3, 02:17, 2007-10-19 04:59:42 Description:In Travis County District Court yesterday, Judge Orlinda Naranjo granted Texans Uniting for Reform and Freedom (TURF) a continuance allowing TURF to move to the discovery phase and depose top (More)In Travis County District Court yesterday, Judge Orlinda Naranjo granted Texans Uniting for Reform and Freedom (TURF) a continuance allowing TURF to move to the discovery phase and depose top Transportation Department (TxDOT) officials, including Transportation Commission Chairman Ric Williamson himself.
TURF's attorneys, Charlie Riley, David Van Os, and Andrew Hawkins outmaneuvered Attorney General counsel Kristina Silcocks to file a motion for a continuance to allow TURF to move to the discovery phase to gather evidence to show TxDOT's top brass broke the law with the Keep Texas Moving (KTM) ad campaign and lobbying Congress to buyback interstates.
"This is a great victory for Texas taxpayers!" an elated Terri Hall, TURF's Founder and Executive Director proclaimed. "This egregious misuse of $9 million of taxpayer money by a rogue government agency is one MAJOR step closer to being stopped."
The tide seemed to turn when Riley showed the affidavit by TxDOT's Helen Havelka was false. TURF uncovered this August 13, 2007 memo by Coby Chase through an Open Records request showing the Keep Texas Moving campaign was not over and in fact it has multiple phases planned with the next one fashioned to influence the upcoming Trans Texas Corridor TTC-69 NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act) hearings planned for early 2008.
With a clear attempt to mislead the court by causing Judge Naranjo and the public to believe the KTM Campaign was over when in fact it isn't, the State's credibility and case went downhill from there.
"We've already uncovered some internal memos," said Charles Riley, TURF's attorney. "And we want to be able to ask the people who wrote those memos what exactly they're talking about when they say, 'We're gonna target this area to change people's minds. We're gonna discredit the adversaries.'"
Riley said the next step is to depose individuals involved with this campaigning.
Kristina Silcocks, who represents TxDOT from the attorney general's office, did not want to speak on camera.
FAIR USE NOTICE: This video contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. Material from diverse and sometimes temporary sources is being made available in a permanent unified manner, as part of an effort to advance understanding of the social justice issues associated with the the privatization of public roads and eminent domain abuse. It is believed that this is a 'fair use' of the information as allowed under section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 USC Section 107, this video account is maintained without profit for those who access it for research and educational purposes. For more information, see: www.law.cornell.edu
Learn more at AustinTollParty.com OR http://salcostello.blogspot.com/ (Less) Video Tags:freewayshallkeeplawsuitmovingperryricrickroadroadsterritexastollturftxdotwilliamson Rate it:Rate : Watch hereClose player
5, 02:17, 2008-04-21 17:12:45 Description:In Travis County District Court yesterday, Judge Orlinda Naranjo granted Texans Uniting for Reform and Freedom (TURF) a continuance allowing TURF to move to the discovery phase and depose top (More)In Travis County District Court yesterday, Judge Orlinda Naranjo granted Texans Uniting for Reform and Freedom (TURF) a continuance allowing TURF to move to the discovery phase and depose top Transportation Department (TxDOT) officials, including Transportation Commission Chairman Ric Williamson himself. TURF's attorneys, Charlie Riley, David Van Os, and Andrew Hawkins outmaneuvered Attorney General counsel Kristina Silcocks to file a motion for a continuance to allow TURF to move to the discovery phase to gather evidence to show TxDOT's top brass broke the law with the Keep Texas Moving (KTM) ad campaign and lobbying Congress to buyback interstates. "This is a great victory for Texas taxpayers!" an elated Terri Hall, TURF's Founder and Executive Director proclaimed. "This egregious misuse of $9 million of taxpayer money by a rogue government agency is one MAJOR step closer to being stopped." The tide seemed to turn when Riley showed the affidavit by TxDOT's Helen Havelka was false. TURF uncovered this August 13, 2007 memo by Coby Chase through an Open Records request showing the Keep Texas Moving campaign was not over and in fact it has multiple phases planned with the next one fashioned to influence the upcoming Trans Texas Corridor TTC-69 NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act) hearings planned for early 2008. With a clear attempt to mislead the court by causing Judge Naranjo and the public to believe the KTM Campaign was over when in fact it isn't, the State's credibility and case went downhill from there. "We've already uncovered some internal memos," said Charles Riley, TURF's attorney. "And we want to be able to ask the people who wrote those memos what exactly they're talking about when they say, 'We're gonna target this area to change people's minds. We're gonna discredit the adversaries.'" Riley said the next step is to depose individuals involved with this campaigning. Kristina Silcocks, who represents TxDOT from the attorney general's office, did not want to speak on camera. FAIR USE NOTICE: This video contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. Material from diverse and sometimes temporary sources is being made available in a permanent unified manner, as part of an effort to advance understanding of the social justice issues associated with the the privatization of public roads and eminent domain abuse. It is believed that this is a 'fair use' of the information as allowed under section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 USC Section 107, this video account is maintained without profit for those who access it for research and educational purposes. For more information, see: www.law.cornell.edu Learn more at AustinTollParty.com OR http://salcostello.blogspot.com/ (Less) Video Tags:freewayshallkeeplawsuitmovingperryricrickroadroadsterritexastollturftxdotwilliamson Rate it:Rate : Watch hereClose player