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 A Tale of Two Cities
* The White House would have us believe they have copped
to all the facts put forth in the Starr Report so that the
American public will not be put through the horrors of a
full-scale trial in the Senate. They did it for us. Two words: Puh Leeze.
* At about the same time the Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court was administering the oath
to the Members of the U.S. Senate who were preparing to try the President of the United States
for perjury and obstruction of justice, a very different ceremony was taking place about 1,500
miles away.
* U. S. District Court Judge Ricardo H. Hinojosa was administering the oath of office to Tony
Garza as Railroad Commissioner of Texas in the State Senate chamber at the Capitol in Austin.
* If the Clinton/Lewinsky affair in Washington is the epitome of what is wrong with politics in
America. The swearing-in of Tony Garza is easily the embodiment of what is right with politics in
America.
* Tony Garza is the only Republican Hispanic-American to win a statewide office on November
3rd. He once said he awaits the day when he will no longer be a hyphenated Republican. It was
yesterday.
* In Texas, the Railroad Commission has responsibility for oversight of the oil and gas industry –
no small matter in that state.
* How remarkable, he said in his remarks, that at this time, in this State, in this nation, the son of
a filling station owner in downtown Brownsville could rise to be a member of the Commission
which regulates the $60 billion industry which produces the oil which, ultimately, his dad pumps
into the gas tanks of his neighbors’ cars.
* While the national media were reporting about Senate meetings near collapse under the
crushing weight of partisanship in Washington, Garza was joined on the State Senate podium by
Republicans Governor George W. Bush and Lt. Governor-elect Rick Perry; and Democrats Lt.
Governor Bob Bullock and Speaker of the Texas House James E. Laney (whose nickname, for no
apparent reason, is “Pete.”)
* Some 500 people were in the Senate chamber watching the pledge of allegiance being led by
the Adjutant General of Texas, General Daniel James, an African-American; and the invocation
being led by Rabbi Edward Rosenthal of Brownsville.
* As I was leaving the Capitol, my cell phone rang. It was a call from a Washington reporter
asking me if I agreed with Democrats who were insisting the impeachment trial would do lasting
harm to the GOP. I told him no one at the Capitol in Austin was talking about Bill Clinton or
Monica Lewinsky or Senate trials. They were celebrating a great day for a fine young man.
* The event on January 7, 1999 which marked what American Democracy is all about was taking
place in Austin – not Washington.
* Thank you, Tony.
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