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Ongoing Texas Senate Boycott
Infuriates Governor; Punishes Opponents
To defeat an unconstitutional redistricting power grab by the Texas GOP and orchestrated by GOP Congressman Tom DeLay, 11 Democratic senators have crossed state lines into New Mexico where the Texas Rangers have no authority. This is the second time the senators have had to escape Texas to thwart the power abuse. Now the governor is retaliating. A Hispanic Veterans group that opposed redistricting is now being punished by Governor Perry. He cut $300,000 from their budget, which is forcing them to close their office in Dallas.
A Hispanic veterans and civil rights group will close its Dallas office Tuesday, the third office to shut down since Texas Gov. Rick Perry cut off money for the organization, which has opposed Republican redistricting efforts.
The American GI Forum already has closed offices of its National Veterans Outreach program in Fort Worth and Austin, ending job training and assistance services for local veterans. Seven workers have lost or will lose their jobs, said Ignacio Leija, vice president of service operations.
Mr. Leija said the closings were permanent. The other offices' leases have ended, and the Dallas lease will be up at the end of the month.
"We can't wait. We've had to close the office," Mr. Leija said.
Mr. Leija said the GI Forum was never told why its $300,000 grant from the governor's office was not renewed at the end of July.
Kathy Walt, Mr. Perry's spokesman, said new standards were being drafted for organizations that receive the money. The decision not to renew the American GI Forum grant was part of that standards redesign, she said.
Mr. Perry's office told The Associated Press last month that the group could reapply for the grant. But Mr. Leija said the organization had not been told it could reapply.
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