Sarah Dodd
Todd Bensman & Robert Riggs
                             

08/15/05  Mayor Miller does what needs to be done!

This has been a heck of a summer for Dallas politicos and reporters (print and media).  FBI investigations, vague and embarrassing responses, scandals. 

A couple of weeks ago, Mayor Miller's appointee to the Plan Commission suddenly flashed forward from an eccentric to an outright embarrassment.  Without rehashing all the sordid details, most of the "tragic love story" was at most an exaggeration and at worse an out right lie.

This week, the city's most notorious, self-acclaimed horn dog did the right thing -- he resigned from the Dallas Plan Commission, saving Mayor Miller from withdrawing his nomination for reappointment.

Last week, DallasArena.com asked:

There's no way to know for sure because the Mayor would never say (even I'm not so bold to ask), but I suspect Laura Miller strongly urged her creepy Plan Commissioner to resign so she would not have to add to his family's embarrassment.

It is way past time for Don Hill to have asked for D'Angelo Lee's resignation.  It is just not acceptable for Councilman Hill to reappoint the ethically-challenged Lee to the Plan Commission after what we have learned since the news of the FBI investigation and raids last June.

Miller wants Hill appointee to quit; Dallas: Planner a target in FBI inquiry; mayor pro tem takes offense 8/12/05 by EMILY RAMSHAW, GROMER JEFFERS JR. and DAVE LEVINTHAL / The Dallas Morning News

Mayor Laura Miller called Friday for the resignation of City Plan Commissioner D'Angelo Lee ? and said that if he doesn't step down voluntarily, she'll put an item on Wednesday's City Council agenda to forcibly remove him.    "He is at best an unethical planning commissioner and, at worst, someone who is going to be indicted shortly," Ms. Miller said.    But her ultimatum sparked a blistering attack from Mayor Pro Tem Don Hill, who questioned the mayor's political motivations for wanting Mr. Lee released from his duties. Mr. Hill, Mr. Lee and City Council member James Fantroy are the subjects of an FBI investigation into corruption at City Hall.    "I recognize it for what it is. This is an attack on me," said Mr. Hill, who appointed Mr. Lee in 2003 to represent District 5 on the plan commission. "There's no way to meet an attack on me but as directly and as forcefully as I can." ... Ms. Miller said she's calling for Mr. Lee's resignation because of a "litany of transgressions and unethical behavior." ... IRS tax liens filed against Mr. Lee, questions raised over who owns the vehicle he drives, and Mr. Lee's acceptance of consulting fees and other benefits for real estate projects he voted for on the plan commission. ... The mayor also expressed displeasure that Mr. Lee regularly uses Mr. Hill's office, which is directly across from Ms. Miller's office in the City Hall mayoral suite, and possesses the access code to the suite. ... Ms. Miller said she met with Mr. Hill on Monday and asked him not to reappoint Mr. Lee. ... Mr. Hill said he knew of no reason why Mr. Lee should not be reappointed to the commission. ... "She has received political contributions from the Potashniks, and they have been four times the amount I received," Mr. Hill said. ...  "And the mayor, as much as she may protest about being supportive of the southern sector, when you really examine her heart, it's just not there." ... "The mayor is still reeling and still angry about the results of the strong-mayor vote," he said. ...  I think we have to look at that now in the context of her asking for my planning commissioner's resignation." ... District 14 representative Angela Hunt commended the mayor for her actions. ... Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Elba Garcia said it's not the council's place to remove Mr. Lee and that she would likely vote against it. ...

Just like any good or not-so-good lawyer would do, Councilman Hill knows the best defense is an offense.  Don Hill should answer our questions about HIS POLITICAL MOTIVATIONS FOR WANTING LEE TO REMAIN ON THE P&Z.  Clearly, there is a very weird relationship between Hicks and Lee, starting with their special car deals with the lovely and mysterious Sheila Farrington.

Then, there's the issue of the Mayor Pro Tem paying himself and family members funds from his campaign contributions. 

Councilman Hills says "There's no way to meet an attack on me but as directly and as forcefully as I can."  He has been less than forceful in meeting the FBI's investigation of his activities as an elected official.  Remember that response to the question of his driving a car that he doesn't own "I've earned the right to drive the car."  Oh, really?  Tell us how, councilman!

Mr. Hill said he knew of no reason why Mr. Lee should not be reappointed to the commission.   Councilman, your P&Z appointee took money from an applicant as a "consultant fee", and then voted on the applicant's project.

For Hill to claim Mayor Miller is just retaliating for the defeat of the Blackwood proposal is taking DENIAL to a new level of credibility.

As usual, Todd Bensman and Robert Riggs are all over this story.  See Dallas Mayor demands Commissioner's Resignation for the whole report, but here are some snippets that make you seriously question Hill's mental state these days:

Dallas Mayor demands Commissioner's Resignation, citing exclusive CBS-11 report of ethics lapses, FBI investigation as top causes; Aug 12, 2005 5:38 pm US/Central by Robert Riggs, Todd Bensman and Jack Fink, CBS-11 News

Mayor Pro-Tem Don Hill defends his appointee, refuses to address CBS-11 Ethics Reports ...  Dallas City Mayor Laura Miller on Friday called on Dallas City Plan Commissioner D?Angelo Lee to resign or face forced removal next week in an exceptionally rare kind of council vote. ...  "He believes he can make a contribution to the city," Hill said at a press conference he called later Friday.    Mayor Miller's unusual call for a plan commissioner?s resignation and a threat to ask the full council to remove him ...  amid news reports since the FBI investigation became public in early June that have raised questions about Lee?s ethical conduct, ....    ?I met with Mayor Pro-tem Don Hill on Monday afternoon and asked him if he would consider asking his plan commissioner to resign in the best interests of the city, and Mr. Hill said that was not his call to do that,? Mayor Miller said. ? ... And he said, ?It is because I have already asked Mr. Lee to serve another two-year term.'? ...  a city charter provision allows a simple majority of the council ? eight members ? to remove appointed board and commission members ?for any cause deemed by the city council sufficient...in the interest of the public.? ... The mayor cited as her top reason for why Commissioner Lee should resign a June 27 report by CBS-11 News that he secretly accepted a $5,000 commission from the Dallas Urban League in exchange for helping the organization land an annual social services contract at an affordable housing project. Lee then voted on a zoning matter regarding the building that would house those social services, without disclosing his financial interest in it or recusing himself from voting as required by ethics rules. ... Councilmember Hill said he saw the CBS-11 report but has never questioned his appointee about wrongdoing. ... Dr. Beverly Mitchell-Brooks, President and CEO of Urban League of Greater Dallas told CBS-11 News that it paid Lee $5,000 for helping the group become the development's social services provider, and that Lee proposed that he be paid $5,000 every month to get other social service deals for the league. ... Mayor Miller also cited reports by The Dallas Morning News about outstanding tax liens and alleged efforts by Mr. Lee to broker an affordable housing deal with unnamed Dallas Independent School District officials. She cited questions raised by a July 14 CBS-11 report about the ownership of luxury vehicles Lee has been driving. The report traced a Mercedes and a Land Rover used by Commissioner Lee to a small auto dealer named Rickey Roberts, whose partnership in an affordable housing company has been under FBI scrutiny. ... Councilman Hill, who also has been driving a luxury automobile procured by Rickey Robertson, declined to answer questions about the vehicles. He said the vehicles are the subject of the FBI's investigation and that he would not discuss any such matters Friday.

Mayor Pro Tem Don Hill not only needs to NOT reappoint D'Angelo Lee to the Plan Commission, Hill needs to resign from the council.  This has gone way beyond "investigations".  There are serious on-going wrong doings on Hill's own part.  His driving a car he does not own and not reporting it on his campaign reports is reason enough!  Wonder if Councilman Hill is reporting the car use to the IRS? 

For Don Hill to say D'Angelo Lee "believes he can make a contribution to the city" after Dr. Beverly Mitchell-Brooks confirmed paying Lee $5,000 and Lee asking for $5,000 a month to continue to assist her at City Hall speaks volumes about Hill.  He is either stupid, unethical, involved, or all of the above.  Why else would he stick with this crook?  Rather than believing he can make a contribution to the city, D'Angelo Lee thinks his position on the P&Z can make contributions to his bank account.

Lee drives a Mercedes and a Land Rover owned by Rickey Roberts.  Lee's wife (a DISD employee) also drives a luxury car.  "Councilman Hill, who also has been driving a luxury automobile procured by Rickey Robertson, declined to answer questions about the vehicles. He said the vehicles are the subject of the FBI's investigation and that he would not discuss any such matters Friday."

Outrageous!  If Hill's done nothing wrong in accepting the free use of the BMW, why doesn't he just say use of the car is for legal services rendered and is reported on his income taxes?  He can't say that because it's not true.  Use of the BMW very well may be payment for services rendered, but in which capacity -- as a private lawyer or as a council member?  In either case, it needs to be reported somewhere -- either on his tax returns or his office holder reports.  Wonder who holds title to the car his wife drives?

Councilman Hill told CBS-11 he "never questioned his appointee about wrong doing".  Why not?  Why would he not demand an explanation from Lee about all of his wrong doing?  Is it because Hill already knows the full extent of Lee's activities and is himself a participant?

The D'Angelo Lee matter will be on this week's council agenda.  We must pay attention as to who votes with the Mayor and who votes to allow D'Angelo Lee to remain on the Plan Commission and continue to contaminate the legality of contested zoning cases. 

IT ONLY TAKES 8 VOTES TO REMOVE LEE.

Here are the likely votes for removal:  Mayor Miller, Pauline Medrano (2), Steve Salazar (6), Bill Blaydes (10), Ron Natinsky (11), Linda Koop (12), Mitch Rasansky (13), Angela Hunt (14).

There is some question about Councilmen Ed Oakley (3) and Gary "Sandra Dee" Griffith (9).  Can't imagine how either one can support Lee, but I can't imagine how Sandra Dee ever justifies any of his flip flops!  Councilman Oakley better do the right thing on this vote because a NO vote from him says he thinks what Lee has done on the P&Z is not unethical. 

Any council member claiming this should go to the Ethics Commission first is lying and only doing a great big political CYA.

Voting NO will be Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Garcia (1), Brain Dead T-Reese (4), Mayor Pro Tem Don Hill (5), Shakedown Leo Chaney (7) and possibly James Fantroy (8).  Dr. Garcia must be following her husband's lead, because this really is a stain on her reputation. 

It's common knowledge around town that Councilman Gary Griffith wants to run for Mayor.  To do so, he will have to resign from the council when he announces.  Mary MPossible was able to get away with running for the Mayor's seat and remaining in her council seat because she was termed out and INELIGIBLE to run for her council seat again.  Griffith is in the first year of his second term.  Council members can run for 4 two-year terms.  The Mayor is up for re-election in 2007, which would only be Griffith's third term race.  Hope someone explains that to him! 

There is no acceptable excuse for any honest council member to support Hill's reappointing Lee to the P&Z. 

You would expect Brain Dead Thornton-Reese and Shakedown Chaney to support Hill, even if he nominated a convicted felon.  After all, they supported Councilman Fantroy's appointment of a CONFESSED and CONVICTED felon to the Police Review Board -- a decision that Councilman Fantroy came to regret.

Speaking of regrets, Wife-Beater Ron Price aka DISD School Board Trustee must regret that whopper he told at the Woodrow Wilson commencement about his non-English speaking childhood in Spanish Harlem.  Once again, Allen Gwinn nails Ron Price's substantial hiney to the wall in Ron's Big Mistake.  You would think Shakedown Chaney's anointed successor would have learned not to challenge Allen Gwinn.

But, I digress.  This commentary is about how Mayor Miller's challenge to Hill reappointing D'Angelo Lee to the P&Z is a win-win for her. 

Some may think Laura Miller is deliberately provoking the "Southern Sector" leadership by publicly trying to prevent Lee returning to the P&Z.  There are many in the Southern Sector saying "Amen, Sister" -- very loudly.  To believe otherwise, you have to assume all African-Americans support crooks and corruption.  If you believe that, you are racist -- regardless of your pigmentation!

Those in the Southern Sector who hate Laura Miller will never give her one ounce of support, regardless of the merits of any decision she makes.  No gesture she might make will change her image with the Laura haters.

If doing the right thing is considered provocative, we are all in big trouble.  If it is not the Mayor's responsibility to challenge unqualified board/commission nominees, whose is it?  Any council member could have and should have done what Mayor Miller did Friday.  It is commendable that District 14's Angela Hunt did not equivocate in her support for the Mayor's call for Lee's removal.

It would be irresponsible for Laura Miller to remain quiet about the possibility of Lee returning to the P&Z.   It would also be politically stupid of her to let Lee get back on the P&Z without her making an effort to prevent it.  She was elected to expose and stop the very stuff that Lee (and possibly others) have been doing at City Hall.

Every time Shakedown Chaney or Brain-Dead T-Reese criticize Mayor Miller, they only increase her popularity in North Dallas.  This business with Don Hill taking the offense as he tries to defend his indefensible activities and relationship with Lee makes the Mayor look strong and decisive. 

I am so glad she has retired that "Annette Strauss" persona.  We are seeing our crime-fighting, ball-busting Laura Miller lately.

As one politics-watcher says "She's finally acting like the Laura Miller we elected."