutze uses two of Mayor Tom Leppert's top political consultants -- Carol Reed and Mari Woodlief -- to explain why the mayor is hardly the "Angel ... More >>

Up the Sleazy River At the Dallas City Hall Corruption Trial

Up the Sleazy River At the Dallas City Hall Corruption Trial

And If City Council Members Stay for the Whole Meeting, They Get a Gold Star

​Two weeks ago, at the last minute Mayor Tom Leppert -- or was it City Secretary Deborah Watkins ... or Mayor Pro Tem Dwaine Caraway? -- added to the Dallas City Council's agenda several controversial rules changes that were tabled the night before they were to be discussed. One of those proposed ... More >>

Former State Republican Party Chairman Tom Pauken Considering Run for Kay Bailey Hutchison's Senate Seat

Hal SamplesTexas Workforce Commission chairman Tom PaukenTexas Workforce Commission chairman and Dallas resident Tom Pauken has informed the offices of Governor Rick Perry and Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst of his interest in running for U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison's seat. "I'm taking a ... More >>

Angela Hunt: "We Need to Be Making our City Hall More Transparent ... Not Less."

Zazzle​Angela Hunt's been on a bit of a tear today, having posted to her Web site three items: one concerning the proposed rules changes for council meetings; one about the city's turning over the keys to the Dallas Zoo to the Dallas Zoological Society; and one concerning the city budget. Since th ... More >>

Once Again, the Mayor Had the City Attorney Rewrite Rules for Council, Public Speakers

Natalie Dee​I see Rudy's already posted his item about tomorrow's vote on Dallas City Council rules changes, which showed up earlier this week on the addendum for tomorrow's meeting. (It's Item No. 2.) But what he doesn't get into is why the council will vote on reducing and, in some cases, elimin ... More >>

Much, Much More About That Controversial Agenda Item the Dallas City Council Now Won't Even Talk About Tomorrow

Some call 'em "orbs"; others, "balls."​Late this afternoon, Chris Heinbaugh, Mayor Tom Leppert's chief of staff, called to discuss those proposed changes to council meetings, which would put stricter limits on public speakers at City Hall and put a deadline on when council members can remove conse ... More >>

Mitchell Rasansky Speaks Up About Mayor Tom and the Trinity a Little Too Late

Rasansky Says Supporting Leppert Was His Biggest Regret, Explains Support of Trinity River Toll Road And Much, Much More

Sam MertenAfter serving eight years as a city plan commissioner and another eight as a council member representing some of North Dallas's more upscale neighborhoods, 72-year-old Mitchell Rasansky is no longer roaming City Hall when he's most needed. Replaced last month by Ann Margolin because of ter ... More >>

In Dealey Plaza Saturday, Dallas Participates in the Global Day of Action for Iran

Photos by Megan Feldman​On Saturday afternoon, around 100 people gathered at Dealey Plaza to protest the Iranian government and show support for pro-democracy demonstrators in that country, where the regime has been retaliating against widespread protests since the June 12 election. Saturday's ... More >>

DOJ to Dallas ISD: Pay Up. And Say Adios to $150 Million in Federal Funding Requests.

This just in from the U.S. Department of Justice's press department: The government and the Dallas Independent School District have settled their dispute involving the misuse of funds provided to the district for the so-called E-Rate program, created in 1996 to give "affordable access to telecommuni ... More >>

Outrage peers behind the closet door at Washington's not-so-secret gays

Hotel? No Hotel? Hard to Say, as Early Voting's Split Darned Near Right Down the Middle.

One of the city of Dallas's official renderings of the convention center hotelMerten and Pulle are out; Schutze is about. They'll offer their reports from hotel shindigs pro and con -- and, just maybe, some council member throwdowns -- later in the night, as Dallas County Elections begins kicking ou ... More >>

Mayor's New Pro-Hotel Pal Can't Defend Leppert's Promises During Trinity Campaign and Advocacy of Inland Port Delay

Sam MertenEd Oakley ran a below-the-belt ad attacking Tom Leppert in his attempt to beat him in the mayoral runoff. Now he's joined a group formed to defend Leppert against the negative attacks from the anti-hotel group. Got it?As mentioned in this week's cover story, one of the reasons former coun ... More >>

The Convention Center Hotel Vote is Not Just About a Building. It’s About a Mayor.

In Memo to Council, Angela Hunt Asks Colleagues to Stop Talking Out of Their Asses

Natilee DeeAngela Hunt has delivered a sound thwacking to fellow city council member Ron Natinsky and Assistant City Manager A.C. Gonzalez over some loose-lipped claims Natinsky and Gonzalez have been making about our upcoming referendum on a city-owned hotel downtown.She says Natinsky and Gonzalez, ... More >>

Why do Mexican's love bad-boy cops so much?

Leppert Potentially Jeopardizes Tax-Exempt Status of Two South Dallas Churches By Telling Audience Members to Vote No on Props 1 and 2

Sam MertenMayor Tom Leppert did not mince words Sunday: "Vote no on Proposition 1. Vote no on Proposition 2."Mayor Tom Leppert and wife Laura spent yesterday worshiping at churches in South Dallas, where services were interrupted so the mayor could give his convention center hotel sales pitch and in ... More >>

Says Rick Perry: I'm "Resisting Further Government Intrusion" and Saying No to $500 Mil in Unemployment Insurance

Just arrived in Austin, only to find in my in-box, oh, 'bout a dozen Friends' links to either Governor Rick Perry's speech down in Houston or the Burnt Orange Report's compendium of reactions to said speech. As you may know by now, the governor is saying no to more than $500 million in unemployment ... More >>

Five Years Later, the Feds Finally Sue Irving-Based Republican Victory Committee

The Irving-based Republican Victory Committee sure sounds like something associated with the Republican National Committee -- which is why, in June 2004, the RNC filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission. Because, see, the official arm of the Republican Party has absolutely nothing to d ... More >>

DFW Airport Board Member Ousted Because of Opposition to Trinity River Toll Road

Brian HarkinMayor Pro Tem Dr. Elba Garcia admits she helped remove John Loza from the DFW Airport board based on his position on the Trinity River toll road referendum.When the Dallas City Council last week replaced former council member John Loza on the DFW Airport board with Brenda Reyes, we were ... More >>

Mayor Tom Will Do "Everything" He Can To Ensure DISD's Success. OK. Like What, Then?

Patrick MichelsTom Leppert meets and greets the kids at last night's town hall meeting. Because, after all, someone has to think about the children.You know, maybe instead of a lot of wood-chopping by yours truly, I should just put this log out there and let you whup on it yourself for a while. I'm ... More >>

Oh, So Now Tom Leppert's the "Education Mayor." Right.

Alexander FloresIf Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert doesn't mention his ideas for taking over the Dallas school system at his town hall meeting Thursday at Harold Wendell Lang Sr. Middle School, you can bet somebody in the audience will bring it up. In fact, it sounds to me like people will be there at 6:30 ... More >>

Dallas Fed Head Says of "Buy American" Clause, It's "The Crack Cocaine of Economics"

Dallas Federal Reserve president and CEO Richard FisherDallas Federal Reserve president and CEO Richard Fisher was on C-SPAN's Washington Journal this morning warning that the "Buy American" provision in the House's stimulus bill is bad, bad news. European officials said over the weekend they're ter ... More >>

Buzz Reviews the News of 2008: Yes. It Was All Bad.

Sex clubs in the 'burbs, teacher layoffs in the district, black holes in the commissioners court—Buzz makes perfect sense of 2008

Go Home, GOP|Money For Nothing|Corrections

Leppert to Public: Shush!

Pauken Says New Leadership And Strategy Needed For GOP Progress In Dallas County

In last week's paper version of Unfair Park, we took a look at the local GOP through the eyes of Dallas County Republican Party chair Jonathan Neerman. One of Neerman's critics, Texas Workforce Commission chair (and my former boss) Tom Pauken, says Barack Obama was an important reason why the Democ ... More >>

With Dallas Republicans in Pain, One Local Leader Believes He Has the Cure

How County Chair Jonathan Neerman Plans to Ease the Dallas GOP's Woes

World Matters

Vaught's Seat Still Up for Grabs

While We Wait For Our Dispatch from Bishop Arts, This Just In ...

Dems See Bigger Blowout Than ’06 Based on Early Voting Numbers

Texas Watchdog Sees Dead People ... Voting in Dallas County

Obama's Leading in Early Voting

Are Gay Mexicans Homophobic or Do You Just Like Being Treated Badly?

How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Early Vote

If You're Feeling Supressed, Feel Free to Contact Sarah Saldaña

Jeb Hensarling: Either the New Newt or Just a Baby-Faced Mutineer

The Moose is Loose: What Does Cal Jillson Think of the Veep Debate?

Sure, We've Signed the No-Hotel Petition. But, Look, We'll Sign Anything.

Without China, Dallas Dies. At Least, That's What It Sounds Like in This Story.

The Long Arm of the Law: Constable Jaime Cortes Talks Cesar Chavez

What's in a Nombre?

Diversity be damned. You want to rename Industrial Boulevard, it better "market" the city.

Ask a Mexican

Hail Cesar, who was capable of changing his mind

Sam Coats Adds Name to List of Folks Gunning For Jim Foster's Job

Bushwhacked

Let's just say Bush gets charged with war crimes. Will Dallas be guilty by association with his library?