JUDGE MIKE V. JUDGE PAT: JUSTICE OR POLITICS

The upcoming Harris County Republican Primary is pitting two (2) former Harris County District Judges against each other to see who will represent the GOP in the 2012 race for Harris County District Attorney.........will challenger Judge Mike Anderson defeat the incumbent DA Judge Pat Lykos?

Murray Newman at his blog, "Life at the Harris County Criminal Justice Center" is currently sparring with his friend and co-blogger David Jennings over the issue.
Jennings' blog, "Big Jolly" has posted soft ball interviews of each candidate in a sincere effort to differentiate the candidates with  factual clarification of the issues instead of emotional or personal slurs.
Admittedly, I have been guilty of the later given my personal experiences with Lykos over the years.

Jennings, to his credit, appears to have a very strong desire to vet the candidates objectively and keep an open mind.
Notwithstanding, he also makes no bones about putting the success of the GOP above all else when it comes to who is the best candidate for Harris County, Texas and the nation.

Unlike the pay-to-play Terry Lowry political whores; Jennings wants facts instead of dollars from the candidates if they expect to garner his support............how  refreshing!
It is, therefore, understandable that the special interest groups, unqualified moneyed politicians and those with disproportionate personal gain at stake are quick to condemn Jennings.

So when deciding who is most qualified to be the elected District Attorney of Harris County, the facts and not emotion ought to be what is determinative.

Whether or not the DA is a nice person, has a mustache, curses behind closed doors, has cute kids, has a driver, looks like a troll, drinks Jack Daniels or Bud Lite, etc. are peripheral issues not relevant to the administration of justice. 
What counts is whether or not the candidate for District Attorney SEEKS JUSTICE and has the ability to see to it that JUSTICE is SERVED..............not merely given lip service.

Pat Lykos has never tried a case personally as a prosecutor or otherwise; so there is no way to directly access whether or not she has actually sought or secured justice appropriately in that capacity.
She has, however, as the elected DA of Harris County indirectly prosecuted thousands of criminal cases through her subordinates.
It IS a fair extrapolation, therefore, to judge Lykos to some extent on the collective performance of her ADAs as to whether or not she has ethically and competently sought and secured JUSTICE for the citizens of Harris County.

Mike Anderson, on the other hand, has actually been in the trenches as a real prosecutor.  Therefore, unlike Lykos, Anderson has a personal trial record that can DIRECTLY show whether or not he was a prosecutor who sought justice or simply convictions.

The judicial conduct of Anderson and Lykos when each sat on the bench as Criminal District Judges can also be looked at to evaluate their individual commitment to the furtherance of JUSTICE as it goes to the individual's pattern of behavior.

When it comes to statistics, "let the buyer beware".........the same set of statistical "facts" can easily be manipulated to support contradictory conclusions when not appropriately evaluated........politics and science have about as much in common as politics and qualifications.
When evaluating trial STATS consideration must be given to the parameters delineated for:
* accepting charges at intake
* dismissing cases
* plea bargains
* going to trial
* charges filed
* punishment sought
* ethical conduct of ADAs and consequences

When evaluating a judge's performance consideration must be given to:
* appellate review
* judicial conduct
* the competence of the court appointed lawyers the judge selects
* docket management
* actual time spent at the courthouse

So if anyone cares to comment; rather than simply throwing personal insults why not instead take the high road and follow Big Jolly's lead: present specific substantiated points that go to the candidates record of securing or diverting justice AS YOU see them...........................your point or the rebuttal might actually serve as an epiphany for someone.

HARRIS COUNTY DA PAT LYKOS WILL RIDE OUT OF OFFICE THE WAY SHE RODE IN........ON A HORSE NAMED CORRUPTION

Harris County District Attorney Pat Lykos is in pre-implosion mode as the irony of Karma is poised to drive a wooden stake through her chest.

There is a CAT 5 hurricane bearing down on the Harris County Criminal Justice Center (CJC) and the Lykos "house of cards" is projected to take a direct hit.

As the  two (2) Harris County Grand Jury investigations into the Harris County District Attorney's behavior evolve; Lykos will be less equipped to withstand the pressure than did her predecessor--the disgraced scandal ridden former Harris County DA Chuck Rosenthal.

However, unlike Rosenthal's abrupt meltdown; Lykos' destructive behavior has been a festering wound within the CJC that has alienated most of the remaining staff. Lykos' loyalty is limited to her top lieutenants........the troops will not have her back. As her wounds become more serious and her viability wanes.........the "little people" will rise up and deliver the cruelest blow of all.

The Harris County Republican Party will soon have no choice but to distance themselves from the Lykos administration to mitigate collateral damage to the GOP.
There will not be a meaningful Republican Primary contest for Harris County DA........Congratulations to Republican challenger Mike Anderson who won't even have to campaign.

Timing, after all,  is everything in politics..........

DA PATSY LYKOS: RES IPSA LOQUITUR

It seems that Judge Pat Lykos prefers to conduct business at the Harris County District Attorney' s Office (HCDAO) more like a third world banana republic dictatorship than a world class District Attorney's Office.

When a wolf campaigns to optimize the flock; it's not just the sheep that ought to worry about the hungry wolf.
Thus goes the current administration at the HCDAO............... the wolf's belly is bloated, the sheep are scared, winter is coming and wool is scarce.

The Harris County Republican Party (HCRP) leadership needs to understand that Judge Pat Lykos bellowing Republican sound bites and simply breathing longer than most non-nursing home Harris County citizens have been alive, is no substitute for actual on-the-job experience and leadership skills.

Jared Woodfill and the HCRP's sponsoring of Judge Pat Lykos' fiasco is a sad, yet predictable reflection of her self promoting rhetorical platitudes..........................void of any relevant substantive personal accomplishments.

The main character difference between Judge Pat Lykos and Barack Hussein Obama is simply that Judge Pat Lykos has been at it longer.......a whole lot longer.

Professional political prostitutes, like Judge Pat Lykos and President Barack Obama, have the uncanny ability to repackage reality. These folks are masters of illusion. They have a remarkable ability to highlight misteps made by others in order to divert attention from their otherwise empty suits.

Mike Anderson is not the perfect candidate nor would he be my first choice to be the elected DA of Harris County; however, unless someone else throws in her unlikely hat, Mike Anderson is by far the best choice to support for DA of Harris County.