Rick's Chief of Staff speaks out...

Rick's new chief of staff Ray Sullivan wrote into the Longview News Journal to tell them they have it all wrong (link). Excerpt follows...

In their collective rush to defend a convicted child murdered executed in 2004, many in the Texas press are routinely missing the facts about Gov. Rick Perry and the Cameron Todd Willingham case. The News-Journal's editorial on Wednesday is just the latest example.

Governor Perry routinely makes his official schedules, correspondence and other documents available to the press and public. Our office fully complies with the Public Records Act. In fact, the governor has gone above and beyond by voluntarily releasing personal tax returns, detailed campaign finance data and putting office expenses online.

The News-Journal is just plain wrong about the opinion of Gerald Hurst in the Willingham murder case. Governor Perry's office has repeatedly made Mr. Hurst's four-page opinion public, an opinion considered by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals and the Governor's Office before they upheld the jury verdict in the Willingham case.

We know full well that Texas newspapers oppose the death penalty, even for the most terrible crimes. However, Willingham was convicted by a Texas jury of murdering his three little girls based on the evidence, including a confession.

He was executed only after Texas courts, federal appeals courts and the U.S. Supreme Court reviewed the case and all of the evidence. The case was upheld in every appeal, including nine times by federal courts. Governor Perry is sworn to uphold Texas law, and does so every day.

Ray Sullivan, Austin, Chief of Staff, Office of the Governor

Great. Is the Longview newspaper really the only place Rick's staffers have tried to get their side of the story aired? Are other outlets ignoring Rick's peeps, or are Rick's peeps not doing enough to get their side of the story out? To hear the staffers tell it they are getting ignored entirely by the media especially the national media...