Pictures of an Hispanic man flashing a gang symbol, another Hispanic man in the custody of immigration officials, and an Hispanic male in a kitchen with a rifle adorn the lastest race-bating mailer sent out by ex-state representative Bill Keffer (R-Dallas) in his grudge match against State Rep. Allen Vaught (D-Dallas).
The mailer, which was paid for by Keffer’s campaign, alleges that Vaught says the illegal immigration issue is a “political gimmick,” but cites no source to illustrate that Vaught ever made any such statement.
The mailer, which Democratic sources in Dallas tell us has caused quite an anti-Keffer baclkash in the Hispanic community, also alleges that illegal immigration leads to increased crime, increased drug trafficking, and increased taxes.
What Keffer’s campaign doesn’t bother to say is that a study issued by the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts while Keffer was still in office essentially says the Texas economy would collapse if all illegal immigrants were rounded up and shipped back across the border, which is a strategy Keffer’s right-wing GOP allies have advocated before.
Keffer’s campaign also fails to point out that illegal immigrants cost Texans less than one percent of the entire state budget when criminal justice, medical care, and education of illegal immigrants are combined. The Comptroller’s study confirmed this. Evidently, Keffer didn’t bother to read it, although it was issued while he was still in office.
As for the racist aspects of the mailer, they aren’t too subtle. For one thing, an Hispanic man standing in a kitchen with a gun is pretty bad. It intimates that all Hispanic men are some type of gun-toting gang bangers, which is, of course, what Keffer wants you to think. The reality is that it is still legal to own a rifle in America, and that the guy in the picture in Keffer’s mailer could have been showing off a birthday present, his granfather’s gun, or even celebrating a deer hunting trip. But, when put in the context it is, it’s clearly racist.
Most white families probably have a photo like that somewhere in their photo albums: the first time their son got a rifle for Christmas, or their brother celebrating a great deer hunt. But Keffer uses the photo of an Hispanic in his own home holding a gun in an attempt to scare white voters. It’s racist, and Keffer should be ashamed of himself, period.
November 4, 2008 at 5:11 pm
Capitol AnnexTX HD 107: Keffer Campaign Launches Racist Mailer Against Allen Vaught Pictures of an Hispanic man flashing a gang symbol, another Hispanic man in the custody of immigration officials, and an Hispanic male in a kitchen with a rifle adorn the lastest race-bating mailer sent out by ex-state representative Bill Keffer
November 11, 2008 at 3:53 am
. Here is to a classic 2008! Vince Leibowitz of Capitol Annex focused a considerable amount of energy this cycle covering Texas Democrats’ attempts to retake the Texas House of Representatives. Fromracistmailers and decitful TV ads in Dallas and Houston area House districts to the battle to unseat Texas’ most ethically compromised legislator, down to catching Republicans telling blatant lies, this was a busy cycle in Texas. In the primary, he was one
November 10, 2008 at 5:46 pm
. Here is to a classic 2008! Vince Leibowitz of Capitol Annex focused a considerable amount of energy this cycle covering Texas Democrats’ attempts to retake the Texas House of Representatives. Fromracistmailers and decitful TV ads in Dallas and Houston area House districts to the battle to unseat Texas’ most ethically compromised legislator, down to catching Republicans telling blatant lies, this was a busy cycle in Texas. In the primary, he was one
November 10, 2008 at 2:32 pm
nally came out on top with Barack Obama, and some mixed Texas results. Here’s to a classic 2008! Vince Leibowitz of Capitol Annex focused a considerable amount of energy this cycle covering Texas Democrats’ attempts to retake the Texas House of Representatives. Fromracistmailers and decitful TV ads in Dallas and Houston area House districts to the battle to unseat Texas’ most ethically compromised legislator, down to catching Republicans telling blatant lies, this was a busy cycle in Texas. In the primary, he was one of a few Texas
November 10, 2008 at 6:04 am
with Barack Obama, and some mixed Texas results. Here is to a classic 2008! Vince Leibowitz of Capitol Annex focused a considerable amount of energy this cycle covering Texas Democrats’ attempts to retake the Texas House of Representatives. Fromracistmailers and decitful TV ads in Dallas and Houston area House districts to the battle to unseat Texas’ most ethically compromised legislator, down to catching Republicans telling blatant lies, this was a busy cycle in Texas. In the primary, he was one of a few Texas
November 10, 2008 at 1:48 am
. Here is to a classic 2008! Vince Leibowitz of Capitol Annex focused a considerable amount of energy this cycle covering Texas Democrats’ attempts to retake the Texas House of Representatives. Fromracistmailers and decitful TV ads in Dallas and Houston area House districts to the battle to unseat Texas’ most ethically compromised legislator, down to catching Republicans telling blatant lies, this was a busy cycle in Texas. In the primary, he was one
November 11, 2008 at 2:32 pm
with Barack Obama, and some mixed Texas results. Here is to a classic 2008! Vince Leibowitz of Capitol Annex focused a considerable amount of energy this cycle covering Texas Democrats’ attempts to retake the Texas House of Representatives. Fromracistmailers and decitful TV ads in Dallas and Houston area House districts to the battle to unseat Texas’ most ethically compromised legislator, down to catching Republicans telling blatant lies, this was a busy cycle in Texas. In the primary, he was one of a few Texas
December 31, 2008 at 4:57 am
season and hair-raising state convention, he posted some Random Thoughts on the 2008 TDP Convention. As the election cycle went on, he pondered why anyone would want to re-elect State Rep. John Davis (R-Clear Lake), and told the world about a, and told the world about a racist mailer that had been sent out against State Rep. Allen Vaught. After the election season, he memorialized “The People’s Lawyer,” Jim Mattox, and noted that Tom DeLay’s wife was trying to quash a subpoena in a civil
December 30, 2008 at 4:24 am
season and hair-raising state convention, he posted some Random Thoughts on the 2008 TDP Convention. As the election cycle went on, he pondered why anyone would want to re-elect State Rep. John Davis (R-Clear Lake), and told the world about a, and told the world about a racist mailer that had been sent out against State Rep. Allen Vaught. After the election season, he memorialized “The People’s Lawyer,” Jim Mattox, and noted that Tom DeLay’s wife was trying to quash a subpoena in a civil
November 10, 2008 at 8:03 am
[...] cycle covering Texas Democrats’ attempts to retake the Texas House of Representatives. From racist mailers and deceitful TV ads in Dallas and Houston area House districts to the battle to unseat [...]
November 10, 2008 at 8:05 am
[...] cycle covering Texas Democrats’ attempts to retake the Texas House of Representatives. From racist mailers and deceitful TV ads in Dallas and Houston area House districts to the battle to unseat [...]
November 10, 2008 at 8:49 am
[...] cycle covering Texas Democrats’ attempts to retake the Texas House of Representatives. From racist mailers and decitful TV ads in Dallas and Houston area House districts to the battle to unseat [...]
December 30, 2008 at 9:22 am
[...] why anyone would want to re-elect State Rep. John Davis (R-Clear Lake), and told the world about a racist mailer that had been sent out against State Rep. Allen Vaught. After the election season, he memorialized “The People’s Lawyer,” Jim Mattox, [...]
December 30, 2008 at 10:33 pm
[...] why anyone would want to re-elect State Rep. John Davis (R-Clear Lake), and told the world about a racist mailer that had been sent out against State Rep. Allen Vaught. After the election season, he memorialized “The People’s Lawyer,” Jim Mattox, [...]
September 16, 2009 at 7:46 pm
[...] cycle covering Texas Democrats’ attempts to retake the Texas House of Representatives. From racist mailers and decitful TV ads in Dallas and Houston area House districts to the battle to unseat [...]