The Price of Democracy : Lone Star Times

The Price of Democracy

by The Panda Man · 10/26/2006 6:23 pm

Democrat votes appear to be rather cheap nowadays. According to the Talmadge Heflin campaign it appears they can be purchased for a few dollars worth of coupons.

ALIEF – On Tuesday, the Talmadge Heflin Campaign was made aware of an operation in the Vietnamese community where voters were offered a discounted lunch or free groceries in exchange for their vote.

Radio ads purchased by the Vietnamese Community of Houston and Vicinity were being run on local radio station “Little Saigon” (1520 AM and 880 AM). The ads, recorded in Vietnamese, told listeners they would receive a payment coupon after voting at the Lac Hong Square early voting location. The coupon’s benefits ranged from $5 dollars off lunch or groceries at Hong Kong Mall to a free financial planning session valued at $500.

View the actual coupons here. (Bottom of press release.)

The situation has been brought to the attention of the Harris County Clerk’s office, and with input from the Texas Secretary of State the parties involved, including the Hubert Vo campaign, have been notified of the illegality of offering items of value in exchange for votes. The Heflin campaign also states that information on further irregularities will be turned over to state and/or federal authorities.

As advised by election officials, the Heflin Campaign will continue to document these voting violations. At the appropriate time, the campaign and county election officials will forward the evidence collected to the Harris County District Attorney and/or the United States Justice Department.

Remember, vote early, vote often, and be sure to get your coupons!

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Comments

20 Responses to “The Price of Democracy”

vlou on October 26th, 2006 at 7:07 pm

As usual, the minorities are always the scapegoats. That’s an insult.
Neocon on October 26th, 2006 at 7:26 pm

Oh, Vo is hoooo! This is probably why he won by such a slim margin in the prior race. Leave it to the democraps to rig elections. With them, it is not if, but when…..

Vote early vote often!
RickG on October 26th, 2006 at 7:28 pm

I bet the Chronicle is all over this. Oh, sorry, I forgot.
Neocon on October 26th, 2006 at 7:55 pm

Thank goodness Heflin is setting this up prior to the election. He had the election stolen from him by Woo or Voo or whatever his name is in the prior race. Lost in the recount by 16 votes! Were those votes “Paid For?” Hmmmmm.

Anyone in Heflin’s district, please vote for Talmadge!
dcgirl on October 26th, 2006 at 8:18 pm

It’s funny that the coupons expire on Nov. 4. Guess those people that vote for Vo on election day don’t get them. Nevermind - just enlarge the ones at the link and you got ‘em - don’t even have to go to the polls!
tedtam on October 26th, 2006 at 9:09 pm

But, these aren’t even dead people! Are we sure they’re a Dem op?
Neocon on October 26th, 2006 at 9:13 pm

tedtam
#6

They prefer live people first (voting several times), the dead folks come later, if needed, followed by felons and illegal aliens.
ssk77077 on October 26th, 2006 at 9:44 pm

Vo didn’t win last time, Helfin lost due to the story that he took his housekeeper’s child to Austin without permission. Most people don’t think too highly of baby kidnappers, I’m surprised the story hasn’t resurfaced. Whether true or not that stuff effects a campaign.

Also, is he hurting that badly in the private sector that he’s willing to go back as a Junior Rep? Those boys that took his old chairs aren’t going to just roll over and give them back.
Neocon on October 26th, 2006 at 10:09 pm

ssk77077

Can you give us a like about what you are saying? I’m really sorry, I guess I was asleep at the wheel when that one came out (and I’m not in Heflin’s district). But I would be interested.
Al Williams on October 26th, 2006 at 10:23 pm

when Heflin bought an office supply company a few years ago, the very first person he ‘let go’ was my mom…

But… since Vo is an idiot and a dimmocrat, I held my nose and voted for Heflin anyway.

Now, if there had been a Libertarian on the ticket…

(I hit the straight Libertarian ticket, voted for Kinky, then voted for any Republican being challenged by just a dimmocrap)
Rorschach on October 26th, 2006 at 10:24 pm

Neo, given your work with wards of the court I’d have thought this would have triggered a memory or two for you. Here is a Comical article about it back from Aug. 2004.

http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=2004_3792831
Neocon on October 26th, 2006 at 10:37 pm

Rorschach
#11

Bad link — would make me register for the chronicle — Can you provide another link?
Rorschach on October 26th, 2006 at 10:54 pm

‘Fraid not, but if you like I could email the text to you. The email address on your profile is still good isn’t it?
southerntragedy on October 26th, 2006 at 10:57 pm

Dang Neo, I’m calling you butta ’cause you’re on a roll tonight! he he
Neocon on October 26th, 2006 at 11:08 pm

ST
#14

uh, okay! Gettin’ a little bit sleepy now!
Rorschach on October 26th, 2006 at 11:08 pm

Neo, it should be in your in-box at work tomorrow waiting for you.
ssk77077 on October 27th, 2006 at 8:19 am

Rorschach,

I haven’t been able to find any info on how the custody battle turned out. Have you seen any info?
ssk77077 on October 27th, 2006 at 8:32 am

ok tracked it down, the maid got to keep her son.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/mack/2872159.html
“Heflin also got largely unfavorable attention this summer when he tried unsuccessfully to take custody of a 20-month-old boy away from his mother, an immigrant from Uganda. Heflin testified that he could provide better opportunities for the boy, but some of his testimony drew criticism.”
Rorschach on October 27th, 2006 at 8:40 am

Seems like I recall that he lost custody but I’m going on vague memory here. After the election it all just kinda faded away. To be honest the whole thing kinda left a funny taste in my mouth, as if there is more here than was being said and everyone knew it but was keeping their mouth shut and ignored the elephant in the room. I kinda got the feeling that I was the only guy not in on the joke. Reading between the lines I have to wonder if there ever was a paternity test run on the kid to see who “daddy” really was. Maybe Heflin had a thing with his housekeeper and the kid was the result. Maybe his wife knew or maybe not. Maybe that was why the housekeeper was getting divorced to begin with. too many unanswered questions in this.
GopBob on October 27th, 2006 at 2:12 pm

Hi Rorschach,
But like you say, your memory is vague and the issue faded away. Now, all of that wouldn’t be because Heflin is a Republican and anything that could be painted to make a Repub look bad wouldn’t ever be done by the Houston Comical, would it?
The Heflin’s were trying to do a good deed and in the end, some folks got what they wanted, even the Comical’s interest was served since Vo did get elected.
The rest of us lost someone whose leadership was able to lop $10 billion off a state budget without a tax increase. But that was then and this is now and we’re much better off without him in the Lege, aren’t we? Oops, now I’m being a tad cynical.