TexasTowelie
TexasTowelie's JournalDallas' Richest Man Sues IRS for $200 Million
When Forbes estimates your net worth at $8.5 billion, dropping $1 million to solve a math problem or losing $16 million in a particularly disastrous weekend of poker amounts to little more than rounding errors on your checking account. But once the debits creep into nine figures, once you start flushing $200 million down the toilet in a failed rocket-launching enterprise, for example, or when the IRS declares $200 million in tax deductions invalid, you feel it.
Dallas billionaire Andrew Beal has been fighting the latter battle for several years now. Two years ago, the Department of Justice issued a boastful press release declaring victory in its tax battle with Beal after the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans handed down its decision in the case.
The specifics of the matter are complicated, but the court basically ruled that Beal and his accountant had established a sham partnership, Southgate Master Fund, LLC, purchased a lot of bad Chinese debt on the cheap, then sold it to make it for what on paper was a $1 billion loss, which they claimed as a deduction on Beal's personal income tax return.
The government's victory was only partial, however. The court ruled that Beal had, in fact, intended to make profit when he formed Southgate Master Fund but had decided instead to use it as a tax shelter once the investment tanked, and it voided tens of millions of dollars in penalties the IRS had levied against him.
More at http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2013/06/dallas_richest_man_is_suing_th.php .
Texas Republicans are Already Using the Filibuster as Ammo in Fight for Wendy Davis' Senate Seat
Even before Fort Worth Democrat Wendy Davis took the Senate floor late Tuesday morning and launched into the filibuster that would ultimately grab the nation's attention and kill attempts to railroad abortion restrictions through the state Legislature, she was at the top of Texas Republicans' hit list. Davis, they realized, has the whole package: humble back story; uncanny knack for politics; ability to rally the grassroots; ambitions for higher office; a uterus. She was, and remains, a very big threat to continued Republican dominance of state government.
So, it was no accident when GOP lawmakers attempted to shift Davis into a more conservative district during redistricting in 2011, or when the cash began pouring into Dr. Mark Shelton's no-holds-bars campaign to unseat her in 2012. And Beth Cubriel, the executive director of the Republican Party of Texas, could barely contain her glee when Davis drew the short straw and had to face re-election in 2014, two years early. Neither could party Chairman Steve Munisteri who "danced a jig."
Which brings us to the filibuster last night. While Democrats and abortion-rights supporters cheered, Republicans were loading ammunition for 2014. And it wasn't just former party Chairwoman Cathie Adams, though she did unleash quite the screed against "Whining Wendy" and "feminazis" on Twitter yesterday:
— Cathie Adams (@cathieadams) June 25, 2013
Too many pro-abortion feminazis are too poor to buy bras. That's DISGUSTING!
— Cathie Adams (@cathieadams) June 25, 2013
More at http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2013/06/texas_republicans_are_already.php .
[font color=green]Oh noes, the pro-choice abortion rights protesters didn't wear bras! The world must be coming to an end.[/font]
It lasted about as long as the filibuster.
Around 4 a.m. last night I removed the upside Texas flag as my avatar in celebration of the victory quashing SB 5 and I was proud of our legislators.
With the news of Perry calling another special session where all of the abortion bills will likely be reintroduced, it's time to hoist it again. From a legislative perspective, the only strategy that I am aware of to block this crap again is to never let a quorum assemble so that one of the chambers cannot convene. This puts the Democrats on the hook as obstructionists and would be somewhat expensive for our legislators if they seek refuge in another state.
It is doubtful that Democrats could block a quorum from forming since Democrat Lucio is willing to approve the restrictions due to his Catholic upbringing so it may require the House to force quorum calls.
More wasted time and more wasted money since the new laws would probably not stand up to scrutiny in the courts. The best negotiating strategy I see otherwise is to begin the prosecution of the Senate clerk for tampering with a government record for the tampering of the Senate voting record which apparently was altered after midnight in an effort to show that the bill was voted on before midnight.
If the lawyers on this forum have any other ideas please feel free to join the discussion and propose solutions. My expertise is limited to the knowledge of a lay person.
George P. Bush senses rare opportunity in bid for land commissioner
FORT WORTH — In the end, George P. Bush followed his grandmother’s advice.
He worked hard to establish himself in the business world, as former first lady Barbara Bush suggested, before considering a bid for public office.
Now at age 37, Bush said he’s ready and focused “like a laser” on winning his bid to become Texas land commissioner.
“From Day One, my grandmother’s advice was to succeed in your own right and make a name for yourself,” Bush told the Star-Telegram on Tuesday. “I feel on a personal and professional level, this is finally the right time” to run for office.
Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/2013/06/26/4963494/george-p-bush-senses-rare-opportunity.html#my-headlines-default#storylink=cpy
[font color=green]Did Granny Bush say anything about driving through the front yard of your girlfriend's parents would also contributed to political success in the future?[/font]
Two women settle lawsuit in Irving roadside cavity search
DALLAS (AP) — Two women subjected to body cavity searches along a highway have settled their civil rights lawsuit against the Texas Department of Public Safety .
The Dallas Morning News reports the $185,000 settlement was finalized Tuesday. A DPS statement Wednesday says an agreement was reached by all parties and the litigation has been settled.
Last July’s search of 38-year-old Angel Dobbs and her 24-year-old niece, Ashley Dobbs, by a female trooper was captured by patrol car video. Trooper Kelly Helleson allegedly used the same glove for both body searches. No drugs were found.
Helleson, who was later fired, faces two counts of sexual assault and two counts of official oppression.
More at http://lubbockonline.com/filed-online/2013-06-26/2-women-settle-lawsuit-irving-roadside-search .
Related threads:
Trooper to Be Terminated Over Roadside Cavity Search
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10785677
Two Women (allegedly) violated by Texas Troopers on the side of the road
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10785029 (Texas Group)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022027962 (General Discussion) (with video)
My e-mail to Senator Glenn Hegar (author of Senate Bill 5)
I am glad that Senate Bill 5 failed to be adopted in the special session that recently concluded. While the proponents of this bill, and you as the author, may argue that it was about ensuring the safety of women; it was very apparent that this was a political stunt that was done to appease the Tea Party voters in your district.
I am a middle-aged, white male and I do vote. I strongly encourage you not to reintroduce this bill or any other bills that would curtail the rights of women to obtain abortions in Texas.
Please remember this letter if another special session is called. I will remember who you are and I will inform other voters if you continue to introduce legislation that infringes on the rights provided by Roe v. Wade.
Let this kill the Texas bashing!
For the people on DU who have repeatedly bashed Texas--we won! It may only be on one vote in one battle and we'll most likely have to engage in other battles in the war for our freedom and our liberties, but we showed that we have the cajones (for the men) and the sheer determination (for the women) to stand up as progressive activists.
While my role was limited to public advocacy to fight against SB 5, I am a proud middle-aged, white Texan male that realizes that when the rights and liberties of even a single individual can be violated, then the rights and liberties of all people are at risk.
Kudos to the citizens and the legislators in Texas that stopped this horrible bill from becoming a law.
To the rest of the nation who sent messages of support; please, we need your help to continue winning victories like the one we won tonight. Whether you can contribute your time, your money, sign petitions or be a public advocate--these are battles that we cannot afford to lose. Thank you for your support and I'll remind everyone that we are the United States of America--so let's unite and keep up the good fight.
Senators Trying to Determine if Abortion Bill Passed (update 2:45 a.m.)
Texas senators are trying to get to the bottom of whether Republicans successfully pushed through a vote on Senate Bill 5, the omnibus abortion restriction bill, ahead of their midnight deadline.
Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, says the bill passed at 12:02 a.m.; if that's true, the vote may not withstand legal scrutiny.
"It's pretty conclusive that it didn't pass," said Whitmire.
But the Senate still has not officially adjourned sine die. When Senators resume floor proceedings, Whitmire said Democrats will call a point of order on the motion to vote on a bill after the midnight deadline.
More at http://www.texastribune.org/2013/06/26/dems-approach-abortion-victory-special-session-wan/ .
[font color=green]While I know that Lois Kolkhorst is the representative for Brenham in the Texas House, I didn't pay much attention to who the state senator for this district was. I just looked at the map and discovered that in Texas Senate District 18, the senator is Glenn Hegar--the repuke that introduced Senate Bill 5!
I predict that I will be sending a letter to the senator does not represent me! 
Why am I so unfortunate and what did I do to deserve these two assholes not looking after my interests in the Texas House and Texas Senate? 
BTW, I also strike out with Michael McCaul in the U.S. House along with Cornyn and Cruz in the U.S. Senate. [/font]
Fort Hood could lose nearly 3,000 soldiers under reductions
Fort Hood could lose about 2,900 soldiers — 7 percent of its fighting force — under personnel cuts announced by the Army Tuesday.
A dozen brigade combat teams will be slashed across the Army, including Fort Hood’s 4th Combat Brigade, one of five in the post’s 1st Cavalry Division. The brigade was activated in 2005 as part of an Army-wide transition to smaller, more rapidly deployable units during the Iraq War.
Members of the 4th brigade, dubbed Long Knife, are deployed to Afghanistan, where they are advising Afghan police and military. The brigade previously had deployed to Iraq, most recently in 2010, when two soldiers were killed by an Iraqi soldier they were training in Mosul, an incident that attracted international attention.
The reduction is part of an Army-wide effort to reduce the number of soldiers to 490,000 from 570,000 by 2017. Fort Hood senior commander Maj. Gen. Anthony Ierardi said the cuts will be part of a further reorganization at Fort Hood that could include an additional combat battalion, as well as more engineers and artillery capacity.
More at http://www.statesman.com/news/news/local-military/fort-hood-could-lose-nearly-3000-soldiers-under-re/nYWGQ/ .
[font color=green]This should have a detrimental effect for the economy in the Killeen-Copperas Cove-Temple area.[/font]
Austin doctor accused of $2.1 million Medicare fraud
Dr. Dennis B. Barson Jr., an Austin neurologist, and his medical clinic administrator, Dario Juarez, were charged in a multicount indictment with conspiracy to defraud Medicare of $2.1 million over a two-month period, U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson said Tuesday.
The indictment also accuses Barson, 40, of Austin, and Juarez, 53, of Beeville, with health care fraud for filing false Medicare claims for procedures that were not performed, including tests for urinary and bowel dysfunction.
Source: http://www.statesman.com/news/news/local/austin-doctor-accused-of-21-million-medicare-fraud/nYWHW/
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Profile Information
Gender: MaleHometown: South Texas. most of my life I lived in Austin and Dallas
Home country: United States
Current location: Bryan, Texas
Member since: Sun Aug 14, 2011, 03:57 AM
Number of posts: 112,552
