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Press Releases - Articles - Media
Lights! Camera! Sheila!
houstonpress.com -- As told to Richard Connelly: April
15, 2004
Houston
politicos, who know a thing or two about getting on camera, are
forever in awe at the skill and tenacity of Congresswoman Sheila
Jackson Lee whenever she spies a piece of photographic equipment. It could be a funeral,
it could be at the speech of a competing polhell, it could be
the grand opening of Houston's 5,487th Subway franchise. If there's
a bright light, Lee's attracted to it. Her addiction takes her
to dark places where others fear to tread. Many of her colleagues
stayed far, far away when Michael Jackson, human oddity and alleged
child molester, visited the Capitol. Lee, on the other hand,
waded right in, as the picture above shows. Many thought that
might have been a nadir - or a high point, depending on your
view - of Lee's ability to horn her way into any publicity shot.
Little did they know. She's been doing this for a long, long
time.
Talky? You Bet!
Sheila Jackson Lee's verbosity leads
to a jackpot [for
the betting staffers]
--
As told to Richard Connelly - houstonpress.com February 12, 2004
Best-selling author Brad Meltzer's latest Washington thriller,
The Zero Game , involves congressional staffers running
betting pools on upcoming votes (naturally, things go awry,
and the next vote is for danger !). Since its publication,
he's heard from lots of Capitol Hill folks regaling him with
descriptions of real betting games that go on.
One of which
involves the loquaciousness of Houston's own (very loquacious)
U.S. Representative Sheila Jackson Lee. (Actually, Meltzer wouldn't
identify the specific congressperson in question; one current
Hill worker, though, says, "Lee is the only member I've
heard of the game being played with.") .
. . . read the rest of story online [or download 248 kb PDF]
Driving Miss Sheila:
The Sequel
BY
TIM FLECK tim.fleck@houstonpress.com
houstonpress.com June 13, 2002
Much has been made of Houston Congresswoman Sheila Jackson
Lee 's habit of using staff to chauffeur her around the nation's
capital, even when she lives within walking distance of her office.
The Houston Press got the ball rolling with a cover piece
titled "What's Driving Miss Sheila" (February 20, 1997).
The conservative Weekly Standard did an update in February,
and that got extensive play on the similarly oriented Fox News,
which salivates at any opportunity to bait archliberal Lee.
Roll Call
, the
weekly that covers congressional doings, reported the most recent
chapter late last month: "An interesting scene played out
on the east side of the Capitol. The Capitol Police cleared Rep.
John Dingall 's (D-Mich) car to go through the security
barriers, which only let through one vehicle at a time."
According to
Roll Call , a Mercedes with darkened windows suddenly
sped up behind Dingall's car and tried to tailgate it through
the security checkpoint. Alarmed officers flagged down the vehicle
and checked the contents and occupants, and "who should
be in the passenger seat but Sheila Jackson Lee."
After checking
the Mercedes, cops waved through the congresswoman, who's in
a perpetual hurry. Jackson Lee drivers should take note in the
future: Running a security blockade risks far more serious consequences
than a tongue-lashing from Miss Sheila.
What's Driving Miss Shelia?
BY
TIM FLECK tim.fleck@houstonpress.com
With her frenetic grandstanding, Congresswoman Sheila
Jackson Lee has irritated her staff, her colleagues, and even
the president. she says she speaks for her constituents. But
will anyone listen?
. . . . read the rest of story online [or download 304 kb PDF]
April 6, 2004
Rail ridership figures called `impressive'
By LUCAS WALL . . .
Comments
by Tom Bazan.
I am not surprised
that METRORail claims that they have had 1.6 million boardings
in the first 91 days of operation. I am also not surprised that
the number goes unchallenged from the media.
I have a letter from METRO which admitted that METRORail had
no automatic counters, and that they may not yet be operational
today. I have made three Texas Open Records Act requests of METRO
to produce the daily ridership counts. They have not yet complied.
I surmise that METRORail concocted to ridership number for January
as well as February and March 2004.
Please remember this is the same METRO that forecast sales
tax revenue (not allowed for you or me) by -12% (about $40 million
short) for FY 2003.
The story mentioned above states that as of May 30, 2004, METRO
will be alter bus routes, forcing many more folks onto the
tram, just to inflate the headcount as there will be no additional
fee for the mandatory transfer.
It is my observation, from transit systems nationwide, every
dollar diverted to subsidize "light rail" diminishes
service to the poor and minority, bus transit dependent riders.
It is my understanding that several universities have now taken
taxpayer funds to provide "free" METRORail passes for
students. Another example of METRORail incrementalism.
At least one taxpayer funded facility in the Medical Center has
diverted taxpayer funds to allocate to employees for "free"
rail passes and "free" parking as an inducement. The
parking cost the employees $200.00 a month, which now is paid
by you and me, just to boost the METRORail headcount.
Where is the outrage?
The METRO chairman predicts (alerts us) that the "Bogus"
ridership count will triple by the end of the year. There is
no mention of just how much more this METRO "success" is
costing taxpayers.
"If
you think health care is expensive now, wait until you see what
it costs when it's free." -- P. J. O'Rourke
www.houstonpress.com
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