Shelley Sekula-Gibbs is a politician.
Knowing that fact, one almost expects her to be, at times, well, “economical with the truth” - like her efforts to portray herself as a staunch pro-life advocate, when her history is something else, or her vows to get tough on the border, after collaborating with other Houston City Council members in embracing sanctuary city policies like day labor sites.
She’s cynical enough to know that a segment of the voting public will take her claims at face value, which works to her advantage.
But what I can’t let slide is when a candidate wants to wear the conservative mantle (she insists she’s the one “for a conservative change in Congress”) while spreading misinformation about her opponent and insulting the intelligence of the voters.
“She of Many Names” is now running a radio advertisement which flatly states - or, more accurately, misstates - that opponent Pete Olson supports the controversial Trans Texas Corridor.
In short, Shelley’s lying.
No matter what one thinks of the merits of the TTC, it is undoubtedly unpopular with many Republicans.
By tying Olson to a pet project of Gov. Rick Perry, Sekula-Gibbs obviously hopes to diminish Olson as GOP candidate during early voting and ahead of next week’s runoff.
SSG even recruited respected former state senator and radio talker Mike Richards to voice the claim, tossing in, of course, all the incendiary rhetoric about the TTC being the “biggest land grab” in Texas history - something no aspirant to office would want to be accused of.
The Olson campaign flatly denies Gibbs’ assertion. And a fair examination of the facts backs Olson up.
As an aid to former Senator Phil Gramm, Olson, in the late 1990s, was on board with plans for Interstate 69 (which was anticipated in Texas to follow current US 59) - a new highway to traverse the US from Canada to Mexico, a widely supported idea, part of which has even come to fruition in the north.
The original concept, supported by Olson’s boss Gramm, who left office in 2002, bears little resemblance to what has become known as the TTC - an alternative concocted near or after the end of Gramm’s term.
The insult to our intelligence comes when Gibbs suggests that the desire of Perry and others to graft the TTC into the I-69 project is proof that Pete Olson supports the TTC.
In fact, early versions of the I-69 plan clearly show it was envisioned to cover territory largely distinct from current TTC ideas.
For example, compare this 2002 article and map on I-69 with this 2006 article and map on the TTC (other supporting sources are many, so feel free to Google). Gramm and Olson would have needed a crystal-ball to known that the I-69 project would later become a partial template for TTC backers.
Allow me to use an analogy to expose the foolishness of Gibbs’ claims.
Many of you will recall that Houston-area Congressman John Culberson and businessman/talk radio host Edd Hendee were key supporters of the now-advanced Katy Freeway expansion.
If, next year, Perry and his cohorts announced they wanted to divert part of the Trans-Texas Corridor to run along Interstate 10, would that make Hendee and Culberson retroactive TTC supporters?
The suggestion is idiotic, but it is the exact same “logic” Gibbs is using in her attacks on Olson. As one wag (who required anonymity) observed to me, Gibbs’ claims reveal a basic misunderstanding of the space-time continuum.
As for Richards’ involvement in this unfair attack, it is one of those examples of a solid citizen simply being regrettably wrong about a candidate.
LST Publisher David Benzion addressed this in a recent comment in which he described his discussion with Richards, who said that SSG is a fine person, shares his positions and is a solid “team player” who deserves the support of everyone else on the team.
Richards is by all accounts a genuinely nice and loyal man, and while I disagree with his perspective on this issue, his viewpoint deserves respect.
The same cannot be said about Shelley Sekula-Gibbs and her deceptive attacks on Pete Olson.
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71 Responses to “Shelley is lying about Pete Olson & the TTC”Search
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An excellent article, Rick. I am dismayed that Mike Richards would lend his support to Shelley given her record, particularly now knowing the contents of the radio spots he’s doing for her.
The ads bespeak desperation in the SSG camp.
Shelly Shelly bo belly. Fanna bana bo pana. Fi fi mo mana. Smelly.
(The Blame Game)
I’ve asked this question before and I’ll ask it again, why does Mike Richards have a horse in this race? He is the one that does her radio ads. Benzene said that he had talked to Mike and he said that she has paid her dues it was her turn, I’m paraphrasing here but this is what I read into his answer. Maybe he can find the exact quote and repeat it. If that is true then Mike is no better than Chucky Schumer and Ted,…Hic, Kennedy, AKA the party comes before the people at all costs. I say this because of all the DemoncRATS that circled the wagons to save the “Lying Scum Bag Clinton” now have to deal with his wife. Their chickens have come home to roost. I always liked Mike Richards and thought him to be honest, but not any more. This is wrong and he knows it!
O.K I’m awake now! I just read Benzene’s answer to me back in February, he said;
“Without revealing any confidences, I think it’s fair to say that Mike’s opinion is that SSG is a fine person, takes positions he shares, and is a good “team player” who has earned the opportunity to be supported by the rest of the “team”.
“Team Player”, I read that as “Party Hack” do anything to get elected and prop each other up,…THE LITTLE PEOPLE BE DAMNED! NO THANKS!!!! Like I said, I’ve totally changed my opinion of Mr. Richards.
I agree with Dave D. Mike Richards has turned into a political hack for blindly (or maybe not so blindly) following along with the SSG campaign. I used to have a lot of respect for Mike Richards but not any more. Mike Richards might be a nice man but he has lost all credibility as far as I am concerned.
A true, principled conservative would never do what he has done.
It may actually be possible that Mike Richards actually believes what he says and just disagrees with you.
Pete Olson needs to make a new ad pointing out the McCain temperament(staff walking out on her) and the spending spree she did when she had her TEMP JOB.
http://lonestartimes.com/2008/03/28/you-have-been-warned/#comments
#6 duhmoose,
If that’s the case then I’ll stand by my original comments, he can’t be a TRUE CONSERVATIVE, but he could be a Texas Republican. I say that after watching them for all these years. In any case, he has to be lying or is VERY naive. I don’t think he’s naive.
Saying that Mike Richards can’t be a true conservative is just plain wrong, Dave D. No other way to say it. It’s amazing that a political disagreement can affect people like that.
Mike’s advocacy for Shelley made me do a double take because I respect his opinion. And he has some good points, he just picked a lousy candidate to make them. But between the two candidates in this race, think about this.
Mike has worked hard over the years to push the conservative agenda. Like her or not, Shelley has helped with at least some of that work.
Pete Olson is an impressive candidate. But, if he were not running against Shelley, how many people here would support him? It’s obvious that he is taking the path of a career politician. His Naval service is extraordinary, no question. But he has zero private sector experience. None. Nada. Zip. Zilch. Zero. He cherry picked a district to run in. Nothing wrong or illegal about that but what did people say about Nick Lampson when he picked CD22? Carpetbagger, etc.
So Mike has a choice. A not so perfect person that has been helpful to him and the local party. Or, a guy he doesn’t know that has aspirations of a political career.
I think that we should give Mike a pass on this one. If not a pass, at least not say he isn’t a conservative.
Sorry, Big, but I just can’t give Richards a pass on this one. I’ve loved and respected him for years, but him coming out in support of SSG as opposed to Olson has caused me to lose a lot of respect for him, like others have also said. It is obvious SSG has lied about Olson’s support of the TTC, has disparaged his military service (which is totally offensive to me), says he is not “from here” when he grew up here and graduated from Rice before going into the military.
I for one can’t stand that woman. Heaven help us if she (who will say or do anything to get elected) wins this race. I know this is almost heretical, but I’d rather have the lampost than her, at least that way we’d know what we have.
TexKraut,
I don’t understand how a political disagreement could cause anyone to lose respect for Mike. I’m not going to defend Shelley but I’ll certainly stick by Mike and his life long conservative credentials.
It is less obvious to me that Shelley is lying about the TTC connection. The I-69 corridor has always been a part of it and I can guarantee you that in the background, people were talking about combining it with railroads and pipelines 10 years ago. Obviously, she is playing up his role in it for political gain, I’m just hesitant in general to say that people are lying when it comes to politics.
And the whoring of America continues. I can’t cozy up to someone who confides, “Sure shes a political whore but she’s OUR political whore.”
This blind allegiance to the party is crappola majora. Should Martians zap her to dust the earth continues to rotate & some other Goober fills the vacancy. I shudder to think the party is so fragile that it will not survive should a “team player’ not be elected.
Well said duhmoose. Apparently disagreeing with “the voice” is being a political hack. I don’t have a horse in this race but step back and listen to the negative ads PO is running. However I don’t think “the voice” is losing any sleep over the negative campaigning. In fact it might be an advantage to keep it going. Think about these politicians attacking each other and defending themselves over the airwaves. All equals advertising $$$$$s.
BTW, ethics question. You have a large financial position in a radio station and also happen to be a politician. Is it questionable to give a candidate, say. . .$10,000 from your personal political campaign fund knowing that the candidate will be spending money advertising on your radio station. Its not a direct route from your campaign fund to your pocket but it seems like some of it might get there. Just a question.
DaveD, TexKraut, and anyone else who cares…
I’ve got a couple of conflicts-of-interest on this issue, so let me say this– I love Mike Richards, he means the world to me, and I overwhelmingly want Pete Olson to be the next Congressman from CD 22, and know beyond a shadow of a doubt that he would be an infinitely better representative than Shelley Sekula-Gibbs.
With all that as preface, let me try to clarify Mike’s position (as I understand it) a little bit. (He’s a big boy, doesn’t need my protection, but I think I have insight into the issue.)
The closest metaphor I can think of are the difficult decisions a company faces when a position opens up in management–do we “promote from within” or do we “cast a wide net” to find the “best candidate possible”?
Promoting from within has its advantages–it promotes hard-work and loyalty among employees; hopefully puts in place a manager who knows the company well; and comports with a general sense of “fairness” in that people with a proven track record to the firm are rewarded and respected for past performance and service.
Of course, promoting from within can also have disadvantages–the employee who wants to move up might be a knucklehead whose biggest qualification is that it’s “their turn”; there are usually lots of extremely talented people “out there” who could bring a fresh perspective and important client/sales contacts; an “inside promotion” usually confirms the biases and errors in judgment that are already being made by the company; and ultimately a company needs to be about doing what’s best for its bottom line, not just what gives it the warm fuzzies and feels “nice”.
In business, I don’t know that I necessarily stand completely on one side or the other–either totally in favor or totally opposed to promoting within or casting a wide net.
The same is true here, in politics.
Mike is coming down in favor of “promoting within”. Given the specifics of the choices, in this case I am VERY MUCH in favor of “casting a wide net” and putting into leadership some much better qualified “new blood” who I am completely confident will be effective for the district’s (political) bottom line.
But the fact that Mike comes to a different conclusion doesn’t mean he’s a “party hack” or a RINO.
It just means he’s wrong.
Luckily for him, as he’d be the first to admit, he’s also a sinner saved by Grace.
That’s pretty well said, David. I will agree that in my humble opinion Mike Richards is wrong in his position of support to SSG. I am just so anti-SSG it’s not even funny - I’ve observed her for years say one thing then do another all with the single goal of vote getting, perhaps I should just shut up about it. However, in this race I’ve sort of taken it as my mission to speak against her whenever I have a chance. Pete’s a good guy and will make a fine rep for us. Plus the way SSG is attacking him just makes my blood boil. Most of it is just not true and the rest is distorted.
BTW, good analogy, but I think in this case we just need the best possible person available to be elected. Also, for the record, I still love Mike Richards, I just think he is wrong about this. No doubt he surely has his reasons for doing what he’s done.
#14 David B, King Solomon couldn’t do much better in this situation.
For my part, cast a wide net is a winner.
#16 Adee - you must not have seen him wield his Sword of Righteousness
Again I don’t have a horse in this race but there seems to be extra effort taken to defend the attacks on PO (like this article). In fact in this article it accuses SSK (as does PO ad) of, “collaborating with other Houston City Council members in embracing sanctuary city policies like day labor sites.”
My question would be, what other sanctuary city policies? A little research (all of 30 seconds) found an article say she went along with day labor sites at the request of the constituents in the neighborhoods effected. I personally would like day laborers at a site away from my house where they could use facilities and not my yard. I know it would be better to stop them all together but until we get a federal gov’t willing to control the borders something has to be done.
Come to think of it the stretch from day labor site to embracing sanctuary city policies is comparable to I-69 to TTC. Don’t you love politics. Reality TV & Radio without a script.
Can someone explain to the newcomer who Mike Richards is?
Hamous and Addee,
It looks like this.
(that’s what happens when design-draftsmen have too much time on their hands)
Oops… Adee. Not Addee. Design-draftsmen aren’t known for their spelling ability.
18.
Perhaps you should have done more than 30 seconds research. She did more than support day labor sites. (By the way, would you say that a person who voted for them and then claimed not to have known that those sites mostly attract illegal aliens is stupid/uninformed/naive or just lying? Either way, is that who you want as a congressperson?)
Keep trying. The info is easy to find if you really want to find it.
#6 duhmoose
Didn’t you get the memorandum banning civility in American politics ? Pay attention. Anyone who disagrees with you must be dragged into the street and horsewhipped and then, of course, shot, preferably with their own gun. Our enemies are not the many faces of evil around the world seeking our death and destruction, they are our fellow Americans and even neighbors. No longer is it acceptable to celebrate our freedom of speech by engaging in heated debate and the contest of ideas. All opposition must be destroyed, at all costs.
23.
Horsewhipped and shot? Is that what you call tough? Just like you Northeastern liberals to coddle criminals. You should have at least included bamboo shoots and waterboarding.
What’s wrong with you?
Liberal.
Rick G. Playing the role of devil’s advocate; Yes! day labor sites attract illegal aliens who would otherwise be where? In the yards of her constituents that asker her to do something about it. As far as, “She did more than support day labor sites” I don’t know. PO’s ads say that but I don’t know the details. Does he? Do you?
As far as, “stupid/uninformed/naive or just lying? Either way, is that who you want as a congressperson?” That’s all we get to choose from. AND not just in congress, Texas House and Senate included.
#24 RickG
I’m feeling charitable today. I was in my local liquor store last night and bought a bottle of Shiraz for 3 bucks figuring figuring I could always just pour it out. Very good stuff. I went back and bought 2 cases.
25.
So she voted for day labor sites to satisfy her constituents. Funny, she threw her constituents under the bus once she decided to run for Congress and rail against day labor sites because it would benefit her politically.
And, yes, she did more than this - though flip flopped when she wanted to run for Congress because she knew a Republican couldn’t get the nomination taking the positions she had.
I don’t live in her district, so don’t have a voting stake there. However, I believe her conduct already has been enough of an embarrassment to the GOP that she would be bad for the party. She would be close to a Republican Sheila Jackson Lee.
As to your remark that all we get to choose from is stupid or lying canidates, well, touche! Not much of an exaggeration in many cases, I’ll agree.
#23
Getting eerily similar to the WMD of politics the Clinton’s introduced. The PPD missile system. Politics of personal destruction. Stop the Conservative on Conservative violence. Can’t we all just get along, RK.
28.
Good one.
We do need to learn that Conservatives can disagree and still be Conservatives. Conservatives can also be wrong and still be Conservative. If you are a traditional Conservative on 99% of the issues, but whacky Liberal on the remaining 1%, in my opinion you’re still a Conservative, I just think you’re crazy on that 1%.
26.
Good $3 Shiraz? What’s it called?
#31 RickG
Mattie’s Perch
It’s Australian:
http://mattiesperch.com/Home.htm
Here’s what matters - I learned to spell all those names, properly entered them at the polling station, and saw Shelia Jackson Gibbs go to Washington. I’m embarrassed that I voted for her and more embarrassed over her behavior while she was there, and that was before I found out anything about her effort to spend all the money she could get her hands on in 2 weeks. No, she had her shot, and she failed. Time to try someone else. Still think the district is better represented by the carpetbagging union thug than it would be by the crazy lady who needs to be under a doctor’s care.
30. duhmoose
Agreed. But, IMO, someone isn’t entitled to lie simply because she claims to be a Conservative.
The fact is, as far as I can see, SSG and Olson are pretty close on their current positions on major issues. Perhaps that is fueling the need to go to such lengths to discredit the other side. But Olson’s claims are much more credible thatn SSG’s.
33. Rastus
I think your take is key to many who won’t vote for her. That little stint she so badly wanted in DC might very well come back to haunt her.
RickG, I was referring more to the Mike Richards issue than SSG.
What’s Mike Richards running for?
36.
Oh, my bad. We agree on that one. I’ve never heard anything that would even suggest that Richards has a mean bone in his body.
19 Cajun
Mike Richards is a former Texas State Senator and former talk radio host on KSEV radio Houston– the station run by current State Senator Dan Patrick.
Does anybody know the early voting places in Fort Bend so I can vote for Olson??
A lot of us supported Shelly many names during her first run. We then discovered who she really was and that support was with drawn.
I still respect Mike Richards, but he is dead wrong on the District 22 race and he should have know better.
Mike should have also been smarter than to allow himself to be associated with an political ad that is wrong enough for many to use the term “outright lie” when talking about it.
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sdhook– just some other examples of Sekula-Gibbs actions that don’t quite match up with her current “Tom Tancredo in a dress” incarnation:
On 6/17/03 she voted in favor of city departments accepting the “matricula consular” as valid ID.
On 3/2/04, a 14-year old named Miguel Medina presented city council with a self-published Spanish-language guide to Houston for foreign immigrants; later, in a 4/29/04 Houston Chronicle article, Sekula-Gibbs is identified as having requested 200 copies.
For what purpose? Who was she giving these things to?
Look, on the issue of immigration–including illegal immigration–I’m pretty much a “squish” by KSEV/LST standards. I don’t get my panties in a wad over day labor sites (would prefer that they be privately funded), and don’t care very much about stopping cantaloupe-pickers and dishwashers at the border (would like to regulate process so that social services aren’t overwhelmed).
So I’d actually have more respect for Shelley if she just said “damn right that was my position, and it still is; we’re just gonna have to agree to disagree, and we’re on the same page on a whole bunch of other things.”
It’s the creeping calculation that makes me roll my eyes.
And the poorly executed nature of it that makes it so insufferable.
#43
You should wash your own dishes and pick your own cantaloupe, you limousine liberal.
#44 texpat– no, I should engage in peaceful and voluntary economic transactions with others as I see fit, you protectionist, State-worshiping collectivist.
texpat, actually, you should award a no bid contract to Halliburton, overseen by Cheney and administered by Rove.
By now I have figured out that Benzion is an integral part of this blog, but duhmoose, Big Jolly, Texkraut, RickG and Rastus don’t seem to have a real job, at least not one that requires them to dedicate their time to.
Benzion is integral but I’m not?
/walks away crying in shame as he heads for the food stamp line.
Gordon, or maybe we just learned how to multi task and mange our time.
Are you paid by your employer for your time, or piece work? Be honest, you are not giving your employer what he is due.
BTW, Gordon,
How’s your candidate for president doing these days?
http://lonestartimes.com/2007/11/19/on-rudy-judges-and-good-people/#comment-217619
43.
She also once said she didn’t have a strong opinion one way or the other about HPD policy to NOT ask detainees their legal status and helped prevent the policy from coming before City Council for review. When she wanted to be a candidate for Congress, she suddenly found strong views.
Actually, Gordon, I’m paid by my employer to do a job. Don’t get paid by the piece or by the hour, just the bottom line.
You?
50. Gordon
Exactly what ax are you grinding here? And how do you know what any of us do, let alone whether we are giving our all for our employers.
Are you jealous or something? Or just trolling?
Gordon, I am an hourly employee, I have my bosses approval to comment on blogs while I am running reports and doing system testing, since those things require me to keep an eye on things, but for the most part leave me staring at a screen for hours on end.
Are you guys going to play golf later?
56. blackgirl
Going to? Can’t you tell I’m blogging from the course right now? (Or at least the 19th hole.)
After we finish our 3 hour, 5 martini lunch.
Dang, Rick beat me to it.
I just asked my boss if I spent too much time blogging. He said (staring back at me in the mirror)that if I didn’t blog so much I could get my work done in a much shorter amount of time. I frowned and coincidentally, so did he, as I told him it was a quality of life issue and he needed to lighten up.
Careful with those mirrors:
http://www.uni.edu/~oloughli/behind.htm
#56 blackgirl, Good question about the golf game later. Probably they will unless it rains or lunch takes too long to squeeze 18 holes in prior to cocktails before dinner at that exclusive steak house on Katy Fwy. //Grin//
#60 Texpat, Hysterical.
Texpat, you should be careful the boss might just fire you with an attitude like that. =b
47, Gordon, dang, started my own company in 2000, have to meet my payroll every month. Sure thought it was a real job. Resent that you think you have the right to question what anyone does - as if that has any bearing whatsoever in this discussion. Have you ever had to meet a payroll? Didn’t think so.
As to Mike Richards, I think I understand his position. He was in politics, He is aware an untried man, even tho polished and credentialed, is just that, untried. He knows Shelley. She has her problems, but he feels she can be counted on to vote the right way, under leadership. I absolutely do not agree with him. I have never met Mike Richards, but listened to him for years. He’s a good man. He’s a positive man. He thinks the best of people. ( that’s my evaluation of him) I respect him. The new wave of change conservatives are determined to find…. is something that at some point may not be a republican title.
#47 - I just live off the land so to speak and work nights sometimes when I need gas money. I don’t smoke or drink any more, and the hookers are all out of my price range, so a modest income is all I need. I did once work for a while, but between the IRS and ex-wives I didn’t see any future in that. I never heard of any of those other guys you mentioned.
Back to political ads (my favorite). Heard one today by PO accusing SSK of questioning PO’s military service or service to or country, can’t remember the exact words. I think it had something to do with SSK saying PO has been in Washington and just moved back to the district to run. But nice stretch by PO. Similar to the SSK stretch of PO supporting I-69 means he supports the TTC. Any day I expect one to be placed on the DL with a pulled hami.
I don’t understand Mike Richard’s motivation here.
Mike, I urge you to please write an open letter to LST readers and KSEV listeners. Go point by point on why you support SSG, and also recognize those faults you see that we see, and why you think we should not be concerned about them. It’s important Mike. Texans have alot at stake here. You are so highly regarded and your neighbors need your input in making a wise decision on their future.
It hurts to be suspicious of somebody you hold in such high esteem based on their support of somebody who seems so flagrantly undeserving and unqualified based on past history as we view it. I hope you’ll share your thoughts Senator. We could use them.
#14 David,
That sums up the problem with the Texas Republican party today. Even Mike Richards (pl.) prefer to promote from within. Most of the ‘within’ crowd, in Texas, are Reagan era Democrats who switched to the Republican brand to stay in office. (lame analogy alert) The Mikes need to see the Trojan horse for what it is and stop admiring their Greek friends.
Mike Richards was always a little bit Austin (and party establishment) insider kind of guy, loved Grandma`many names even after she went kind of nutty. He and Edd did a show from Oklahoma when the Democrats ran across the state line, a pretty hostile environment and he was back slapping House Speaker Pete Laney (wasn’t that the name?) and all the others. I can remember disagreeing with some of his positions but he is a great man.