E-mail sent to TCFR supporters on August 6, 2004
AUSTIN IN REVIEW
Approximately two months ago TCFR evaluated CPS related activity in Texas and strategically decided to focus on two specific issues: the fundamental right of parents to direct the placement of their child during a CPS investigation and restoring the independence of the judiciary in CPS courts. Efforts in Austin on Wednesday were successful in advancing those causes.
Wednesday's activities included a press conference in the morning, attending portions of Rep. Hupp's committee hearings on foster care and meetings with representatives of Governor Perry's and Speaker Craddick's office. A total of eighteen husbands and wives from Houston Ministers Against Crime, seven members of Harris County Leadership Council and the Director and an attorney from the Southwest Regional office of Judicial Watch joined TCFR throughout the day. Their participation and the teamwork significantly increased the impact of the day.
At the press conference we asked, "Whatever happened to the independence of the judiciary?" Subsequently we called for Gov. Perry and the Comptroller to expand their investigations into CPS to include judicial impropriety and we called upon Speaker Craddick to expand Rep. Hupp's charges to include an investigation into the judiciary. We emphasized that parents view a multi-headed hydra when they appear in court: CPS/CASAs/ad litems/therapists/DAs/ and judges all seem to be pitted against the parent. It's time to restore judicial independence!
Russ Verney, Director of the Southwestern Region of Judicial Watch echoed that need having sent letters the day before to Gov. Perry, Speaker Craddick and Chief Justice Tom Phillips calling for investigations into Constitutional violations of separation of powers. The letter specifically stated:
In accordance with its mission, Judicial Watch hereby calls upon the
three branches of Texas State Government to investigate apparent
violations of the Constitutional mandates of separation of powers and to
undo the incestuous relationship between the executive, legislative and
judicial branches of Texas government with respect to the "protection"
of our children and the use of co-called "Cluster Courts" to handle
Child Protective Services ("CPS") cases.
And the African-American groups made an impassioned plea to tear apart and redo the entire CPS system.
Our meeting with Rep. Craddick's office offered glimmers of hope. In the past legislative session his office was responsible for killing the "parental directive" in committee.
On Wednesday we met for about an hour with two top advisors, his General Counsel and a Senior Policy Analyst on Health and Human Services.
As TCFR we gave them a copy of our complaint filed with the Texas Commission on Judicial Conduct, addressed the necessity of an investigation into the independence of the judiciary and stressed the importance of the parental directive. Judicial Watch punctuated the need for the judicial investigation since these are potential constitutional violations.
But the input of the minorities emotionally carried the day! Dr. Cleothus Montgomery, pastor of Northside Missionary Baptist church in Houston, stressed how critical the first six years of a child's life are and the importance of keeping a child with his family. Rosalynn Delagraentiss painted CPS practices as a 21st century slave block and expressed the emotion she experiences with her mother, who is a foster mom, in holding a crying child all night long when he or she is first torn from a parent. And Dr. Herschel Smith passionately emphasized their commitment to take the issue to the people through town hall meetings in various parts of the state. He called upon Speaker Craddick to attend at least one of those meetings to hear the voice of the people.
We appreciate the interest many of you have expressed in our efforts. We will continue to keep you posted on efforts to restore fundamental rights of parents and the independence of the judiciary in CPS cases.
Respectfully,
Peter Johnston
President
