-Caveat Lector- Marla Mazoch wrote: > > http://www.lawnewsnetwork.com/stories/A4538-1999Aug16.html > > Bush Affidavit Refuted > > Statement in whistle-blower case at issue > > Janet Elliott > Texas Lawyer > August 16, 1999 > > Gov. George W. Bush's sworn denial that he had no conversation with any > Service Corporation International officials, agents or representatives > concerning a state investigation into the funeral company giant is being > tested by comments an SCI lawyer made to a Newsweek reporter. > > Johnnie B. Rogers, an Austin lawyer who represents SCI, told Michael Isikoff > that he and SCI chief executive Robert Waltrip were at the governor's office > April 15, 1998 to drop off a letter to the chairman of the Texas Funeral > Services Commission demanding a halt to the investigation of embalming > practices at SCI funeral homes. > > Isikoff, who helped break the Monica Lewinsky scandal, quotes Rogers > recounting how he and Waltrip were in the office of Bush chief of staff Joe > Allbaugh when Bush popped his head in. > > Rogers told Newsweek that Bush saw Waltrip, a longtime family friend, and > said: "Hey Bobby, are those people still messing with you?" When Waltrip > said they were, Rogers recalled that the governor turned to him and said, > "Hey, Johnnie B. Are you taking care of him?" > > "I'm doing my best, governor," Rogers said he replied. > > If the conversation occurred, it appears at odds with a sworn affidavit Bush > gave July 20 as part of his effort to avoid giving a deposition in a > whistle-blower case against the funeral commission, Waltrip and SCI filed by > Eliza May, the former executive director of the funeral commission. May > alleges that the governor had her fired in February because of her agency's > investigation into SCI. The governor's office has denied any involvement in > May's firing. > > Austin's Derek Howard, who represents May, says the conversation attributed > to Bush appears to "directly contradict" the governor's sworn affidavit that > he had no conversation with any SCI representatives "concerning any dispute > arising from this investigation." > > "I have no personal knowledge of relevant facts of the investigation nor do > I have any personal knowledge of relevant facts concerning any dispute > arising from this investigation," Bush said in the affidavit. > > "He obviously has some personal knowledge of relevant facts because he has > this conversation with Johnnie B.," says Howard. > > Rogers, a former Austin state senator described by Newsweek as "folksy," was > warned not to talk to reporters. Now his comments could produce a heap of > new legal maneuvering, including a sanctions motion. > > It also could impact Bush's ability to avoid a deposition. The motion to > quash Bush's deposition filed by Assistant AG Dona Hamilton states that May > has no evidence of personal involvement on the governor's part. It relies on > the governor's affidavit that he had no knowledge of any fact relevant to > May's suit. > > Bush press aide Linda Edwards says the conversation recounted by Rogers isn' > t a discrepancy with Bush's affidavit. > > "As we've always said, Gov. Bush had a very brief off-the-cuff exchange with > Mr. Waltrip as [Bush] was headed out the door," Edwards says. "He recalls it > was not substantive, but does not recall the exact words exchanged." > > SCI spokesman Bill Miller says the conversation recounted by Rogers was a > "jocular exchange" typical of Bush's conversational style. He says it does > not reflect any knowledge by Bush of relevant facts. > > Bush has received $35,000 in campaign contributions since 1996 from SCI's > political action committee. An Aug. 30 hearing is set in Travis County > District Court to determine whether Bush should be deposed. > > CASINO GAMBLING TARGETED > Some may find irony in Texas using federal funds to help finance Attorney > General John Cornyn's probe of the Tigua Indian's Speaking Rock casino. > Cornyn Aug. 11 announced that his office had received a $1.5 million grant > from the governor's office to prosecute illegal gambling in Texas over the > next three years. > > Eighty percent of the money comes from federal funds and 20 percent from > state funds, according to Bush's office. > > Cornyn recently revived a dormant investigation into the casino near El > Paso. The Tiguas have been operating their casino for several years without > an agreement with Texas. The federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act requires > tribes to negotiate gaming compacts with states. > > The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that the Federal Restoration > Act giving the Tiguas federal recognition prohibits the tribe's operation of > any gambling activity that is not permitted by Texas law. > > Cornyn says he'll form an Illegal Gambling Task Force to prosecute all > illegal gambling, including Internet gambling, eight liner slot machines and > casinos. Linda Eads, deputy AG for litigation, and Shane Phelps, deputy AG > for criminal justice, will head the task force. > > BORDER BLURRED > There are many barriers to collecting child support, but the Texas-Mexico > border soon may be less of one. > > Cornyn, along with the deputy attorneys general of the Mexican states of > Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas on Aug. 6 signed an agreement to improve child > support enforcement and collection on the border. > > The Niños Primero pact is the first comprehensive child support arrangement > between the United States and Mexico. Previous reciprocity declarations have > not coordinated establishment of paternity and enforcement. Now, authorities > will work together to locate "dead beat" parents, establish paternity and > enforce court-ordered child support. They will assist in serving subpoenas, > contracting for DNA testing and arresting delinquent parents. > > Cornyn has received a $123,000 federal grant to fund the initiative. > > ------------------------------------------------------------ > Name: Law News Network -- Bush >Affidavit Refuted.url > Law News Network -- Bush Affidavit Refuted.url Type: Internet Shortcut >(application/x-unknown-content-type-InternetShortcut) > Encoding: 7bit DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. Proselyzting propagandic screeds are not allowed. Substance—not soapboxing! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory', with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright frauds is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. 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