From a barrage of e-mails coming into Liberty Dispatch, we can tell you both sides want to weigh in on the whereabouts of Sheriff Henry Patterson during his first three years in office.
His supporters, including what appears to be his son-in-law Chris Minx, are adamant as they try to assure the public that Henry Patterson is easy for any voters to find. Patterson’s supporters reject the notion that he is an absentee sheriff just because his spokesman, Rex Evans (and his former spokesman Steve Green), handle as close to 100% of communications with the public as any public official most have ever known.
They infer Patterson is handling the law enforcement while he has hired people to deal with the communications part of the sheriff’s department.
Those voters who would like to see Liberty County elect a new sheriff see it differently. They say it is fine for Patterson to have a spokesman, but that he has hidden from the public far too long by always sending his supporters or spokesmen out to explain his actions. They may have a point. Patterson could not be any less impressive than some of his key re-election/campaign people. One of Patterson supporters that acts like he has the most at stake in his re-election, Eddie Shauberger, bragged to LD a couple of weeks ago that the two recent drug busts all but insured four more years for Patterson. Shauberger was beside himself when the news that hunters had stumbled across a large marijuana field just a few weeks before time for people to sign up to run for office. But in the same conversation Shauberger was asked about the poor planning and incompetence that must have gone on for Patterson to have not arrested any of the growers. Shauberger replied, “Who says this was Henry’s bust?”
Patterson’s supporters ridicule anyone saying that Patterson is not very visible. We have not heard them defend the sheriff by pointing to various crime scenes where Patterson has recently been on hand, rather we always hear “the breakfast defense”. His supporters, one of which seems to be a very angry son-in-law, point to various places in Cleveland that Patterson eats breakfasts with a handful of his friends. They argue that he is available every morning to voters or reporters or anyone that has a question about anything the sheriff’s actions. They would tell our readers and the taxpayers of this county that any complaint they have about the sheriff’s communication with the public is ridiculous – ridiculous because he eats breakfast every morning… in public in Cleveland…
When the public wants to know what kind of money is coming into the sheriff’s department because of seizures, they don’t want to go to the Hot Biscuit in Cleveland and interrupt the sheriff’s visit with The Outsiders. When taxpayers want to hear an accounting of how that money has been spent, they don’t want to go to the breakfast buffet at The Plantation in Cleveland and ask their questions in front of a son-in-law with anger issues – a son-in-law that very well could be the recipient of some of that money. Taxpayers want a public accounting on a regular basis of large sums of money coming through politician’s hands. They don’t want to be dismissed by saying, “Meet me at I-HOP if you want to know.” They don’t want a short stack of pancakes with their answer. And Liberty Dispatch doesn’t want just a number from Patterson or any other public official handling this kind of off budget money. We want to follow the money – what came in, how the money was used, and then later, show me the paper trail.
Liberty Dispatch finds it ironic that The Outsiders are threatening to “make public personal ‘revelations’ “ about potential opponents and people supporting Bobby Rader for sheriff because we are asking the same questions of Henry Patterson that have been asked of other public officials. It might make people wonder -are they receiving any of this money? We are amazed at the change in perspective of Chris Minx, Robert Valdez and Eddie Shauberger- disappointed that they think ranting on the phone or demeaning comments on the computer about us would cause us to “get out of this race or support Henry.”
Chris Minx says he wants to “educate” us. If he is, I hope it is not more kooky stuff.
WHAT TO DO IF YOU BELIEVE YOUR CHILD HAS BEEN ABUSED
Liberty Dispatch is concerned, like I am sure many of our readers are, about the growing problems of child abuse. From the recent revelations about the revered and trusted assistant coach at Penn State to internet seduction to the growing numbers of reported parental sexual abuse, it is sad.
Your reaction to the disclosure will have a big effect on how your child deals with the trauma of sexual abuse. Children whose parents/caregivers are supportive heal more quickly from the abuse.
To be supportive, the first thing you should do is to get your child as far away from the abuser as possible. After that it is important to:
1) Stay calm. Hearing that your child has been abused can bring up powerful emotions, if you become upset, angry, or out of control, this will only make it more difficult for your child to disclose
2)Believe your child, and let your child know that he or she is not to blame for what happened. Praise your child for being brave and for telling about the sexual abuse.
3) Protect your child by getting him or her away from the abuser and immediately
reporting the abuse to local authorities.
If you are not sure who, to contact, call the ChildHelp® National Child Abuse Hotline at 1.800.4.A.CHILD (1.800.422.4453; http://www.childhelp.org/get_help) or, for immediate help, call 911.
Your reaction to the disclosure will have a big effect on how your child deals with the trauma of sexual abuse. Children whose parents/caregivers are supportive heal more quickly from the abuse.
To be supportive, the first thing you should do is to get your child as far away from the abuser as possible. After that it is important to:
1) Stay calm. Hearing that your child has been abused can bring up powerful emotions, if you become upset, angry, or out of control, this will only make it more difficult for your child to disclose
2)Believe your child, and let your child know that he or she is not to blame for what happened. Praise your child for being brave and for telling about the sexual abuse.
3) Protect your child by getting him or her away from the abuser and immediately
reporting the abuse to local authorities.
If you are not sure who, to contact, call the ChildHelp® National Child Abuse Hotline at 1.800.4.A.CHILD (1.800.422.4453; http://www.childhelp.org/get_help) or, for immediate help, call 911.
Questions for Liberty County Sheriff Patterson
Inquiries have come into Liberty Dispatch questioning Henry Patterson’s management of the Liberty County Sheriff’s Department money.
For fiscal 2010 Liberty County Sheriff Henry Patterson has not filed reports which would show the public the amount of seized assets or forfeitures money he has on hand.
Liberty Dispatch readers question and wonder why Henry Patterson has chosen not to disclose how much money he has seized from criminals.
There is much public speculation about where the money has gone either in part or in whole. The money seized by Patterson could be as much as one million dollars, but there is no trace of the money or disclosure- including how some of that money may have already been spent.
Liberty Dispatch readers wonder if some of the money Sheriff Patterson has underneath the Sheriff's Office mattress has been given or paid to "the outsiders" and Clifford Fuddy William as a "consultant"? Money paid to Fuddy as a "consultant" to "get" the long list of "the outsider's" and Patterson's political enemies- i.e. Joe Warren etal?
This story is about the seized and forfeited money Patterson has with no oversight or accountability used to pay for rouge investigations, retaliation, his political operatives and campaign disguised as "paid consultants".
The questions continue...
For fiscal 2010 Liberty County Sheriff Henry Patterson has not filed reports which would show the public the amount of seized assets or forfeitures money he has on hand.
Liberty Dispatch readers question and wonder why Henry Patterson has chosen not to disclose how much money he has seized from criminals.
There is much public speculation about where the money has gone either in part or in whole. The money seized by Patterson could be as much as one million dollars, but there is no trace of the money or disclosure- including how some of that money may have already been spent.
Liberty Dispatch readers wonder if some of the money Sheriff Patterson has underneath the Sheriff's Office mattress has been given or paid to "the outsiders" and Clifford Fuddy William as a "consultant"? Money paid to Fuddy as a "consultant" to "get" the long list of "the outsider's" and Patterson's political enemies- i.e. Joe Warren etal?
This story is about the seized and forfeited money Patterson has with no oversight or accountability used to pay for rouge investigations, retaliation, his political operatives and campaign disguised as "paid consultants".
The questions continue...
Dear Liberty Dispatch,
A POSITIVE VIEW OF RECENT CHOICES
In my view, Liberty County voters have batted a thousand in the last few years when it comes to sheriff races. And, despite what sounds like a very organized and, up until recently, secret effort by people from outside Liberty County to influence us to not make the best choice this time, I believe voters will continue upgrading.
In my book Democrat Greg Arthur came to office with valuable experience and with a great deal of promise. He was good at organizing and building a more competent department with good morale. In many ways the sheriff’s department under his management improved in the way they “served and protected” our community.
As the years went by however, Arthur personal decisions and moral failings almost seem to be reflected in the culture within the department. As is true with many who hold political office, he was starting to make more and more decisions based on politics and protecting his power by helping allies and hurting political enemies. In the 2008 election voters overwhelmingly voted for change. Indeed, in Arthur’s own neighborhood he was soundly beaten.
Voters in 2008 voted for a man whose home life by all accounts is a good one. They voted for a man who had no personal attachments to some of the bad apples that were giving the sheriff’s department a bad reputation and causing problems. When Henry Patterson was elected, the voters chose the only route they had to clean up problems in the sheriff’s department.
Now as the 2012 Republican primary approaches, voters will have another chance to continue their streak of choosing the best person to lead at the time. After four years of questions by federal investigators and voters about some of the people the new sheriff brought in to help the department, the arrest and conviction of Captain Harry Kelly and other decisions have caused a downward spiral in the morale within the department. Patterson freed the department from one of the most morally challenged deputies in the history of the county, but that took two years and left the best of our deputies feeling like they were more under the microscope than those committing crimes around the county.
Though those in the department may not agree, the sheriff’s purging of the department was needed and it would never have been done if Patterson had not been elected. But Patterson’s choice in bringing in help has been almost like a red flag to people on all sides of politics in Liberty County. His special crimes unit, though a good idea in theory, has taken manpower off of the streets and more and more sounds like it has some of the aspects of more politics than law enforcement. Rumors about Patterson almost turning over the department to people who are not licensed law enforcement or licensed private eyes- who also are key people in his re-election campaign, appear to be having names and faces added to the stories we are just beginning to hear.
In my opinion, Sheriff Patterson has served his purpose, but when we hear how he has handled some of the problems left him, I believe voters will agree that help is needed. But the help that is needed will not be outsiders invited into Liberty County by Patterson, but a new sheriff. The times demand a sheriff who has a law enforcement background, but also has real good business skills.
Arthur was popular among many in the department, but he gave deputies something he was not free to give. He gave them comp time. He gave them so much comp time that it literally set the taxpayer up for millions of dollars of debt that was never approved and never showed up on the books. He passed that problem on to Patterson. Patterson has now spent three years simply letting people off to reduce the comp time. He has done this at the same time he has pulled deputies off of patrol to work on special projects. Both the last two sheriffs have had areas they were good at, but 2012 is a time when we need a new kind of sheriff. One that is able to manage money and organize men. It has been many many years since we had a sheriff that had regular press conferences and answered questions so the public could understand what the goals of the department are. Now is the time for a sheriff that will do that.
COURTS MOVE SIGN UP DATE BACK
Liberty Dispatch has confirmed that last Friday a three-judge federal panel in San Antonio issued an order significantly changing the deadlines for candidates filing and other county election procedures for the upcoming March 6, 2012 primary elections.
November 28, 2011 will now be the first day to file an application for a place on the Liberty County primary election ballot instead of this Saturday, November 12. December 15, 2011 rather than December 12, will be the last fro candidates to file to run for office.
The court is the result of legal challenges to Texas’ legislative and congressional redistricting plans adopted by the 82nd Legislature earlier this year, but it affects county offices too. There are numerous plaintiffs in the on-going, Shannon Perez, et al, vs State of Texas.
November 28, 2011 will now be the first day to file an application for a place on the Liberty County primary election ballot instead of this Saturday, November 12. December 15, 2011 rather than December 12, will be the last fro candidates to file to run for office.
The court is the result of legal challenges to Texas’ legislative and congressional redistricting plans adopted by the 82nd Legislature earlier this year, but it affects county offices too. There are numerous plaintiffs in the on-going, Shannon Perez, et al, vs State of Texas.
Unconfirmed - candidate sign up moved
Liberty dispatch has just learned that Texas courts have moved the 2012 candidate sign up to November 28, 2011. More on this breaking story later.
Pollster Predicts 2012 Republican 'Wave Election'
Mitt Romney's campaign pollster, Neil Newhouse, said this morning that 2012 looks like a "potentially wave election" and he believes it will be an "extension" of the Republican wave of 2010. "Republicans can't wait for this election," Newhouse said at a breakfast sponsored by the Christian Science Monitor.
While Newhouse cautioned that predictions a year out from the election are difficult to make, he predicted the GOP would win control of the Senate and most likely retain control of the House of Representatives. "Republicans could win more seats in the House," Newhouse said.
Democrats currently have a slight edge over the GOP in an average of the generic congressional ballot.
Courtesy www.weeklystandard.com
Contributor, Ray Akins
Post number 700
While Newhouse cautioned that predictions a year out from the election are difficult to make, he predicted the GOP would win control of the Senate and most likely retain control of the House of Representatives. "Republicans could win more seats in the House," Newhouse said.
Democrats currently have a slight edge over the GOP in an average of the generic congressional ballot.
Courtesy www.weeklystandard.com
Contributor, Ray Akins
Post number 700
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