Chad’s Morning Brief: Voter ID Delays, If Ron Paul Runs it Might Help Romney, and More

Here is your Morning Brief for the morning of May 9, 2012. Give us your feedback below and tune in to Lubbock’s First News with Chad Hasty for these and many more topics from 6-9 am.

1. Voter ID Law Not Looking Good for November (link)

Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott is trying to get the state's voter identification law implemented in time for the November election, but according to the Statesman, the outlook is dim.

In a statement Tuesday, Abbott's office offered an emphatic denial of a charge by a federal court in Washington that criticized Texas for drawing out the legal process in the ongoing voter ID case.
The court, which will determine the legality of Texas' 2011 voter ID law, said in an order late Monday that it has been accommodating to the parties in the case, but it added that Texas didn't return the favor.
The court said it has made itself promptly available to resolve any disputes that would have delayed the process.
"Unfortunately, Texas has failed to act with the same diligence and sense of urgency," the court said.
The most troubling aspect of the delay has been "Texas' conduct with respect to producing its key state databases," which are central to the Justice Department's claim that the voter ID bill — Senate Bill 14 by state Sen. Troy Fraser, R-Horseshoe Bay — could disproportionately reduce minorities' ability to cast ballots, the court said.
The panel of judges also said that the only way the case can be ready for trial July 9 as scheduled is if Texas meets "every single future deadline, and every single condition" that the court ordered. Meeting deadlines and releasing documents in a timely manner is vital so parties in the case have time to review the data before the trial, the court indicated.
Jerry Strickland, communications director for the attorney general's office, responded with his own harshly worded statement that placed the blame for the slow pace firmly upon the backs of the U.S. Department of Justice and a collection of intervenors in the lawsuit who Strickland said want to kill the voter ID law.
"In an ongoing effort to prevent Texas from enforcing its voter ID law during the November election, the Department of Justice and partisans who oppose the voter ID law, have issued endless discovery requests seeking millions of records that have nothing to do with this case," Strickland said. "The State has already produced roughly 25,000 pages of information and millions of records from State databases."

It's pathetic that this is even in the court system. To me and most other people who have a brain, showing an ID isn't racist or harmful. The Supreme Court has already said that Voter ID laws are legal and will hold up in court. So what is the problem? The problem is people who don't care about protecting the integrity of our elections.

2. Romney Wins With Ron Paul in the Race (link)

You might think a Ron Paul candidacy would be terrible for Mitt Romney and the GOP, according to a new poll out, you might need to think again.

But perhaps Democrats should be careful what they wish for: Even if Mitt Romney’s remaining GOP challenger should run as a third party candidate, new Rasmussen Reports surveying finds Romney the winner of a three-way race.
The latest national telephone survey shows that 25% of Likely U.S. Voters think Paul should run as a third party candidate. Sixty-one percent (61%) disagree, but 13% more are not sure. …
Yet despite apparent Democratic hopes that a Paul candidacy might cut into Romney’s total, the likely Republican nominee is the winner of a three-way race if the election were held right now. Given that matchup, Romney earns 44% support to President Obama’s 39%. Paul runs a distant third with 13% of the vote. Two percent (2%) like some other candidate, and another two percent (2%) are undecided.

I doubt Ron Paul will actually launch a 3rd party campaign, but if he does it may make sense that it would hurt Obama more. A lot of Ron Paul's supporters hate the GOP. In fact, when I see a rally for Ron Paul I can see many of those same people voting for Obama.

3. House Dems Using Trayvon Again (link)

You have got to be kidding me!?!

House Democrats said Tuesday they will offer an amendment to push to overturn stand-your-ground self-defense laws in states like Florida.
The amendment, which would withhold some grants from states that have such laws, will come as part of the House's debate on the Commerce Department spending bill.
"'Shoot-first' laws have already cost too many lives. In Florida alone, deaths due to self-defense have tripled since the law was enacted. Federal money shouldn't be spent supporting states with laws that endanger their own people," said Reps. Raul Grijalva of Arizona and Keith Ellison of Minnesota, the two Democrats who are offering the legislation. "This is no different than withholding transportation funds from states that don't enforce seat-belt laws."
Florida's law, which allows residents to use force in response to an attack without first having to retreat, has come under scrutiny after the nationally-polarizing death of teenager Trayvon Martin. George Zimmermann, a neighborhood watch volunteer, has been charged with murder in the case.

This case hasn't even gone to trial yet, and I'm not sure it should given what we have seen so far. Anyone who votes for this wants you to be a victim.

4. Woman Thwarts Home Invasion (link)

This will piss off Democrats I'm sure.

Lubbock Police are investigating an attempted home invasion that took place this morning in northwest Lubbock. The incident happened in the 4600 block of Jarvis Street around 8:30am.
One of the home’s residents happened to be at home as the perp tried to kick in the front door. Amanda Martinez fired a gun shot through the door. She missed the suspect and he ended up getting away before police arrived.
The family says this is the second attempted invasion at the home in the past week.

It's so important to arm yourself these days. It seems as though we have seen a spike in home invasions lately so make sure you have a gun and know how to use it.

5. Dumb story of the morning (link)

Teen tried to rob Police Officer, at a Police Station.

Keithan Manuel is sitting inside the Dallas County Jail Tuesday night waiting for someone to believe him –– it was a joke, he told investigators. He didn’t really want to rob that police station.

Police, however, say the 18-year-old walked into the Wilmer Police Department Saturday evening with a white towel covering his hands.
Police Chief Victor Kemp described the incident saying, “Yeah well, a young man walked into the lobby and approached the dispatch window there and told our Communications Officer ‘give me all your money.’”

6. Good Brews Good News of the Day (link)

Co-workers save a life!

Officials are crediting four coworkers for saving a man’s life Monday after he fell 40 feet into a vat of acid.
Martin Davis fell through a roof at a factory in New Jersey and into the tank that was reportedly filled with a 40 percent to 70 percent solution of nitric acid, which is commonly used for cleaning metal tubing, NorthJersey.com reported.
It was initially reported that Rob Nuckols, another worker, jumped into the vat to rescue Davis. But Nuckols’ family members told the paper that he did not jump into the tank. Rather, he joined the other workers in pulling Davis out. Nucklos was not available for comment.
"It takes a lot of courage," Vince Colavitti, the fire chief told The Record of Woodland Park.
Rescue workers cut Davis out of his clothes and sprayed him with water to limit burns. A relative says Davis is in critical condition. NorthJersey.com reported that Davis suffered a broken rib, punctured lung and burns on his leg and side.
"They have him on a breathing apparatus and he's in critical condition," a family member told the paper. "His condition is not so good. But he’s a young guy. He'll pull through."
An employee at Swepco Tube LLC says the company had no comment.
Co-workers credited for saving New Jersey man who fell in vat of acid.

Everyday, Good Brews Coffee & Tea Lounge brings you the Good News of the Day!

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