Freedom Caucus Adversary to Face Opposition in Primary

Freedom Caucus Adversary to Face Opposition in Primary

By

James Scott Trimm

Here in Tarrant County we are proud to be home of several members of the Texas Freedom Caucus, among these are two of the most conservative members of the Texas House; Jonathan Stickland and Tony Tinderhot. 

Jonathan Stickland has represented District 92 better than any State Representative we have had in my memory, and my memory stretches all the way back to Representative Charles Evans in the 1970's and 80's!

We did not send Jonathan Stickland to Austin to join the good ole boys club and make back room deals.  We sent him to stand strong for our district.  We sent him to protect our freedoms and rights and to restrain government.   Jonathan Stickland has done that well, and has the voting record to prove it.  Stickland has become the Maverick of the Texas House.  And sometimes he has represented us by being a voice on the microphone in the back of the House, telling it like it is!  Personally I thank the Almighty that my District has a voice telling it like it is on the back-microphone in the House! 

Likewise Tony Tinderholt has stood strong for his Tarrant County constituents, as have theiur fellow Freedom Caucus members Matt Krause and Bill Zedler. 

Unfortunately Tarrant County is also home to Precinct Chair Marie Howard.  Howard has worked within the Tarrant County Republican Party and Texas in general, to thwart the efforts of the Texas Freedom Caucus and attack Conservative Heroes Jonathan Stickland and Tony Tiderholt.

Howard does this through an organization she founded called the Boiling Point Tea Party,  This is a “Tea Party” which has been called a “Fake Tea Party” by Julie McCarty of the Northeast County Tea Party (Tarrant County’s premier Tea Party). 

In September (Sept. 14, 2017) the Tarrant County Republican Party Executive Committee joined many other Texas County GOP committees in passing an “Oust Straus” resolution, calling for Joe Straus to be replaced as speaker of the Texas House.  This resolution passed almost unanimously.  But there was opposition from Marie Howard. 

Marie Howard spoke out against the resolution, made a failed motion to postpone it, and finally made a quorum call in a desperate effort to support Joe Straus and keep this resolution from being passed.

Immediately upon making the quorum call, Marie Howard went back to the seating area, conferred with Jennifer Olson, who then joined her in immediately walking out, in a failed effort to deprive the body of a quorum and this stop the Oust Straus resolution. This was seen by many witnesses, and also caught on video!

Even more recently Marie Howard gave her “cone of shame award to the “Fiscal Responsibility Index- Empower Texans” criticizing their support for the Texas Freedom Caucus and what she called their “blind hatred of Joe Straus.”

Texas Freedom Caucus is well known for their opposition to Joe Straus.  Howard, who seems to be in love with Straus, complains about this groups “blind hatred of Speaker Joe Straus” which she says causes them to “muddy the methodology.”  Howard complains that TFR “looked primarily at legislation by Tinderholt,  Stickland,  Rinaldi,  and Cain” for their scores.  Of course they do Howard, because these are the conservative heroes who are filing the very fiscally responsible bills that that TFR wants to see passed.

Here is how it works: Citizens support Texans for Fiscal Responsibility (and Empower Texans) because they want to see more fiscal responsibility in Austin.  TFR then makes donations (often matching donations, matched to citizen donations) to candidates that pledge to support fiscal responsibility in Austin.  Then these same legislators file fiscal responsibility bills.  And after the session, TFR grades legislators on how they voted in regards to these bills.  This is not a conspiracy, this is called holding to core principles.

Marie Howard’s real reason for granting the Cone of Shame to TFR is her support for Joe Straus and her opposition not only to the Texas Freedom Caucus but to the core principles of the Texas Republican Party Platform.

Now the House of Straus is collapsing, despite Howard’s best efforts to prop it up.  Straus and his chief lieutenant Byron Cook have announced that they will not seek reelection.  And thus far both Stickland and Tinderholt are running for their Republican nominations unopposed.  The old Austin Establishment power structure is collapsing.

Yesterday Tarrant Families Matter PAC (TFM PAC) announced that Marie Howard will have a TFM PAC backed opponent in her run for precinct chair in the coming Republican Primary. 

All who wish to help in the efforts to oust Marie Howard are encouraged to contact Tarrant Family Matters PAC at 817-682-5872 or visit their website at http://www.tarrantfamiliesmatterpac.com to donate!

It is time to clean out the Tarrant County Swamps!

PPT Pals Circle Wagons for Munford

PPT Pals Circle Wagons for Munford

By

James Scott Trimm

The Story so Far

In recent weeks this blog has revealed that Protective Parents of Texas (PPT) (run by Jennifer Olson) is a RINO organization which rejects and works against many of the core principles of the Texas Republican Party Platform.  In fact PPT recently admitted that they prefer Democrats and only settle for Republicans.  Among other things, PPT has begin a campaign to Federalize Texas Family Law, in violation of the Constitution as well as the Texas Republican Party Platform.  Closely aligned with PPT is the Boiling Point Tea Party (run by Marie Howard), an organization which this blog has revealed to be a fake tea party.

On September 8th PPT endorsed Tarrant Family Court judicial candidate Judge James B. Munford, saying "Luckily for Tarrant County voters, Diane Haddock has an opponent for the 322rd District Court: JAMES B MUNFORD." and directing its readers to Munford's linked campaign Facebook page.

Then on September 12^th 2017, I wrote a blog recommending that James Munford renounce this endorsement from Protective Parents of Texas.  Just a few days later, on September 14^th 2017, I approached Munford at the Tarrant County Republican Party Executive Committee meeting, and we discussed the endorsement and my blog.  At this meeting Munford told me that he could not renounce the PPT endorsement because of “ethics rules” yet I have checked the rules of both the Texas Ethics Commission and the Texas Judicial Ethics Commission and can find no rule that would prohibit a judicial candidate from renouncing an endorsement.

PPT Cherry Picking

Family Court judges interact with people in what is often one of the worst experiences of their lives.  The cases often involve people with seemingly conflicting rights over the same property and more importantly, their children.   The dilemma of child custody disputes goes all the way back to the times of Solomon (1Kings 3:16-28).  Unfortunately half of disputants leave Family Court unhappy.  In fact, often, both parties leave unhappy.  When people are caught in emotionally wrenching situations and are disappointed by the outcome, it is easy for them to interpret their disappointment as “injustice” and this has led to a subculture of Family Court haters.  The anti-Family Court subculture has formed an organization in Tarrant County: Protective Parents of Texas (PPT).

One might ask why PPT has repeatedly attacked many of our Republican Family Court judges while endorsing Munford?  Is there no group of persons who feel that they did not get justice in Munford’s court?

There is in fact such a group, with their own blog and discussion page (totally ignored by PPT):

A user calling themselves “A Loving and Devoted Mother” says “Judge N. Berger and Judge J. Munford are both grossly negligent, unaccountable, and incompetent when it comes to the welfare of your child(ren).”

Texasmama writes: “I have been to Hell and back these past 3 years, and although I will take full responsibility for buying the ticket, Judge Munford was the driver who took me there! I even requested an attorney ad litem for my children, but was denied. Munford said it made him feel like he wasn't smart enough to make a ruling. I thought it was for my boys' best interest, not to insult his HUGE ego!”

“A Loving and Devoted Mother” said: “I also requested an ad litem attorney for my daughter. Judge Munford denied my request, multiple times. The Judge’s best interest is NOT to have the divorces resolved, but to continue making money for attorneys and themselves. Judge Munford even met privately with my daughter, in his quarters. The transcript was plain and clear that my daughter expressed a deep desire and need to live with her brother and me. The courts have NO training in child development, and they split my two (2) children up. Due to Judge Munford’s negligence, our marital home was eventually foreclosed on and was sold at auction.”

Michelle Lowery writes of judges Berger and Munford “these corrupt judges need to be stopped before they cause anymore damage to our chidren”

Concerned Father writes: “I've been going through same nightmare as you guys in 322nd.”

And Unknown writes “Judge Mungford coached the opposing counsel on how to do her job, let her refile defective pleadings, and dragged out what should only be one hearing to three although he knew threw out the false allegations of child endangerment they filed against me. It has been the worst three months of my life.”

These are just a few of the comments from this group blaming Berger and Munford for what they call “legal abuse syndrome” in much the same way PPT has accused our other family court judges.  In fact, had these stories been about any other judges in our family courts that Berger/Munford, PPT would have posted them and spread them far and wide!

(These comments and more can be seen here: https://childwelfarenegligenceintarrantcounty.blogspot.com/2013/08/are-you-ensnared-in-tarrant-county.html#comment-form )

PPT Prefers Democrats, Settles for Republicans

So why is Protective Parents of Texas so in love with Munford?  Why do they run cover for Munford, while slandering other judges?

In the same posting in which PPT endorsed James Munford, a PPT supporter named Carol George-Perry asks PPT “Can’t we challenge these seats with Democrats?”  PPT responds this question, not by referencing their support for the Republican Party Platform, but by saying “Fort Worth (Tarrant County) is the most conservative county in Texas therefore, we hardly see Democrat candidates.” The only reason PPT is not trying to replace our Republican Family Court Judges with Democrats, is that Tarrant County is too conservative, and they can’t win with Democrats! 

That’s right, PPT is endorsing Munford because they see him as the next best thing to a Democrat.

TFM PAC Facebook Ad

Because of all of this, Tarrant Families Matter PAC has been running the following Facebook ad (which began in late October) about Munford:

In the wake of this ad, Munford’s PPT pals have circled the wagon to support their candidate. 

Tarrant County Republican Precinct Chair, and PPT associate, Debbie Logsdon created this image labeling the Facebook ad as “Fake News”, posting it to PPT associate Marie Howard’s page.  Howard “liked” the post and called the ad a “smear campaign”:

 Logsdon has in the past accused Judge Haddock of falsifying her court files, saying: “When looking into Judge Diane Haddock I challenge you to talk to the victims of "HER" court. The court files cannot be truthful because she does not allow a court reporter in "HER" courtroom.”

A Facebook user known as “Lauren Ann” posted “Thank you for being a Tarrant County Family Court Judge who really cares about families.” 

For those who do not know, “Lauren Ann” has posted slanderous statements, even asking if Judge Haddock is “that disgusting scumbag Judge who murdered that poor sweet little girl?” and elsewhere saying that judge Haddock “AIDED in the MURDER of this little Girl.”

Lauren Ann’s post showing her support for Munford was “liked” by Donna Tribunella (aka Donna Anderson).

Donna Tribunella has posted statements like:

“Haddock and Harris need their licences revoked, they are a threat to Tarrant county families.  Anyone who believes that Haddock and Harris are not directly responsible for Liliana’s Wright’s death is delusional at best.”

And:

“Judge Haddock may be college educated… but just like a pig… a pig is a pig even if you add lipstick to it… Brainless, Moraless, clueless, classless disaster to families who enter her court.”

And attacking Judge Haddock’s husband she has said “Gerald Haddock is just a big Dickless Moron.” 

Marie Howard has reacted to the Facebook ad by posting a picture of Diane Haddock and Terry Munford at a recent political event.  Apparently Howard took this picture, and Judge Haddock acted with her usual class, smiling, and being cordial. (unlike the behavior we have seen coming from Munford’s PPT friends above).  Howard reacted to this display of class by attacking Judge Haddock, accusing her of backstabbing, and blaming her for this political ad, a political ad with which she had no involvement. 

In the past Howard has made false state statements exploiting the death of a child and her grieving family in order to blame Judge Haddock for a case that was actually settled out of court and never even came before the judges.  In fact Howard has falsely claimed custody was granted to the mother against the grandmother’s wishes, when the grandmother actually signed and approved the custody award.

Howard has recently said “GOD BLESS TEXAS! HOME OF THE WORST JUDICIAL SYSTEM IN THE COUNTRY!” Republicans, especially in the higher courts, dominate Texas judicial system!  If Howard hates the Texas Judicial system, then what she is really hating is the Republican Judicial philosophy.  Only a Democrat (or a RINO) would hate the Texas Judicial System so much as to call it the “worst in the country.”  I guess Howard prefers blue-state judicial systems, as she has just declared that every blue-state in the USA has a better Judicial system than does Texas!

PPT leader Jennifer Olson responded to Marie Howard’s posting (of the picture of Judge Haddock and Terry Munford) and to the Facebook ad it referenced by saying: “The Munford’s are solid Republicans and everyone knows it.  Anyone who says otherwise simply has an antisocial personality disorder and should seek immediate help.”:

Jennifer Olson is the leader of Protective Parents of Texas.  She is also the producer of a video that made dishonest edits in an effort to make it appear that Judge Haddock said things that she did not say, in order to forward Olson’s political agenda.

These are the people who are complaining about a “smear campaign” and circling their wagons around James Munford!  These people are the inner circle of Protective Parents of Texas!  These are the people that have been slandering our Republican Family Court Judges, but have endorsed James Munford! 

After a great deal of soul searching, and after pleading to no avail with James Munford to renounce this endorsement, I now must withdraw my own endorsement of James Munford (which I had given back in June).  Will a Republican please run for the 322^nd who is not endorsed by Protective Parents of Texas?

UPDATE (October 24th, 2017)
Just posted by PPT:

Marie Howard’s RINO Judicial Meet and Greet

Marie Howard’s RINO Judicial Meet and Greet

By

James Scott Trimm

The Boiling Point Tea Party is a group which has been called a “fake Tea Party” by Julie McCarty, who leads Tarrant County’s real Tea Party: The North East Tarrant County Tea Party. 

Next Thursday (October 26^th) the Boiling Point Tea Party will be holding a “Meet and Greet” for Judicial candidates.  Several judicial candidates have been duped into participating in this event (word has it that at least one announced speaker has already withdrawn).  

In the announcement for this event, Howard wraps up with the following bold proclamation of her true beliefs: “GOD BLESS TEXAS! HOME OF THE WORST JUDICIAL SYSTEM IN THE COUNTRY!”  That is right, Marie Howard hates the Texas Judicial System! 

But wait a minute, Texas judicial system is dominated by Republicans, especially in the higher courts!  If Howard hates the Texas Judicial system, then what she is really hating is the Republican Judicial philosophy.  Only a Democrat (or a RINO) would hate the Texas Judicial System so much as to call it the “worst in the country.”  I guess Howard prefers blue-state judicial systems, as she has just declared that every blue-state in the USA has a better Judicial system than Texas!

Marie Howard’s hatred for her own party’s judges is never more apparent that in her involvement with Protective Parents of Texas.  Protective Parents of Texas was originally known as Protective Parents Coalition, in fact the Facebook page that was originally titled Protective Parents Coalition was simply renamed “Protective Parents of Texas” just a few weeks ago.  Marie Howard is (was?) a board member of this organization (at least under the name Protective Parents Coalition).  PPT recently admitted that they have endorsed James Munford for judge instead of a Democrat, only because Tarrant County is too conservative for a viable Democrat to run.  They seem to prefer Democrats but only settle for Republicans.

Marie Howard’s hatred for the Texas Judicial system appears to be closely connected to Protective Parent’s of Texas recent campaign to federalize Texas Family law!  This is not only unconstitutional, but directly at odds with our Texas Republican Party Platform.

Texas’ mostly Republican judges tend to follow a Republican philosophy of judicial restraint, not legislating from the bench.  Unfortunately many federal judges have done the opposite.  PPT clearly does not like this philosophy of judicial restraint.  In fact PPT has suggested that Family Court Judges should override out of court settlements agreed to by families (when CPS has not intervened).  This also runs contrary to our Texas Republican Party platform.

Marie Howard hates the Texas Judicial System because she hates the Republican Judicial philosophy that guides most of our judges and which dominates our state Judicial system. 

And it’s not just the Texas Judicial System that Marie Howard hates.  Howard also hates the Texas Freedom Caucus and our most conservative Texas legislators (like Jonathan Stickland and Tony Tinderholt), while doing everything she can to support Joe Straus.

Straus is the best Speaker money can buy, but he is no conservative.  In fact Straus and his chief lieutenant, State Rep. Charlie Geren (R-Fort Worth) are the only Republicans in the top-15 recipients of public-sector labor union campaign donations in Texas.  And Straus is the second-highest beneficiary of union money, only State Sen. John Whitmire, who is the longest serving Democrat in the Texas Senate, receives more union cash.

Straus gerrymanders the chamber in such a manner as to inhibit conservatives and exalt moderates when making his committee assignments.  Conservative bills then go to House Calendars where they are selectively left to die without ever having a vote.  

At least one Democratic strategist has suggested that Boehner could have learned a thing or two from Straus.  Strategist Jason Stanford once said:

"He [Boehner] should have taken the Texas model. We have a speaker here in Texas, Joe Straus. And I hate saying this, but maybe Washington needs to adopt the Texas model here because he gets elected speaker with Democratic votes. John Boehner knew he couldn’t stay speaker unless he was willing to rely on Democratic votes. He just wasn’t willing to do that so he quit."

Yet Marie Howard bends over backwards to help Straus and oppose Texas Freedom Caucus members like Jonathan Stickland and Tony Tinderholt.  When the Tarrant County Republican Party Executive Committee had a vote on a resolution calling for Straus to be replaced, Marie Howard staged a failed walkout (joined by her PPT pal Jennifer Olson).

Just recently Marie Howard has given her “cone of shame award to the “Fiscal Responsibility Index- Empower Texans” criticizing their support for the Texas Freedom Caucus and what she calls their “blind hatred of Joe Straus.” 

Beware. if Marie Howard is pushing or supporting a candidate for any office, that in itself is a very bad sign.  Any candidate should think twice before tying themselves to the Boiling Point [Fake] Tea Party and/or Marie Howard.

Marie Howard hates the Texas judicial system and the Texas Freedom Caucus almost as much as she hates her own party. With friends like Marie Howard, who needs Democrats?

Protective Parents of Texas Admits they are Rinos

Protective Parents of Texas Admits they are Rinos

By

James Scott Trimm

In a recent blog, (see: Protective Parents of Texas: Beware of Rinos ) I made the case that the group known as Protective Parents of Texas (PPT) is a group of Republicans in Name Only (RINOs) who are actually Democrats at heart.  In that blog, I showed that PPT rejects the Texas Republican Party Platform positions on core principles.  Protective Parents of Texas is not a Republican Organization.  In that blog I showed that they do not believe in limited government and personal freedom.  They do not hold to core Republican principles, and they do not agree with key planks in the Texas Republican Party Platform concerning parents rights, family sovereignty, judicial restraint, and Texas Sovereignty specifically in regards to Texas Family Law. 

Now a PPT posting has surfaced in which PPT admits that the only reason they don’t challenge our Republican Family Court judges with Democrat challengers is that Tarrant County is to conservative and that Democrat candidates are too hard for them to come by. 

The recent posting was prompted by the PPT endorsement of Associate Judge James Munford in the race for District Judge for the 322^nd Family Court.  (See my recent blog: Munford Should Renounce PPT “Endorsement” )

In this recent posting a PPT supporter named Carol George-Perry asks PPT “Can’t we challenge these seats with Democrats?”  PPT responds this question, not by referencing their support for the Republican Party Platform, but by saying “Fort Worth (Tarrant County) is the most conservative county in Texas therefore, we hardly see Democrat candidates.”  

That’s right, the only reason PPT is not trying to replace our Republican Family Court Judges with Democrats, is that Tarrant County is too conservative, and they can’t win with Democrats! 

Realize that PPT is made up largely of Tarrant County Republican Precinct Chairs.  Precinct Chairs like Jennifer Olson, Marie Howard, Donna Anderson (AKA Donna Tribunella) and Debbie Allen Logsdon.   These “RINOs” have infiltrated the Tarrant County Republican Party. 

Their PPT organization only works within the Republican party, not because they believe in our platform (they reject many of its core principles) but because they realize that Tarrant County is too conservative for them to succeed in replacing our Republican Family Court Judges with Democrats!

In fact the Tarrant Families Matter PAC has recently run a political ad calling out these four Tarrant County Republican Precinct Chairs, dubbing them as the "Frightful Four" (See:  Tarrant Families Matter PAC: Beware the Frightful Four!)

Protective Parents of Texas is not a Republican Organization.  They do not believe in limited government and personal freedom.  They do not hold to core Republican principles, and they do not agree with key planks in the Texas Republican Party Platform concerning parents rights, family sovereignty, judicial restraint, and Texas Sovereignty specifically in regards to Texas Family Law. 

In Fact Tarrant Families Matter is fighting PPT's efforts to Federalize Texas Family Law (See blog:  TFM to Fight Federalization of Texas Family Law )

PPT is a group with a pet peeve issue that they want to be fixed by big government.  They do not hold to the core principles of the Texas Republican Party.  They are RINOS who hold to a Democrat philosophy at heart. They are Democrats at heart.

Beware, Protective Parents of Texas is working within the Republican Party of Texas and especially Tarrant County to push forward an agenda that is at complete odds with the Republican Party of Texas.

With a PPT endorsement, Munford risks being perceived as PPT's next best thing to a Democrat. If you are a Republican candidate, this is not a group you want endorsing you.  If you are a voter, beware of this group’s activities. Don’t be fooled by these RINOS.

TFM to Fight Federalization of Texas Family Law

TFM to Fight Federalization of Texas Family Law

By

James Scott Trimm

A groups known as Protective Parents of Texas has begun a campaign calling upon the Federal Government to introduce “changes” and “reforms” to Texas Family Law. 

PPT is an organization co-founded and run by Jennifer Olson.  In a recent article I documented that Jennifer Olson, who is a family violence activist, was herself arrested just last year for family violence.  This organization has made claims in its many attacks on judges that I have shown to be factually incorrect. I have also exposed their blatantly dishonest audio edits.  Olson’s close associate in the PPT is Marie Howard who leads The Boiling Point Tea Party, which has been called a “fake Tea Party” by Northeast Tarrant County Tea Party leader Julie McCarty.  Howard is infamous for her recent opposition to the Tarrant County Republican Party’s resolution calling for Texas House Speaker Joe Straus to be replaced. She and Jennifer Olson staged a “walk out” on the vote, but failed to prevent its passage.

In recent posts, PPT has encouraged its readers to contact their Federal legislators to ask the Federal Government to supersede the rights of Texans to govern our own state and intervene in legislating Texas Family Law:

Moreover PPT is organizing its advocates for a future march on Washington D.C. to advocate for this Federal intervention in Texas Family Law:

When recently challenged on this issue, PPT dug its heels in and made its position clear, saying: “Some say this is not a Federal Problem, we disagree.”:

Federalization of Texas Family law would be a blatant violation of the Tenth Amendment to the US Constitution.  The Tenth Amendment to the US Constitution reads:

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people

This means that the federal government (the Supreme Court included) does not have any power that the states have not specifically delegated to the federal government in the Constitution.  No where in the Constitution do the states delegate to the Federal Government the power to regulate Family Law.

As James Madison, the father of the US Constitution, and author of the Bill of Rights wrote:

The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government, are few and defined. Those which are to remain in the State governments are numerous and indefinite. The former will be exercised principally on external objects, as war, peace, negotiation, and foreign commerce; with which last the power of taxation will, for the most part, be connected. The powers reserved to the several States will extend to all the objects which, in the ordinary course of affairs, concern the lives, liberties, and properties of the people, and the internal order, improvement, and prosperity of the State.

(James Madison; Federalist Paper 45)

Moreover Thomas Jefferson, the primary author of the Declaration of Independence wrote:

"That the several states composing the United States of America are not united on the principle of unlimited submission to their general government; but that, by compact, under the style and title of a Constitution for the United States, and of amendments thereto, they constituted a general government for special purposes, delegated to that government certain definite powers, reserving, each state to itself, the residuary mass of right to their own self-government; …

(Thomas Jefferson; Kentucky Resolution 1798)

This is reinforced in the Texas State Constitution which says:

Texas is a free and independent State, subject only to the Constitution of the United States, and the maintenance of our free institutions and the perpetuity of the Union depend upon the preservation of the right of local self-government, unimpaired to all the States.

(Texas Constitution; Article 1 Section 1)

This new campaign by PPT to encourage the Federal  Legislature (or any other branch of the Federal Government) to intervene in areas of Texas Family Law is a violation of the US Constitution itself, as well as the Texas State Constitution.  Any efforts by Congress, or any other branch of the Federal Government to regulate Texas Family Law would be unconstitutional!

Tarrant Families Matter, an organization standing up for the American Family and Parental rights in Texas, has recently announced a campaign to stand up against this unconstitutional effort to Federalize Texas Family Law:

To get involved and help support Tarrant Families Matter’s fight to protect the rights of Texans to govern ourselves in matters of Family Law, visit their website:

http://www.tarrantfamiliesmatter.com

This is a worthy cause.  The last thing Texas Families need is for Texas Family law to become Federalized!

Marie Howard Fake Tea Party Attacks Freedom Caucus - Family Judges

Marie Howard Fake Tea Party Attacks

Freedom Caucus - Family Judges

By

James Scott Trimm

The Boiling Point Tea Party has issued its Cone of Shame awards, which are really a badge of honor.

The Boiling Point Tea Party is a group which has been called a “fake Tea Party” by Julie McCarty, who leads Tarrant Counties Premier Tea Party, the North East Tarrant County Tea Party.  

This fake “tea party” is run by Marie Howard who is infamous for her recent opposition to the Tarrant County Republican Party’s resolution calling for Texas House Speaker Joe Straus to be replaced. 

The “Boiling Point Tea Party” has now issued its “Cone of Shame” award to:

1. Fiscal Responsibility Index - Empower Texans 

2. Board Certified Family Attorneys Who Sit Back Afraid to Run.

The first of these “awards” is really aimed at the Texas Freedom Caucus, well known for their opposition to Joe Straus.  Howard, who seems to be in love with Straus, complains about this groups “blind hatred of Speaker Joe Straus” which she says causes them to “muddy the methodology.”  Howard complains that TFR “looked primarily at legislation by Tinderholt,  Stickland,  Rinaldi,  and Cain” for their scores.  Of course they do Howard, because these are the conservative heroes who are filing the very fiscally responsible bills that that TFR wants to see passed. 

Here is how it works: Citizens support Texans for Fiscal Responsibility (and Empower Texans) because they want to see more fiscal responsibility in Austin.  TFR then makes donations (often matching donations, matched to citizen donations) to candidates that pledge to support fiscal responsibility in Austin.  Then these same legislators file fiscal responsibility bills.  And after the session, TFR grades legislators on how they voted in regards to these bills.  This is not a conspiracy, this is called holding to core principles.

Marie Howard’s real reason for granting the Cone of Shame to TFR is her support for Joe Straus and her opposition not only to the Texas Freedom Caucus but to the core principles of the Texas Republican Party Platform.

The next Recipient of Howard’s Cone of Shame are “Board Certified Family Attorneys Who Sit Back Afraid to Run.”  Howard writes:

There are FIVE of SIX Family Court judicial benches OPEN.  Why are THREE uncontested?  Of the five, four of the incumbents are not Board Certified in Family Law.  One incumbent is retiring. The FOUR on the bench PRESENTLY  rule according to their "policy" instead of Family Law. 

Howard has her basic facts wrong.  Only one Family Court judge position is contested at present (the 233^rd).  Two judges are retiring but both are serving out their terms, so all six are occupied.  Her claim that they “rule according to their "policy" instead of Family Law” is unsupported.  She offers only anonymous anecdotal evidence to support her claim, saying:

Attorneys have told me they are aware of the DISREGARD for the Rule of Law.  There is not a Family Law Attorney in North Texas who is not aware of the unconstitutional behavior men, women and children are being subjected to in Tarrant Family Court.  YOU are as responsible for the suffering families are being dealt as though YOU yourself were on the bench because YOU sit back and do NOTHING! Step up and run!  Remember that oath you took to DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION!

The only specific example that is not anonymous and anecdotal, which Howard presents is that of Leiliana Write.  Howard writes:  “When judges are incompetent, tragedies happen such as four year old Leiliana.”

Howard has a history of outright lies and deceptions in her efforts to blame the judiciary for the case of Leiliana Wright, which was actually settled out of court.  Howard has no problems exploiting the death of a child and exploiting a grieving family for her political agenda.

Marie Howard has stated that the judge granted custody of Leilana to her mother "over her grandmother's wishes."  This is factually incorrect.  The parties never came before the judge.  The judge did not grant custody to anyone.  The mother already had custody of her own daughter.  The grandmother did not appear to have standing under Texas law to sue for custody, and the parties agreed out of court.  The grandmother signed onto an agreement that would at least grant her visitation. 

In this case Judge Haddock simply signed onto an out of court settlement entered into by the parties, as Texas law required her to do.  This was explored in more detail in my recent articles An Unfair Attack on Judge Haddock and The Death of Leiliana the Untold Story.

Marie Howard is a close ally of Jennifer Olson the founder of Protective Parents of Texas.  In recent articles I have shown that Protective Parents of Texas (PPT) has used the most dishonest of tactics in attacking various of our Tarrant County Family Court Judges, including Judge Wells and Judge Haddock..  PPT is an organization co-founded and run by Jennifer Olson.  In a recent article I documented that Jennifer Olson, who is a family violence activist, was herself arrested just last year for family violence.  This organization has made claims in its many attacks on judges that I have shown to be factually incorrect. I have also exposed their blatantly dishonest audio edits aimed at creating the impression that Judge Haddock said things she did not say, or answered questions in ways she did not answer them.  (One edit was so blatant that Judge Haddock said something about a certain individual even naming them, and the edit removed the persons name and alleged that she had said it about a completely different person.)  PPT has gone so far as to attack judges for supposed rulings in cases which the judges actually only simply signed off on out of court agreements, as the law compels them to do.  This organization has engaged in levels of deceit that are rarely seen even in the dirtiest of dirty tricks politics, going so far at to exploit the memory of a murdered child and her grieving family for a dishonest political agenda. And recently PPT even directed its readers to the blatantly antisemitic Hidden Mysteries website.

Marie Howard with PPT Pal Jennifer Olson

Howard claims she wants Family Law attorneys to run against our Family Court Judges because she wants them to “defend the Constitution” but the truth is that PPT has begun a campaign to federalize Texas Family Law. Federalization of Family law violates the tenth amendment of the U.S. Constitution and Article I Section 1 of the Texas State Constitution.  Howard has no interest in defending the Constitution in regards to the Texas Family Courts.

The Cone of Shame award from Marie Howard and her fake "tea party" is a badge of honer for Texans for Fiscal Responsibility, the Texas Freedom Caucus and our Tarrant County Family Court judges.