Federal Judge Orders Abbott to Explain X-Ray Evidence Siezure

[Lisa0825]

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/texassouthwest/stories/DN-abbott_24tex.ART.State.Edition1.3def6bb.html

Federal judge orders Abbott to explain X-ray evidence seizure

AG's office says grand juries subpoenaed it


12:00 AM CDT on Thursday, August 24, 2006

By TERRENCE STUTZ / The Dallas Morning News

AUSTIN – A federal judge has ordered Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott to explain why his office seized thousands of X-rays that are evidence in a federal investigation of potentially fraudulent silicosis lawsuits filed by alleged victims of the lung disease.

U.S. District Judge Janis Graham Jack also wants to know why an estimated 152 of the X-rays disappeared before the attorney general returned 40 boxes of records to a federal depository in response to an order from her.

"The arrogance of taking those documents from a federal court-supervised depository is astounding," the federal judge said in a hearing on the matter earlier this month. "The attorney general has exhibited a total disregard for the rule of law by doing this."

(snip)

David Van Os, the Democratic nominee for attorney general challenging Mr. Abbott this year, said the records dispute is a very serious matter. He noted that armed agents for the attorney general threatened the depository supervisor with arrest if he didn't turn over the records.

"Greg Abbott is a lawyer and officer of the courts," Mr. Van Os said. "Seizing court records from the court's storage facility without consulting the presiding judge demonstrated a shocking level of arrogance and disrespect."

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/texassouthwest/stories/DN-abbott_24tex.ART.State.Edition1.3def6bb.html

[Gman]

1. David has a great talent for framing the exact issue

Mr. Van Os said. "Seizing court records from the court's storage facility without consulting the presiding judge demonstrated a shocking level of arrogance and disrespect."

Some might say, "Well, so?"

David concisely explaines the issue.

[Czolgosz]

2. k & r (and check out this blog: greg-abbott-is-a-hypocrite. blogspot.com)

[Lisa0825]

3. Thanks!

I hope this story will keep picking up steam!

[reprehensor]

4. Go Van Os!

Let the good times roll.

[sonias]

5. "AG has exhibited a total disregard for the rule of law"

Finally someone calling them on their corruption.

And David is so right in his quote saying that Abbott is "demonstrating a shocking level of arrogance and disrespect".

Sonia

[crispini]

6. K&R!

[Melissa G]

7. Van Os kicks Abbott's behind! I'm liking that 'headline to be!'