Royce West

At the Mayor's Rally Against Domestic Violence, Big Promises and Some Mixed Messages

The couple started arguing on Saturday, around 3 in the morning, in a house near Fair Park. The man told the woman he hadn't forgotten their past arguments, all the times she had "disrespected" him. He shoved his palm hard against her face and forced her down against a desk. She fought him, pushing ... More >>

Lessons from Dez Bryant: It's OK to Smack Mom Around, Cowboy

The story in today's Dallas Morning News about Dallas Cowboys football player Dez Bryant getting off on mom-beating charges contains this line about Bryant's lawyer, state Senator Royce West: "West said the incident was a dispute, not an assault." The woman called DeSoto cops and said her son had t ... More >>

In Speedy Press Conference, Sen. Royce West Says Dez Bryant Did Not "Commit Family Violence"

Just before 2 p.m. today, the conference room in state senator Royce West's law office looked like a game of journalist Tetris, as some two dozen reporters and ten news cameras crammed around a long table to hear what Dez Bryant had to say about his recent arrest for allegedly attacking his mother, ... More >>

At Paul Quinn College's Trayvon Martin Rally,
A Cry For Justice

Repercussions from the fatal shooting of unarmed Florida teenager Trayvon Martin will be felt in Austin next year, state Senator Royce West told hundreds of demonstrators who gathered at Paul Quinn College today to mourn and demand justice for the 17-year-old. "We've come together today, but what w ... More >>

Price Investigation's Royal Pains

"Queens for a day" could be a sign that feds are getting really ambitious.

Hot or Not: Are You on Feds' JWP List?

Photo by Sam MertenWillis Johnson​Looks like at 11:18 this morning, John Wiley Price attorney Billy Ravkind, or someone in his office, faxed to Channel 5 the search warrant issued on June 24 by U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul Stickney. It's a seven-page catalog of everyone and everything with whom the ... More >>

Fun With Audio, Part 2: EBJ and JWP Talk About the Inland Port, Kathy Nealy, Ross Jr. (and Me)

​This weekend I have been sitting around ruminating on the last three years of reporting I have done on the Inland Port story, which now seems to an element in the FBI corruption probe of Dallas County Commissioner John Wiley Price. By the way, I happen to know the FBI has been hearing about this ... More >>

Activists Ask West to Kill Bill That Would Gut Cities' Ability to Regulate Gas Drilling

Photo by Patrick MichelsRaymond Crawford and his 21-foot-long scroll of signatures unfurled at Dallas City Hall on April 20​Dallas anti-gas drilling activist Raymond Crawford just copied us on a letter he's sending to state Sen. Royce West today, asking him to "personally get involved [and] do wha ... More >>

Because We Have Nothing Better to Do Than Pore Over Campaign Finance Reports

Photo by Sam MertenDonna Starnes raised more than former city council member Sandy Greyson in the race to succeed Ron Natinsky.​Now that you've had time to chew on our analysis of the mayoral candidates' fund-raising prowess, we thought it was time to take a quick look-see at how the city coun ... More >>

DISD Super Testifying in Austin This Morning

​At this very moment, the state Senate Committee on Education -- which includes chair Florence Shapiro, John Carona and Royce West -- is hearing testimony related to these seven Senate bills, most of which would let school districts increase class size and give teachers furlough days and further f ... More >>

Dallas City Council Member Jerry Allen Goes to Austin to Cash Out Payday Lenders

At its meeting two weeks ago, the Dallas City Council passed a resolution urging the state Legislature to crackdown on payday lenders and "to pass any necessary legislation to protect the citizens of the State of Texas who may find themselves with no alternative but to seek the type of short-term, h ... More >>

Before Mayoral Candidates Make Issue Out of Political Affiliations, a Look at Who's What

During the 2007 mayoral campaign, former city council member Ed Oakley sent out mailers depicting himself and convicted felon Don Hill as Democrats and Tom Leppert and former Mayor Pro Tem Max Wells as Republicans. Oakley also accepted the endorsement of the Dallas County Democratic Party and printe ... More >>

A Look at the Latest Proposed Legislation Calling for Statewide Sobriety Checkpoints

National Lampoon​As The American Independent reminds this morning, there have been myriad bills proposed in the Texas Legislature in recent years that would allow for the creation of so-called sobriety checkpoints. And last year's S.B. 298 -- submitted by state Sen. John Corona and co-authored by, ... More >>

Royce West Declares Victory For Garcia and Jenkins; Exonerees Appear Instead of Watkins

Photos by Sam Merten​With The Ackermans now on stage at the Jack Daniels Old No. 7 Club, Dallas County Democratic Party chair Darlene Ewing finally made her appearance about 45 mintues ago along with state Senator Royce West and a group of candidates, when she expressed her condolences to the ... More >>

Sweatin' It Out With the Justice League!

Photos by Sam MertenState Senator Royce West and county judge candidate Clay Jenkins help pump up the crowd as District Attorney Craig Watkins grabs the mic Saturday afternoon.​This, in case you have not heard, is the "Summer of Justice." Which, as far as summers-of goes, ranks somewhere in betwee ... More >>

Dallas, Get Ready for Chaos! (Maybe.)

Freddy Rodrigurez in the Planet Terror half of Grindhouse​Patrick Michels and I are at City Hall for this afternoon's big ol' teevee announcement with the mayor and Pistol Pete. And we'll return shortly with a few choice quotes and, better still, photos. But here's the big announcement, which I tr ... More >>

For One Day Only, State Gummint at City Hall

Sam MertenToday, the Dallas City Council chambers belong to state Sen. Royce West.​Greetings, Friends! I'm the only person wearing jeans in the Dallas City Council Chamber today for the Texas Senate Committee on Intergovernmental Relations meeting starring state Sen. Royce West and an ensemble ... More >>

Who the Hell is Clay Jenkins, And Why Am I Being Told to Vote for Him for County Judge?

SMU's Jillson Says Local Democratic Elected Officials "Are Not to Be Trusted," Questions Friends Chosen By Jenkins

Danny FulgencioCal Jillson​Much like Richard Allen's interview, our conversation with Southern Methodist University political scientist Cal Jillson didn't make it into the cover story on Dallas County Judge Jim Foster appearing in last week's paper version of Unfair Park. But that's not to say ... More >>

Belo Attempts to Break News One Week Late; Lawyer Cites "Cloud of Suspicion" Surrounding West-Watkins Relationship

If the story about DA Craig Watkins refusing a second attempt by the OAG to help investigate the constables was news, that's news to us.​For those who didn't read our cover story last week, the Office of the Attorney General made a second attempt on February 23 to lend a helping hand to Distri ... More >>

With City's First Municipal Management District Official, Let the Self-Taxing Begin!

Sam MertenThe board of directors of the Cypress Waters Municipal Management District take their oaths today at One Arts Plaza.​The Cypress Waters Municipal Management District officially became the city's first such district -- that is, one with the power to levy taxes and issue bonds -- this ... More >>

To Whom is Royce West Referring?

Sam Merten​Earlier this week, state Sen. Royce West sent to Dallas County Democratic Party precinct chairs a missive beneath the subject heading "From One Democrat to Another." It has become, during the last 48 hours, a subject of much conversation among those who received it. (Well, that's not en ... More >>

Look, It Has Always Paid to Be Royce West

Sam MertenState Sen. Royce West and friendsFormer Dallas Observer ace reporter (and sometime-Unfair Park contributor) Matt Pulle has a great piece up today on the Texas Watchdog Web site revealing that in 2008 alone, state Sen. Royce West's 10-person law firm billed the City of Dallas, Dallas Area R ... More >>

State Senate Gives New "Pole Tax" a Whirl

Courtesy The LodgeThe Austin American-Statesman reports this afternoon that the state Senate has given its unanimous OK to new-and-improved legislation that revamps the contentious "pole tax" imposed upon, ya know, gentleman's establishments a couple of years back. The original legislation, which im ... More >>

"Off Course," | Cheap Bastard, | Same Old, Same Old

Richard Allen brings jobs to the black community.That makes him racist?

The DMN Buries the Lede and Common Sense

It's Not Like John Wiley Price Has Hidden His Intentions Concerning the Inland Port

The real tragedy of the Inland Port situation is illustrated by the sound file you can listen to at the bottom of this item -- an excerpt from Cheryl Smith's long-running program Reporter's Round Table on KKDA-FM (104.5). If you listen to this carefully, you will discover some important things about ... 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 >>

Democratic County Judge Jim Foster May be the Latest Target in the Inland Port Battle

Slumdog Millionaires

If the Morning News considers itself the "conscience" of southern Dallas, it has a lot of explaining to do.

West Banks $3.8 Million From DISD

Sam MertenSenator Royce West with a couple other important Dallas politicos you may know. As addressed in our March 2007 cover story, Senator Royce West is a powerful guy who makes a lot of dough collecting legal fees from the Dallas Independent School District. At the time, former Observer staff ... More >>

Congresswoman Calls Out John Wiley Price for Shaking Down Development Deal

Local pols back off a master plan that would have put the squeeze on a major southern Dallas development

Dallas, We're Made of Money! At Least, That's the Message from City Hall.

For Whom the Bell Tolls

Electronic monitoring may dramatically curb truancy. So why isn't DISD interested?

Conventional Thinking

Tom Leppert Brings People Together

Vox Populi

Wait a minute...There's democracy in Dallas?

Black Dallas' Powerbroker | Toadies Mayhem | Diamonds Forever | Immigration Woes | The Bearded One

It's No Fun Being an "Illegal Alien"

Go West

With Dallas Democrats' return from the dead, state Senator Royce West is poised for bigger things, like maybe paychecks

Butt Naked

Jesse Jones, emperor of Singing Hills, had no clothes, it seems

L.A. Law

If the talk doesn't rock, then you must walk

Jerry-rigged

Jones' stadium tax is in for one rough fight

Bail Me

In just a few years, David Wells has eaten a big slice of Dallas' bail-bond business. His secret? It depends on whom you ask.

Best Political Gaffe

Dallas state Senator John Carona

Courting disaster

Texas judges rally to save a bit of patronage

The Dope Bowl

Lawyers, goons, money--and some very curious sex toys. Laura Miller does the post-game analysis of the Michael Irvin trial.

Look back in anger

From an arena that never was to a judge in a jam, ordinary folks took a beating in 1995