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“Free government requires active citizens”
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We meet Thursdays at 12:00 PM
The Spaghetti Warehouse
901 Commerce St.
Houston, TX 77002
USA
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| Posted by Dale Gibble
Born into a family of meager financial means, Benjamin Hall, III has experienced firsthand the struggle that accompanies difficult economic times. Ben also encountered challenges in the academic world, where teachers doubted his ability to rise above his humble beginnings and achieve higher education; however, he knew he had the potential to succeed and refused to compromise his goals.
In 1975, Ben enrolled at the University of South Carolina, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1977, with honors. His thirst for knowledge and desire to help others led him to continue his education at Duke University; obtaining a Master of Divinity degree in 1979 and a Ph.D. in 1985.
Others might have stopped at that point, but Ben saw a real opportunity to help underrepresented communities as an attorney. In 1986, Ben earned a law degree from Harvard Law School and began working at the Vinson & Elkins law firm in Houston, Texas. He went on to serve as the City Attorney for the City of Houston in Mayor Bob Lanier’s administration.
Through his legal practice, Ben has applied the principles of courage, tenacity and justice that he learned as a young man; speaking out on behalf of those who need a strong voice to champion their causes. In 2000, Ben founded the nationally recognized Hall Law Firm.
Additionally, Ben has served the Houston community through his numerous pro bono efforts on behalf of groups, corporations and individuals in need of representation.
Ben is grateful for his professional successes, but also recognizes his personal blessings. He describes his family as his greatest treasure. Ben and Saundra, his wife of 31 years, have two sons. The entire Hall family remains committed to serving the Houston community.
| | Posted by Dale Gibble
A native Texan, Tom Pauken was active in the Goldwater for President Campaign in 1964. A year later, he was elected national chairman of the College Republicans during the rise of the anti-Vietnam protest movement. Enlisting in the U.S. Army in 1967, Tom served as a military intelligence officer in Vietnam.
Tom served on President Ronald Reagan’s White House staff. Named Director of the ACTION agency by President Reagan, he eliminated the use of federal tax dollars to fund Saul Alinsky-style leftist organizers. At ACTION, Tom founded the Vietnam Veterans Leadership Program and implemented Nancy Reagan’s “Just Say No to Drugs” campaign. For his meritorious service as Director of ACTION, Tom Pauken was awarded the Ronald Reagan Medal of Honor by his fellow Reagan administration alumni.
Elected Texas Republican State Chairman in 1994, Tom helped build a Republican majority in Texas from the grassroots.
Tom Pauken served as Chairman of the Texas Workforce Commission from 2008 to 2012 where he championed the cause of increased opportunities for vocational education, rebuilding our U.S. manufacturing base, and helping our returned veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan make a successful transition to civilian life through such initiatives as the Texas Veterans Leadership Program (TVLP).
A former venture-capital executive, Tom is a small business owner and the author of The Thirty Years War: The Politics of the Sixties Generation. His most recent book is BRINGING AMERICA HOME: How America Lost Her Way and How We Can Find Our Way Back.
Tom and his wife, the former Ida Ayala, have seven children and fourteen grandchildren.
© Copyright 2013 Tom Pauken for Texas.
Pol. ad. Tom Pauken for Texas
P.O. Box 181300, Dallas, Texas 75218
| | Posted by Dale Gibble on May 23, 2013
Bill Frazer announced his candidacy for Candidate for Houston City Controller in February of 2013.
Mr. Frazer has many years of experience in the accounting and financial services industry. From 1991 through 2012 he served as Chief Financial Officer of CB Richard Ellis Capital Markets, one of the world’s leading commercial real estate financial services firms. As a board member of GEMSA Loan Services, a partnership between CBRE and GE Capital Real Estate, he helped form one of the nation’s largest commercial real estate loan management and advisory service companies.
Mr. Frazer has been a Certified Public Accountant since 1975. He is a past President of the Houston CPA Society and has served on the Board of Directors of the Texas Society of CPAs for the past 20 years. CPAs must meet stringent educational and professional requirements and are trained to establish effective business operations. They must adhere to strict state licensing guidelines that distinguish them from other accountants and professionals in the financial services industry, and they must abide by a strict code of professional ethics.
Mr. Frazer is involved in his church and his community. He is a member of St. Martin’s Episcopal Church and has served on its Vestry and is currently a member of its Senior Council. He serves on the advisory committee of the Episcopal Diocese’s Camp Allen. He is actively involved in helping Volunteer Interfaith Caregivers-Southwest provide much needed transportation services to elderly Houstonians who can no longer drive. He has recently joined the Board of Directors of St. James House, a retirement community sponsored by the Episcopal Diocese of Texas to serve those who need housing and critical nursing care in their later years. He believes “that we cannot depend solely on government programs to meet all of the needs of our fellow citizens, but must commit to do our part to make Houston a better place for all.” Mr. Frazer seeks to continue his commitment and dedication to the community of Houston through his candidacy for the position of City Controller.
Mr. Frazer was raised in San Antonio and graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 1973 with a BBA in Accounting. He began his accounting career in Houston as a staff accountant with Ernst & Ernst. He has been a licensed CPA since 1975. He and his wife Jean, also a CPA, moved into the Ayrshire area 37 years ago. Their two children, Jennifer and Jeremy, attended public schools and graduated from Bellaire High School
| | Posted by Dale Gibble on May 30, 2013
David Maulsby David was ordained in 1987 and has over 26 years of experience in ministry. He served his first 10 years with Evangelist Tim Lee (a retired U.S. Marine and double amputee from the Vietnam War).
David traveled the country assisting in producing area-wide crusades and Patriotic Rallies, later managing the national ministry which included editing of a Christian newspaper and producing a daily radio broadcast.
He has 17 years of experience as pastor and preaching the gospel message in Northwest Houston, across the United States and in several countries around the world. Since May of 2009, David has worked with the PTSD Foundation of America where he currently serves as Executive Director in addition to his duties as Pastor of CrossBridge Church.
From being the first and only mentor and employee actively engaged in meeting and assisting area veterans for the PTSD Foundation, the organization has grown to multiple meeting locations in Houston as well as expanding to cities across America. Camp Hope, which provides interim housing for veterans and their families, opened in May of 2012 under David’s direction and is growing and continually serving our community, as well as receiving veterans from across the nation.
Married for 26 years, he and his wife Cindy have two children. | | Posted by Heikki Mustonen on May 14, 2013
Our new Republican National Committeewoman, Toni Anne Dashiell, has served as Kendall County's Republican Chairman and former President of the Texas Federation of Republican Women. Over the last 11 years, she has served TFRW as 1st Vice-President, Vice-President of Campaign Activities, Deputy President of Region IX, and Teenage Republican Liaison.
| | Posted by Heikki Mustonen on Apr 30, 2013
| | Posted by Heikki Mustonen on Apr 22, 2013
"My mission is to serve families in times of crisis in a thoughtful, compassionate, and deliberate way, when that crisis involves the loss of a loved one, the need for a guardianship, or a mental health issue." | | Posted by Heikki Mustonen on Apr 16, 2013
On Thursday, April 18th, Downtown Houston Pachyderm will celebrate Texas Independence with Kameron Searle as our featured lunch speaker at the Spaghetti Warehouse.
| | Posted by Heikki Mustonen on Apr 10, 2013
Donna Bahorich, District 6 State Board of Education member will be speaking on education. | | Posted by Heikki Mustonen on Apr 01, 2013
Danny Nguyen's "Journey to Freedom" focuses on his having realized his Texas American entrepreneurial dream to become a local elected leader.
As an At Large Position #2 Council member Danny Nguyen helps as many as he can to accomplish those same dreams. Nguyen has been a delegate repeatedly to Republican State, County and Senatorial Conventions. He is a motivational and business speaker at colleges, universities, and other organizations. Having fled the horrors of Communism as a child where there was more bloodshed and bombing than any young boy should see or hear,
| | Posted by Heikki Mustonen on Mar 19, 2013
Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club - March 21, 2013 Matt Brand, Vice President for Corporate Partnerships of the Houston Astros with our annual baseball program. The Houston Astros will begin their 51st season on March 31 with a nationally televised game against the Texas Rangers. Under new owner Jim Crane, the team will be the first to win pennants in both the National and American League.
Come hear the vice president of the team explain how this will be done! | | Posted by Heikki Mustonen on Mar 12, 2013
Theresa Kosmoski will be speaking at the Houston Downtown Pachyderm Club Thursday March 14th, 2013. She will be discussing Immigration Policy. | | Posted by Heikki Mustonen on Mar 12, 2013
http://www.bigjollypolitics.com/2013/03/11/downtown-houston-pachyderms-hear-about-failed-drug-war/?utm_source=Big+Jolly+Politics&utm_campaign=ef3c303c46-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email | | Posted by Heikki Mustonen on Mar 05, 2013
William Martin serves as the Chavanne Senior Fellow for Religion and Public Policy at the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy at Rice. Dr. Martin's recent research and writing have focused in two areas: 1) religious fundamentalism and its impact in the political arena; and 2) issues related to drugs, with particular emphasis on ways to reduce the harms associated with drug abuse and drug policy. He has organized and chaired a series of programs at conferences at the Baker Institute dealing with these issues. These can be accessed through the Baker Institute website at http://bakerinstitute.org/. | | Posted by Heikki Mustonen on Feb 28, 2013
Martha Hill Jamison is a Justice on the 14th Court of Appeals and President-Elect of the American Judicature Society. Founded in 1913, the American Judicature Society is an independent, non-partisan, membership organization working nationally to protect the integrity of the American justice system. The work of AJS focuses primarily on judicial ethics, judicial selection, access to justice, criminal justice reform, and the jury system. She will be talking about finding a system that helps keep the best Judges on the bench.
| | Posted by Heikki Mustonen on Feb 18, 2013
Andy Kahan currently serves as the Victim Advocate for the city of Houston, Texas. This one-man office acts as an ombudsman for victims of crime and has been instrumental in enacting victim-related legislation in addition to serving as a resource for victims of crime. He will be speaking at the Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club on Thursday February 21st, 2013 about Victim-Advocacy, Legislation, and the Media. | | Posted by Heikki Mustonen on Feb 11, 2013
Daniel Blackford will be speaking at the Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club Thursday February 14th, 2013 and will be updating us on the latest news from Washington regarding the 2nd Amendment and attempts by the current administration to restrict this Freedom. Daniel is a CHL (Concealed Handgun License) instructor, NRA (National Rifle Association) instructor, federal law enforcement instructor, state of Texas level-4 security instructor and has been the head of a local TEA party. | | Posted by Heikki Mustonen on Feb 07, 2013
| Chris Carmona to speak at Houston Downtown Pachyderm Club February 7th, 2013. 12:00 pm | | | Posted by Heikki Mustonen on Jan 29, 2013
Albert Nohas, author of Warriors Remembered speaks at Houston Downtown Pachyderm Club on January 31, 2013 | | Posted by Randy Kubosh on Jan 24, 2013
Commissioner R. Jack Cagle has served as county commissioner for Harris County Precinct 4 since October 3, 2011. His appointment to this position was ratified by the voters with his most recent election to office on November 6, 2012.
He has spent more than 20 years working with and serving the citizens of Harris County Precinct 4 as an attorney, as an elected judge, and now serving as county commissioner. Until his appointment to Commissioners Court, Cagle served 11 years as judge of Harris County Civil Court-at Law No. 1. Harris County voters elected him to the bench countywide in 2000 and re-elected in 2002, 2006, and 2010.
As judge, Commissioner Cagle consistently earned high ratings from the Houston Bar Association and earned numerous awards from legal, business, political, and community groups. Twice recognized as “Judge of the Year” by law enforcement groups, Cagle was also recognized by the Mexican American Bar Association of Houston and served as an officer in the Association of Women Attorneys. He was elected by his peers to be Administrative Judge for the County Civil Courts and as President of the Texas Association of County Court at Law Judges.
Commissioner Cagle is a graduate of Rice University with triple majors in economics, history, and managerial studies, as well as a graduate of Baylor Law School. He has been married to Janet for 30 years and they have three children: Richard, Victoria, and Elizabeth. | | Posted by Randall Kubosh on Aug 17, 2012
| | Posted by Randy Kubosh on Jan 17, 2013
Shannon Davis is the Chief Prosecutor of the Child Exploitation Section of the Harris County District Attorney's Office and prosecutes technology-assisted crimes against children including child pornography, online solicitation of minors, and child sexual abuse. Shannon will discuss the work of the Houston Metropolitan Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce, how it catches these criminals, and advice on how to protect your own children from these predators. Shannon Davis will be speaking to us about his work at the District Attorney’s Office, prosecuting crimes against children, primarily including cyber crimes, as well as steps we can take to keep our families safe from predators. Some of his background includes: LEGAL EXPERIENCE
Felony Chief Prosecutor, Assistant District Attorney, Harris County, Texas May 2010- present
Currently serving as Child Exploitation Section Chief Prosecutor
Currently serving as Veterans Court Chief Prosecutor
Lectured at 2012 Protecting Texas Children Conferences
Spoke at 2012 National Drug Court Conference
Instructed at 2011 Texas District and County Attorneys Association Advanced Trial Advocacy Course
Prosecuted cases in the Intake Division, Child Exploitation Section and Veterans Court
Assistant District Attorney, Harris County, Texas May 1998- May 2010
Served as lead prosecutor in over 70 felony jury trials, over 25 misdemeanor jury trials and dozens of court trials / hearings
Served as the Chief Prosecutor in County Criminal Court at Law Numbers 1 and 11
Awarded 2006 Team Excellence Honorable Mention Prosecutor of the Year by Children’s Advocacy Centers of Texas
Awarded 2005 Child Abuse Prosecutor of the Year by the Victim Witness Program of the Harris County District Attorney’s Office
Lectured at 2006 Protecting Texas Children Conferences
Represented the State in district, county and juvenile district courts in hundreds of plea agreements
Performed legal research and drafted pleadings, motions and responses for both trial preparation and post-conviction writs of habeas corpus and DNA testing
Prosecuted cases in the Felony Trial Bureau, Misdemeanor Division, Juvenile Division, Grand Jury Division, Intake Division, Post-Conviction Writs Division, and Child Abuse Division
Judge Advocate General (JAG), United States Army Reserve April 2002-present
Adjunct Professor of Criminal Law at the Judge Advocate General School and Learning Center in Charlottesville, VA
Served as Senior Defense Counsel for 22d Legal Support Organization, Houston Team, and supervised 1 other attorney from March 2006 to September 2010
Mobilized to active service at Fort Hood, Texas from September 2008 to September 2009 as a Trial Defense Service Attorney
Represented numerous clients at various levels of courts-martial before both Judges and Panels
Served as lead respondent’s counsel in 16 administrative separation hearings
2006 Commandant’s List Graduate, JAG Advanced Course, Charlottesville, VA
Awarded Army Commendation Medal, 2010 and 2005
Awarded Army Achievement Medal, 2007 and 2004
Promoted to Major below-the-zone, 2010 EDUCATION
South Texas College of Law––Houston, Texas
Doctor of Jurisprudence, December 1997
Admitted to Texas Bar on May 1, 1998
Honors and Activities
Aggie Law Students Association
Served as Vice-President of Programs
Created a networking database of Houston-Area Aggie lawyers
Organized two networking dinners
Awarded South Texas General Scholarship
Awarded Texas Aggies Scholarship
Texas A&M University––College Station, Texas
Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics with Psychology minor Honors and Activities Texas A&M Corps of Cadets
Completed two years of AFROTC training
Qualified for the Commandant’s Honor Roll six times
Maintained Cadet Corps' largest Quiz File
Served as Scholastic Officer of unit bearing the George P.F. Jouine Award for highest grades in the Cadet Corps
Raised over $1,000.00 for the March of Dimes
Spoke at 5th Annual Accept the Challenge Dinner regarding Corps Scholastics program
Awarded Sul Ross Scholarship
Film Society of Texas A&M, Director of Development
Raised the majority of funding for Second Annual Texas Film Festival, A&M's largest non-athletic event
Received Outstanding Committee Development and Outstanding Program Awards for Film Society of Texas A&M
Pi Mu Epsilon (Math Honor Society) Member PUBLICATIONS
Updated the C.L.E. article “Sustaining Family Law Judgments,” 1997
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
Corps of Cadets Association, 2008-Present
National College of District Attorneys, 2003-Present
Aggie Bar Association, 2002-Present
Houston Bar Association, 2001-Present
Texas County and District Attorney’s Association, 1998-Present | | Posted by Randy Kubosh on Jan 10, 2013
about R.W. Bray In R.W. Bray’s words: I was born in a little city not too far from the Texas-Louisiana border. I was raised by my grandparents after my mother’s death. I realized that with the absence of a father, I would have to take personal responsibility for my growth. That conviction was embedded in me by my grandfather, a WWII veteran, and my loving grandmother who raised me under a patriotic umbrella. They also held and impressed upon me the belief that anything is possible if you put your mind to it.
My commitment to individuality led me to New Orleans where I attended Dillard University in the pursuit of business. Fueled with an entrepreneurial spirit, I found one of Booker T. Washington’s motto’s to reign true: “Economic freedom is the foundation to political freedom.” In college I found that the key to overcoming life’s inequities is to grow in one’s morality and embrace every opportunity to renew one’s commitment to stepping out on faith.
After leaving Dillard University and in the wake of my grandparents' deaths, I found myself following my grandfather’s footsteps-- I joined the United States Air Force. While traveling down life’s odyssey, I met my "wife to be" in the city of Austin. Not long into our marriage and establishing a home in New Orleans, Hurricane Katrina swept away our hopes and eventually our union, but not my personal dream of renewal, renewal for myself, the great state of Texas that adopted me and for the country that allows me the freedom to defend its Constitution and mine.
In lieu of all life’s lessons, good times and bad, failures and successes, degrees and certificates, all of it would be for naught, if I did not commit myself and my voice to bettering the lives of those who can relate, understand, and empathize with my history, but more importantly the future of our existence as citizens, as "We the People".
about Dorothy Olmos
Dorothy Olmos has been pro active with the Republican Party and has continued her efforts to grow the party. In October 2008, She opened her campaign Headquarters and hosted the East Side Republican Headquarters also to have a presence in the Hispanic community. Dorothy also has a small business and the name of her business is D MARIE'S ENTERPRISE.
She incorporates all necessary notary public assistance, income tax preparation, writes grants for agencies, churches, etc., provides social service referrals, legal referral service and maintains community outreach in the Arts in doing specialty projects. She promotes political awareness. She is a woman with many talents. Dorothy Olmos has always been an entrepreneur and continues her efforts to educate and train people in the arts, and in American Patriotism to respect others for the justice of all.
In December 2008, Dorothy hosted and sponsored the Nickels for St. Nick Project that was a toy giveaway to the children who were affected by Hurricane Ike. In 2009, She assisted families who were affected by the economy crisis by donating pampers, toys and food. These projects are ongoing every year since 1999. The Association for Hispanic Fine Arts is the non-profit 501-c3 that Dorothy Olmos founded in 1997 and continues her efforts to promote the arts and political awareness.
Dorothy Olmos was employed as Primary Directors Aide during the 2008 primary elections. As she worked as an aide, she assisted the outreach committee to recruit Pct. Chairs in a predominantly democrat district, SD 6 where she also resides and is moving forward to register new voters in the area. She was appointed by Jared Woodfill, in Aug. 2008 to become the Hispanic Outreach coordinator for the Harris County Republican Party. During this time, she participated as a precinct convention delegate, attended the district convention, and was elected at the district convention to be the temporary chairman of SD 6, and was then selected to be a delegate at the state convention. Thereafter, she applied for an at large position to the National convention and was selected to be an alternate Delegate to the National Convention in 2008 where she assisted Paul Bettencourt as his alternate delegate. She was also the Republican Nominee for State Representative Dist. 143 where she received a doubled number votes from previous election in 2006 in a predominant democrat voting district.
In 2010, Dorothy Olmos has recruited over 30 + Hispanic Republican Precinct chairs in Harris County, Primarily in SD 6, in precincts that have been traditionally democrat. Dorothy has also organized the first East Side Hispanic Republican Precinct Chair organization, to continue her efforts of growing the Harris County Republican Party. Dorothy Olmos has shown her leadership and organizational skills. She has the dedication and the determination to become a public official. She asks for your support and endorsement. | | Posted by Randy Kubosh on Jan 03, 2013
Lynn Bradshaw-Hull, a trusted conservative Republican Judge, was first elected in 1994. She is the first Judge elected to the newly designated domestic violence court.
Beginning private practice in 1984, she represented clients in predominantly civil and domestic relations, including domestic violence matters, and served as a certified mediator until elected to her first bench.
In 1994, Bradshaw-Hull was first elected to serve as Judge of Harris County Civil Court at Law No. 3, and re-elected in 1998 and 2002. In 2006, she was elected District Judge of the 80th Judicial District Court where she also volunteered to assist the family courts by presiding in domestic violence matters. Since 2009, she has served as a visiting judge and mediator. Her 15 year record of service has earned Judge Bradshaw-Hull a well-deserved reputation for competence, conscientiousness and consistency.
Judge Bradshaw-Hull has presided fairly in the disposition of more than 60,000 cases, including over 500 jury trials. She is dual-certified by the Texas College for Judicial Studies as a specialist in Civil Jurisdiction and General Jurisdiction, both of which include domestic violence. Only five judges in Texas have achieved dual certification. Judge Bradshaw-Hull has been recognized as “Judge of the Year” by Peace Officers Looking Into Courthouse Excellence (P.O.L.I.C.E. Inc.), and she has been honored with two Texas State Bar Presidential Commendations for judicial leadership.
She is a native Texan, and has been married to Christopher Bradshaw-Hull for over thirty years. They have two grown, married children and one grandchild. She is a member of St. Martha Catholic Church. | | Posted by Carmen Cuneo on Aug 19, 2012
It is our belief that most of the corrupting influences in American Politics could be erased and government made more responsive by one basic improvement. That is, simply for more good citizens to participate in politics. "We get the government we deserve, not the one we wish for," remains a guide-star for a free people. We offer a meaningful movement of political clubs as the most practical means by which a broad citizen participation in politics may be achieved.
| | Posted by Carmen Cuneo on Aug 18, 2012
"Our freedoms are not safe unless we as citizens interest ourselves in government, inform ourselves about it, and involve ourselves in it. That is precisely what Pachyderms are doing." -- President Ronald Reagan As president Reagan said, it is crucial that we as citizens get involved - and one of the best ways to do so is to affiliate with a national organization like the National Federation of Pachyderm Clubs. By being a Pachyderm Club rather than just a local political club, you gain the advantages of an affiliation with an already established and respected organization and a headquarters ready to assist you. |
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