From Scott Henson:
Normally, the Texas Senate rubber stamps the Governor’s appointments to the Board of Pardons and Paroles, but one of Rick Perry’s three appointees announced last week perhaps deserves closer vetting by the Senate. According to the Governor’s press release:
Shanda G. Perkins of Burleson is a retired banking executive. She is a member of the United Way of Johnson County Board of Directors and Burleson Lions Club. She is also director of the Johnson County Chamber Summit, and is a member and past ambassador of the Burleson Chamber of Commerce. She also volunteered as a youth pastor, counselor and Sunday school teacher at Lighthouse Church. Perkins replaces Jose Aliseda of Beeville.
That doesn’t explain, though, why she’s being appointed to this slot. As far as I can tell, Mrs. Perkins’ sole experience in the criminal justice realm stems from a personal morality crusade against the sale of sex toys in Johnson County that led to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals overturning Texas’ law on the subject.
She’s so tough on crime, in other words, she’s tough on crimes the federal courts say cannot exist because they’re acts protected by the First Amendment. But Governor Rick Perry thinks she’ll make fair decisions on the parole board?
Now that’s what I call being tuff on crime. And I just wanted to point out that I blogged about this two other times besides the link Scott used. Because as I said before, what’s the point of having a blog if you can’t use material like this? If you really want to know more about this – and of course you do – I recommend this Dallas Observer story from 2004, which gives rise (sorry) to the term “dildo runner”. Never have I meant the words “check it out” more than I do right now.