You and I both know politicians often say one thing and do something else when they think they can get away with it. Unfortunately, one Texas State Representative, Joe Pickett (D-El Paso), is taking this to an extreme. . .
He’s trying to destroy all possibilities of a real red light camera ban next legislative session.
Worse yet, he’s ACTING like he is fighting to rid Texas of the cameras, but he’s actually doing everything he can to make sure they stay around for decades!
I’ll tell you more about that in a minute, but first, here’s a recap of what happened last session.
You may remember that House Speaker Joe Straus appointed Representative Joe Pickett to chair the House Transportation Committee last session. Chairman Pickett sank several red light camera ban bills assigned to his committee, refusing to let them go to the floor for a vote. Chairman Pickett even threw Representative Jonathan Stickland out of the committee hearing on H.B. 142 -- Stickland's own camera ban bill -- making sure it would never get a proper hearing!
But that’s not all. . .
In the final hours of session, a statewide red light camera ban bill had passed the Senate for the first time in Texas history. The only thing left was to get it to a vote in the House. But Joe Pickett singlehandedly killed the last chance of passing a statewide ban last session, and he did so by killing one of his own bills.
You see, Senator Bob Hall had attached the camera ban bill that passed the Senate to one of Pickett's own transportation bills. Pickett was faced with either killing his own bill or letting the Senate camera ban bill advance to the House floor for an up or down vote. Pickett chose to kill his own bill to stop any vote that would ban the cameras!
That's why I am asking you to contact Joe Pickett right now -- before he has time to finalize his pro-camera plans for next session.
Please contact Joe Pickett's office at 512-463-0596 or email him by clicking here. Tell him to stop the tricks and get on board with a real camera ban next session!
When faced with the choice of either standing with Texas citizens or with the corrupt camera companies and the cities raking in millions of dollars from Texas drivers. . . Joe Pickett chose to stand against Texas citizens and with the corrupt camera companies. He chose to keep the cameras on and to keep ticketing Texas drivers.
You and I may never know for certain why he killed the camera ban bills last year.
It could be that he has been influenced by the hundreds-of-thousands-of-dollars the camera lobbyists are spreading around Austin. It could also be that the El Paso city leaders who help get Pickett elected want to keep collecting millions of dollars with the camera program there. Either way, it appears Joe Pickett will do virtually anything he can to save the cameras in Texas.
That’s why recent news reports are so troubling. . .
Joe Pickett is telling the media he is going to pass anti-red light camera legislation next year!
That's right. . . the one politician that did more to save the cameras than anyone else in the legislature now wants you to believe he’ll pass a camera ban bill next year! But what he’s proposing isn't really a bill to ban the cameras. . . In fact, it will actually save the lucrative program for years to come.
His proposal will ensure Texas legislators NEVER have to vote on a camera ban; rather, it would leave the decision to individual “communities.” What he’s proposing is smoke and mirrors, designed to make it look like lawmakers are doing something about the issue.
Lawmakers and camera companies know the days of red light cameras in Texas are numbered, so they’re trying to keep them running and making money for as long as they can. And Pickett's “Trojan Horse” bill will do nothing but ensure the cameras stay on for years to come.
That's why I need your help.
Joe Pickett needs to know you see through his sleight of hand tricks and the only acceptable outcome next year is a total and immediate ban on all red light cameras!
Please contact Joe Pickett right away and tell him he hasn't fooled you. Tell him to give up his “Trojan Horse” camera bill and support a real camera ban bill next session!
You can call his office at 512-463-0596 or you can email him by clicking here.
These cameras were slipped into Texas through unethical wheeling and dealing, and since then, Texas drivers have seen:
A federal bribery scandal;
Increasing accidents;
Denial of the right to a trial by jury;
Denial of the right to confront your accuser;
Interference with Texas elections;
Violations of the presumption of innocence.
With your support last year, we came closer than ever have to banning the dangerous and unconstitutional red light cameras in Texas.
But without constant pressure on bad politicians like Joe Pickett -- who will say or do anything to keep the cameras on -- we might start losing ground.
Please pitch in by contacting Joe Pickett and telling him to give up his fake camera ban bill and get behind a real camera ban!
You can call him at 512-463-0596 or email him by clicking here.
Please don't wait. I will be in Austin fighting for a camera ban on your behalf next year. The earlier you and I let them know we aren't going away, the better our chances!
In Liberty,
Byron Schirmbeck
Texas State Coordinator
Campaign For Liberty
P.S. Please take a moment to contact Joe Pickett at 512-463-0596 or email him by clicking here. Tell him to stop his tricks and support a real camera ban bill next year.
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