Cook Goes a Step Further - Doesn't Understand the Law

Marty "I Should Know Better" Schladen is on the story again with Mayor Cook now deciding to take his case to a higher court.  You can read all about it HERE.

It seems as if Mr. Cook still thinks that because he's the mayor he can still have people stripped of their civil liberties because he has a hunch they may have done something wrong.  He has no proof - just a hunch based on what he thinks may have happened.  That's not a lot for a judge to go on when you're talking about stopping the electoral process for 11,000 or more people. 

For this to have any legal merit - at any time - the mayor is going to have to show where a specific person signed the petition and did so through illegal means.  That's going to be hard considering that you can pass around a petition in a business, church or public place any time you please.  It's the expenditure of money on behalf of the effort by entities that are band from doing so that rises to illegality.   If you believe that "politics is money," then you'll understand that the threshold for most of election violations is the spending of actual money.  If you can't prove they spent money - then you don't have squat.

He's got to prove that the church spent money to encourage people to sign the petition.  And even if he does do that, it will only result in the church getting in trouble - it will not negate the signatures.  They don't throw out your vote for Dog Catcher just because he took a corporate donation during the election. 

All you can hope to do at this point is to get Brown in trouble - you can't negate the petition and its signatures.  No judge is going to be able to assess who on those petitions was encouraged to sign them through illegal means - or even if there were illegal means used to get anyone to sign them.  Remember, the judge is being asked to rule on someone's guilt based on the word of one guy who has something to lose in the whole mess and I don't think he or she wants that on their shoulders.  Most likely they'll pass it on down the line with no action. 

Somebody at this point has to ask where Jaime Esparza's investigation has gone (I'm looking at you Marty).  If there's something there, why hasn't the DA filed charges and frog-marched Pastor Brown to county jail? 

I could go on and on about how ridiculous the mayor is being, but it's not worth it.  It's just sad.  He must see the writing on the wall and it doesn't read "you're going to serve out your term." 

And just so you know - I'm not on anyone's side here at all.  I think the Jesus Freaks need to learn that they have no better standing to legislate their beliefs than do those who worship the Koran.  If we allow your God's rules to run the place, then we have to everyone's God's rules run the place (I hate the sentence). 

I think people on council made a mockery of gay benefits when they tried to hold it up to the light for everyone to see and admire.  Sometimes the best thing you can do for the gays is help them out, make them equal and keep it to yourself because it's about equality, not headlines and your ego, right? 

I don't think the city should be paying anyone's dependent coverage at all.  That would nip this little problem in the ass right quickly, now wouldn't it. 

In the meantime, if I was a city employee I'd require they cover my five wives.  If they say "no" I'd sue them for discrimination because there's about as many legal allowances for gay marriage in Texas as there are for whatever you call having five wives (I call it a headache).  The city would have insure them all and if you don't believe me, try it.  You can ask why they accept two men being "domestic partners" situation, but won't accept your little sextuplet-sandwich as a "domestic partners" situation - neither have any legal footing in the state of Texas.  Nope, you city employees will continue to ignore me even though I've given you a full proof way to make a million bucks.

Comments

[Gossip Girl]

I suggest he write a new song to replace that worn out "El Paso's My Land". He should focus his misguided attention to write " I've Got the El Paso Recall Blues"

[Tough Cookies]

To quote the Mayor, "If you want to go fishing, get yourself a pole." Cook needs to follow his own advice.

[Thomas]

David
Fun!We want more like this one.

[A MORMAN FROM THE HOOD]

YEP ,I WANT THE CITY TO PAY FOR ALL MY HO'S INSURANCE !

[cynical about govt]

I remember during the Stormwater fee petition drive I saw petitions at car dealerships, people coming to my office asking if they could talk to the employees about signing the petition, etc. I don't remember anyone trying to get the judicial system to stop the car dealerships and other businesses from passing out petitions to customers. So if the church's allegedly allowed petitions to be circulated on church property how is that different from car dealerships circulating petitions in their place of business?

[Ghost Writer]

Has anyone heard the rumor that Ortega said that if he is recalled that he will resign and go to work for Beto in the "Cheech and Chong" campaign against Reyes ?

[I vote]

Well one thing I know -- bringing Caballero into the fight will not elevate the discussion. Byrd and Ortega instigated this mess with their original proposal to provide benefits to unmarried partners. And as a voter, I wasn't against giving gays benefits, I was more interested in how the city could afford to add more people to the rolls when they can't afford to keep city hall open on Fridays.

[RR]

Cook is a DUMBASS anyway! Don't let the door hit ya! Go make some more BBQ sauce to give to Obama and his idiot followers.

[Jazzo]

El Paso don't deserve to suck after reading your shit... good people inna EP but still a bunch of thieves run the place,,