February 15, 2008
Cole claims Madden’s hearing a scam
Plano Courier
A public hearing addressing the immigration crisis has raised questions for Republican legislative candidate Jon Cole.
Cole believes Rep. Jerry Madden’s (R-Plano) motives behind conducting the public hearing was a political stunt, which took place just 17 days prior to early voting for their contested March 4 Republican Primary.
“Madden has never held a hearing outside the district,” Cole said. “When he found out he had an opponent he had this very topical immigration hearing. It was a political road show at taxpayer expense.”
The Texas House Correction Committee and the Texas House County Affairs Committee felt a need to dig deep into issues that will ultimately identify and possibly deport immigrants who have committed a crime. Madden, who is chairman of the Texas House Correction Committee, said it cost a very small amount to bring the committee and it was well worth it.
“My duty as a speaker appointee is to begin looking into the program,” Madden said. “I will not stop the legislative process because of a political contest. I will put my state’s needs and the needs of citizens above anything. We are doing what the people desire for us to do. I don’t think they want us to wait until after the next election. The people want us to do it now.”
“Our committees must research the issues, identify solutions, and prepare a report for the legislature by October,” he said.
“To put off that research until almost halfway through the year would be negligent and irresponsible,” he said. “The world should not stop turning because someone who doesn’t understand the process issues a press release that demonstrates their ignorance.”
He claimed taking government out of Austin and to the people is something that should happen more frequently because it allows citizens to become more engaged.
“To suggest that the answers to our state’s problems can be found by sitting in Austin and expecting constituents to travel to you, is very arrogant,” Madden said.
But, Cole believes the legislative per diem, legislative travel, staff travel and facility use cost taxpayers thousands of dollars for no good reason.
“Madden put on a ‘hearing’ that made no decisions, with the intent of grabbing a headline off the backs of the taxpayers,” he said. “Using taxpayer resources to prop up a campaign in trouble is a sign of desperation. It’s usually a good indicator of an officeholder who has lost touch with the voters and any respect for the taxpayers.”
Cole claims Madden views immigration in terms of probation and parole and he believes the immigration problem and how it will be addressed is much larger.
“Right now it’s not a focus on illegal immigration, it’s a focus on the procedures in our criminal justice system,” Cole said. “If Madden applies his specific legislation, I’m worried we’ll have 2,000 illegal immigrants on our streets without any ICE holds.”
Madden said he believes Cole’s charges that there aren’t illegal immigration corrections problems in Collin County demonstrates a complete lack of ignorance of the issue.
“The Dallas-Fort Worth region is the most populated area in the state, and thousands of criminals are serving time in county jails, and serving probation and parole — many of whom might be in this country illegally and subsequently released onto our local streets rather than deported,” Madden said. “To suggest that this issue is confined to state prisons in rural areas demonstrates an appalling lack of awareness of the criminal justice system.”
There were 14 legislators who attended the hearing and a broad spectrum of officials. Madden said two of the members had last-minute conflicts that kept them from attending.
He plans to continue holding hearings in areas across Texas.
February 11, 2008
I'm not a single issue candidate
Plano Courier
Although young, with little political experience, Jon Cole believes he is the right candidate to represent Collin County in the Texas Legislature.
"We need a dynamic voice and new leadership on issues," Cole said. "In order to do that I hope the people of District 67 will give me the opportunity to strongly represent us. My background, experience and local roots will give me the ability to do so."
Cole believes incumbent Representative Jerry Madden's role as Chairman of the House Committee on Corrections has caused him to focus too much on the criminal justice system and too little on the issues the constituents of the district need.
"There are more important committees Collin County needs," Cole said. "When asking for committee assignments, I will talk to the local leaders and taxpayers. I will talk to individuals who pay too much for their energy bills. Our budget is out of control and we have a tax system that is not fair penalizing people for what they should do. Corrections is not the most pressing concern of Collin County." Cole described Madden's agenda as liberal, putting the state in a dangerous spot.
"Even if you are asked to run the very important justice system, you still have the ability as a legislature to offer amendments and write bills for any committee that will benefit this district," Cole said. "No matter what committee I'm on, I wouldn't limit myself. We have priorities that aren't being looked at. We don't have a leader on the important issues."
Cole believes Madden's catch phrase 'serving Texas one issue at a time' proves he is not tackling the pressing issues in Austin.
"We can't serve one issue at a time, we have to focus on many," Cole said. "If you send someone to Austin with only one priority, you're in dangerous shape. Jerry's representatives would not be supporting me if they didn't believe I was a stronger voice for this county. There are many people that have never met Representative Madden."
Cole stands strong on transportation, water and taxation policy. He said he believes these are the types of issues that need to be represented. He said he believes illegal immigration and criminal justice are the major state-wide concerns.
"We have a golden opportunity next session because TxDOT (Texas Department of Transportation) will go under the Sunset Review process," Cole said. "We will have the opportunity of weighing in on TxDOT and how it operates. I will make sure TxDOT's job stays TxDOT's job and that is to build roads."
He believes TxDOT has operated with little supervision from previous legislation and they do a lot more than their intended business.
"Early legislatures didn't do their job and we created a monster," he said.
As far as the Dallas Area Rapid Transit, Cole said he agrees with extending rail to Allen and McKinney, but is not in favor of contributing another cent to the 4a-4b sales tax.
"Our sales tax rate would be the highest in the state," he said. "I don't want to have the highest sales tax rate. It will hurt us and it would be harder to bring in jobs."
Cole admitted he didn't have all the answers, but said he would be willing to work with everyone at the table and come up with the best solution.
"We are not getting a fair shake on transportation funding," he said. "We need to get our transportation dollars back in order to fund our roads. We run into a brick wall how we will handle the funding. Jerry has been absent on the issue."
With the immigration issue believed to be the number one issue in the next session, Cole said his stance is different than his opponent.
"My opponent looks at the issue in terms of probation and parole," Cole said. "The immigration problem and how it will be addressed is much larger. The Plano Police Department is burdened with what the Federal Government won't do. I'm for public safety. That means enforcing laws."
Cole said he is not for amnesty and believes the Department of Public Safety and local police department should decide the best way to enforce law.
"The problems we face 15 years ago aren't the same problems we will face the next 15 years," Cole said. "Our leadership needs to be dynamic and accountable to a changing and maturing district. We have to address these problems. I'm best suited to bring the new energy and voice we are going to need and don't have right now in Austin."
After graduating from the University of Texas in 2006 with a double major in government and history, Cole spent four months at Georgetown University in Washington D.C. studying comparative political and economic systems. As part of the program he interned at the Office of National Drug Control Policy.
He then spent time as an assistant political director for a state-wide elected official. He said he focused on heading up winning republican county seats.
January 22, 2008
Republican Prosecutors Support Jon Cole
Unique Show of Support for a Conservative Voice for District 67
View the letter supporting Jon Cole here.
Download a press kit here.
Plano - Jon Cole, Republican candidate for State Representative in District 67, proudly welcomed the support of Williamson County District Attorney John Bradley, former Dallas County District Attorney Bill Hill, and Tarrant County District Attorney Tim Curry.
"These elected Republican prosecutors know what it means to be tough-on-crime and recognize the dangerous path Jerry Madden has paved for the public safety of Texas and for our children," said Jon Cole. "It is extremely rare that men of their stature get involved in State legislative races. Their support is indicative of my opponent's dangerous liberal record."
"Every year, law enforcement approaches the legislature with well-considered recommendations on how to make Texas a safer place. Every year, we wind up playing defense against Jerry Madden and his liberal agenda," Bradley, Hill, and Curry collectively wrote.
In an open-letter, the Republican prosecutors go on to outline Madden's release of thousands of serious felons, Madden's abuses of the mandate to reform TYC, and Madden's effort to decriminalize serious drug crime in Texas.
"There is an answer to this growing crisis: replace Jerry Madden with a genuine conservative committed to protecting Texas families," said Bradley, Hill, and Curry. "We strongly urge you to support Jon Cole's effort to restore District 67's conservative voice. We believe that Jon Cole will be an outstanding new Leader for Texas."
Jon Cole, local businessman and former aide to the White House "Drug Czar," formally filed for the Republican nomination for State Representative in District 67 in December. Cole cited a need to "restore a voice for this community's conservative values," pointing to Madden's liberal record on fiscal, family, and criminal justice issues.
Cole will be on the ballot in the March 4th Republican Primary to represent portions of Plano, north Dallas and Richardson during the 81st state legislative session.
December 12, 2007
Jon Cole files for the Texas House
Seeks to Restore Conservative Voice to HD 67
Plano - Jon Cole, local businessman and former aide to the White House Drug Czar, formally filed for the Republican nomination for State Representative in District 67. Cole will be on the ballot in the March 4th Republican Primary to represent portions of Plano, north Dallas and Richardson during the 81st state legislative session. Cole cited a need to "restore a voice for this community's conservative values."
"It's time for honest, conservative change in Austin," Cole said. "We depend on our elected officials to represent our values and beliefs in the Texas House of Representatives. Sadly, families in District 67 suffer from representation that will say one thing at home and do another in Austin. Jerry Madden votes against our values and with the Austin liberals on criminal justice, taxation, and family issues - to name a few. If elected, I will stand up for our values and the families of District 67."
I continue to be humbled by the support of friends and neighbors who have joined our effort to restore conservative representation to this district," Cole continued. "The support my campaign has received has been personally overwhelming. Texans for Cole will be releasing a list of notable supporters in the coming weeks that will demonstrate that our message of community-based conservative change is taking root.
Jon Cole is a product of Plano public schools and a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He is Vice-President of a family-owned healthcare consulting group, based in Collin County. Jon previously served in the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, the Governor's Criminal Justice Division, and for the Texas House of Representatives.
December 17, 2007
Consulting Firm Helping GOP Challengers in Targeted Races
from New Texas Office
By Mike Hailey
Capitol Inside Editor
A firm run by a political consultant who had a key role in rebuilding Republican state party organizations in California and Nevada has emerged in Texas as an adviser for several state House candidates who are challenging incumbents in 2008.
Ryan Erwin & Associates, which is led by a Mitt Romney adviser, has opened an office in Austin and signed on as a consultant for campaigns that Republicans are waging against Democratic State Reps. Kirk England of Grand Prairie and Joe Heflin of Crosbyton.
But Erwin's firm isn't concentrating its efforts in Texas exclusively on unseating Democrats. It's representing candidates who will attempt to oust Republican State Reps. Charlie Geren of Fort Worth and Jerry Madden of Richardson as well. With two weeks remaining before the January 2 filing deadline for next year's campaigns, the list of clients for the newest firm on the political consulting block in Texas has time to grow before the official lineups are set for the March 4 primary election.
Erwin and associate Cory Kennedy are teaming up on the Texas House races. Kennedy is a Texas native who served as deputy campaign manager for Nevada Governor Jim Gibbons in his winning race for that state's top job in 2006. Kennedy managed Gibbons' congressional office in Washington as the deputy chief of staff before shifting to the campaign trail for last year's gubernatorial race. Gibbons defeated State Senate Minority Leader Dina Titus in the governor's race with 52 percent of the vote in one of the most fiercely contested campaigns in the nation last year.
Erwin, the senior adviser in Nevada for Romney's White House campaign, was tapped to manage the Nevada Republican Party in 1999. He was hired to be the California GOP's chief operating officer in 2002 after an exhaustive search when the state party organization there was in turmoil. Republicans picked up legislative seats in both California and Nevada when Erwin was directing party operations in the two western states. Erwin's firm now has offices in Las Vegas and Washington as well as the new Austin branch.
The emergence of Erwin's firm on the Texas political scene comes as Republicans are fighting to keep their state House majority while members of both parties battle among themselves in more than a dozen primary fights that could have a direct bearing on Speaker Tom Craddick's bid for a fourth term as House leader. The consultants from Nevada have expanded into Texas at the same time Craddick's daughter, Christi Craddick, and Governor Rick Perry's chief political adviser, Dave Carney, are teaming for the first time as strategists in a coordinated campaign for Republican candidates in the competition for state House seats. Carney was enlisted for help on House races by the Stars Over Texas, a political action committee that relies on the younger Craddick's firm for administrative and consulting services.
Like Carney, who lives in New Hampshire, Erwin has worked closely with Republicans at the national level on campaigns for state and federal offices. Erwin's firm hit the ground running when it landed in Texas this year - and it's taking on House incumbents with clients such as Isaac Castro, a Hamlin attorney and school board trustee, in his bid to unseat Heflin in a West Texas district that's heavily Republican on paper. The Erwin firm's clients include former Grand Prairie school board member Karen Wiegman in a bid for the seat that the GOP held until England switched parties three months ago.
Erwin and Kennedy are advising Fort Worth optometrist Tom Annunziato in a GOP primary race against State Rep. Charlie Geren, who was one of Craddick's most outspoken Republican foes during attempts to overthrow the House leader in the regular session earlier this year.
While Annunziato, Wiegman and Castro are all taking aim at House members who oppose Craddick, Erwin's firm is also serving as the consultant for Republican challenger Jon Cole of Plano in a primary battle against State Rep. Jerry Madden, a Richardson lawmaker who's been a solid vote of support for the speaker.
There's been speculation that Madden's stock among some conservatives may have fallen since he allowed Democrats in his role as the Corrections Committee chairman to have vital input in the panel's response to the Texas Youth Commission scandal and the development of a sentencing reform plan for adult offenders that lawmakers approved this year. The plan increased rehabilitation and other alternative programs for drug offenders and other non-violent criminals as a way to reduce the need for a costly expansion of conventional prison space. Democrats had a majority on the committee that Craddick appointed and tapped Madden to lead.
The enlistment of Erwin firm's as a consultant in a primary race against Madden doesn't necessarily mean that the Collin County Republican is being targeted as part of coordinated effort. But other lawmakers who face primary challengers that Erwin and Kennedy are helping are high on the list of targeted House members who Craddick allies will try to beat at the ballot box next year.
