Nothing shows a person’s character more than their actions after a defeat. Unfortunately, it appears as though the true character of defeated Houston City Council member Brenda Stardig and her staff may not be as honorable as it should be. In some ways, the transition from her staff to the staff of Council member-elect Helena Brown is reminiscent of the staff of former President Bill Clinton as they left the White House:
GAO: Damage, theft, vandalism, and pranks occurred in the White House complex during the 2001 presidential transition. Incidents such as the removal of keys from computer keyboards; the theft of various items; the leaving of certain voice mail messages, signs, and written messages; and the placing of glue on desk drawers clearly were intentional acts. However, it was unknown whether other observations, such as broken furniture, were the result of intentional acts, when and how they occurred, or who may have been responsible for them. Further, with regard to stolen items, such as the presidential seal, because no one witnessed the thefts and many people were in the White House complex during the transition, it was not known who was responsible for taking them. Moreover, regarding other items reported missing, such as doorknobs, cellular telephones, and television remote controls, it was unknown whether all of them were thefts, and if they were, who was responsible for taking those items and when they were taken.
This account comes from a source involved in the (attempted) transition:
When Conservative Helena Brown and her transition team recently met with the Mayor and City Council officials one member of the team overhead Ms. Stardig warning her staff that Ms Brown and others were on their way to District A offices.
When the transition team arrived and asked to see the offices, current staff refused. Further phone calls from the transition team were not returned . Eventually a member of Mayor Parker’s staff placed a call and was told in no uncertain terms that Ms Stardig’s staff had no interest in cooperating with or interviewing with Ms Browns transition team.
Sad. I wonder how many keyboards will be missing the “B” key?
Councilwoman elect Brown’s new hire Ablaza filed to run as liberal Democrat in next year’s primary. What gives?
I don’t know but I’ll ask.
She is not listed on the Harris County Democratic Party listing of primary candidates. Where did you hear this?
Stepdad is election judge for other side told me
The website is supposed to be up to date as of the filing deadline and she is not listed on it. I’ll still call the Brown campaign.
Thank you David. He tells me the fella she’s challenging named Maverick
I haven’t heard back from the campaign but we might be talking about different people. Helena hired Leticia Ablaza and I don’t think that she is a raging liberal: Meet Leticia Ablaza « harriscountyconservativepolitics http://bit.ly/vVWj9K
Alvin is a good guy and I doubt he would support her if she was. Also, lib political consultant Marc Campos uses the familiar vulgarity to describe her as a tea party member.
I’m guessing that “Maverick” is Maverick Welsh but I don’t think he has filed for anything after his run for City Council. Your election judge might want to check again.
Steve, I might be apologizing to your election judge friend. Something is going on. The campaign would not commit and wanted a day to sort it out, whatever “it” is.
Ablaza did indeed file and was escorted around by Jolanda Jones staffer Jack Valinski. Politics breeds strange bedfellows. This is very disappointing information if it holds true.
What did she file for? Like I said, the Brown campaign wouldn’t say at this point what is going on. Disappointing? Meh, I don’t know. I doubt she is a flaming liberal if Alvin likes her and Campos doesn’t but I guess it boils down to what she filed for and what her planks are. Strange to take a job and then file for an office within a few weeks. Running for office is pretty much a full time job, I can’t imagine that Helena would let that happen.
Leticia has been fighting city hall for a while now. She was a tireless opponent of “historic preservation”and went before city counsel numerous times. I first met Leticia Ablaza when we were both volunteers on the Fernando Herrera for Mayor campaign. City politics is different when it comes to who’s a R and who’s a D, the lines get blurred. Leticia filed to run for District I at the last moment and put up a strong fight with limited funds. She was outspent 12 to 1 and still got over one in three votes. Ms. Ablaza had support from many conservatives. Hiring Leticia is a great way for Helena Brown to say “Howdy Doody” to Mayor Parker. Someone will have to take Helena’s place when she term limits out.
Okay Steve, here is the final scoop: Leticia did not file for any position in the upcoming primary, be it Republican or Democratic. She did fill out paperwork for Precinct chair in anticipation of running against Maverick Welsh because of voting problems in the precinct.
She is currently in orientation with Helena and that is why it took so long to get a response.
Horse’s mouth. There you go.Whew, I don’t have to apologize after all. 😉
Fair enough, but why does it take a day for Helena’s campaign to answer the question? Did she file or didn’t she?
You are too quick. I edited my response above.
Steve,
Mr Jennings stated they were in orientation, I think that might account for a slight delay. That being said you still received a response before 4pm the same day.Is that not quick enough?
Leticia Ablaza filed to run for the DEMOCRATIC precinct chair, a position that would require that she not support any Republican candidates, the election for that will be in March and as far as anyone knows, she is still in that contest. It was at the Democratic Executive Committee Meeting where she was accompanied by Jack Valinski where she filed to run because she has personal issues with Maverick Welsh, which is another story. If there are problems with voting in the precinct,as she apparently claimed, she might want to take that up with her husband Joe, since he is the Republican precinct chair for that same precinct. Since district I isn’t as conservative as A, she really did not stand by her conservative principles during that election. I guess they thought the conservative principles they like wouldn’t be politically advantageous in District I since the blog that she and Joe maintained was pulled down and she denied all knowledge of it during at least one of the debates I saw, and denied any affiliation with the tea party. I guess that may change if she runs in A. She was joined at the hip with Jolando Jones’ office and even broke down in tears defending Jolanda at council pop off so her running around with Jack Valinski at the Dem Exec Committee meeting should come as no surprise.
Who is Valinkski, another pay for play pinhead with delusions of grandeur?
As to Leticia taking a shot at D party pct chair I see an opportunity to turn her pct into an anti city hall powerhouse. Imagine a pct with both Ds and Rs aligned against Parker…:)
I am following all this with incredulity. Valinski is a longtime leader in the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered Caucus, the organizer for the Gay Pride parade, the current Democrat election judge in Precinct 34 in Montrose, an aide to Jolanda Jones. The Ablazas come into GOP politics through tea party activism and opposition to a proposed historic preservation district in their neighborhood. I don’t get the connection.
When you are talking Jones and Ablaza, it rarely makes sense. I know some may be enchanted with her right now, but just wait. She will flip flop depending on who is in front of her. Oh and tired dog, I wouldn’t count on the Ablazas leading a charge in that district. I was curious after this last election how well she performed in the precincts covering her neighborhood since she was so involved, visible and vocal about opposing the historic preservation district there. She didn’t carry even of them, not even the one that her husband chairs. As for her connection with Valinski, who knows, but from earlier this year, here is how she feels about our beloved Jo Jo, well, somebody’s beloved Jo Jo, not mine, http://houstontx.city.swagit.com/player.php?refid=06142011-65 (go to part 2 of 2 public speakers and slide the bar over to the 45:50 mark)
Oh and by the way, have any of you seen the shady shenanigans Leticia Ablaza pulled on Stevenson middle school? Go ask Elizabeth Perez about that one….
More info on Leticia Ablaza’s shady shenanigans here:
http://texas.patriotstatesman.com/2011/12/the-grinch-who-stole-christmas-from-stevenson-middle-school-needy-families/
Elizabeth,
We need an accounting of the money we gave to you for Stephenson middle school. There seems to be a discrepancy with the funds.
I don’t know who Pachyderm Regular is, but the Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club donated money for the Stevenson MS PTO, payable to the PTO. There has been no discussion at any board meeting of requesting an accounting for the money donated.
Tom Zakes
Treasurer of Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club
🙂
Pachyderm regular is probably Leticia posting something to try to make Elizabeth look bad.