The Briefing Room

General Category => Politics/Government => Topic started by: mystery-ak on February 11, 2014, 07:49:36 pm

Title: Paper publishes Senate candidate's mugshot
Post by: mystery-ak on February 11, 2014, 07:49:36 pm
http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/senate-races/198092-paper-publishes-mugshot-of-gop-senate-candidate (http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/senate-races/198092-paper-publishes-mugshot-of-gop-senate-candidate)

February 11, 2014, 01:34 pm
Paper publishes Senate candidate's mugshot

By Mario Trujillo

A Texas newspaper on Tuesday published what it said is a mugshot of Rep. Steve Stockman (R-Texas) after an arrest in 1977.

The congressman, who is waging a primary challenge to Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), has denied ever being charged with a felony despite reportedly making statements to the contrary earlier in his political career.

His campaign did not respond to a request for comment.

The Dallas Morning News said it published the photo and police report from Stockman’s Oct. 5, 1977, arrest for possession of a controlled substance. It comes in response to Stockman’s libel suit against an outside group that is supporting Cornyn in next month’s GOP primary. (The mugshot can be viewed here). (http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/2014/02/record-mug-shot-from-steve-stockmans-drug-arrest-that-he-now-denies.html/)

The group, Texans for a Conservative Majority, set up a website questioning Stockman’s finances, ethics and criminal background.

The website cites a Washington Post article reporting Stockman been arrested a number of times and charged with “a felony after one such incident when authorities found Valium in his pants.”

Stockman sued the group and told The Dallas Morning News late last month he has never been charged with a felony.

“I have never been charged with or committed any such act, and these anonymous Cornyn supporters know it,” he said in a statement to the newspaper.

Stockman had publicly talked about his arrest during his first term in office in the 1990s. At the time, he said he had been arrested a number of times and “was charged with a felony” after one incident.

According to contemporary news reports, Stockman was arrested in 1977 at age 20 after police found three Valium pills in his pants when reporting to jail for traffic violations.

He was charged with felony possession of a controlled substance, which was later reduced, according to the report. 

Stockman is facing long odds in the March primary against Cornyn. A poll conducted shortly after Stockman announced a bid in December showed him trailing by more than 40 percent, and he faces a massive fundraising deficit.

Last month, Stockman faced questions about missing a number of votes in the House. However, he subsequently said he was on an official travel trip overseas.

(http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/files/2014/02/stockman-arrest-mug.jpg)
Title: Re: Paper publishes Senate candidate's mugshot
Post by: mystery-ak on February 11, 2014, 07:50:54 pm
Aw...I see Texas practices the same type of politics that Illinois does....
Title: Re: Paper publishes Senate candidate's mugshot
Post by: mountaineer on February 11, 2014, 08:05:28 pm
The better course of action for a Republican politician is to admit to whatever stupid thing he's done in the past, because somehow it will get dug up. Democrats generally don't have to worry about the media glomming on to their past misdeeds, of course.
Title: Re: Paper publishes Senate candidate's mugshot
Post by: sinkspur on February 11, 2014, 08:09:35 pm
Steve Stockman is not, and never has been, a serious challenger to John Cornyn.
Title: Re: Paper publishes Senate candidate's mugshot
Post by: truth_seeker on February 11, 2014, 08:17:35 pm
Steve Stockman is not, and never has been, a serious challenger to John Cornyn.
It appears so.