Recent Senate Votes
Amendment to establish an earmark moratorium for FY2009 - Vote Rejected (29-71)

The Senate rejected an amendment to the 2009 budget resolution that would have placed a yearlong moratorium on earmarks, special spending requests used by members of Congress to fund projects in their districts.

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison voted NO......send e-mail or see bio
Sen. John Cornyn voted YES......send e-mail or see bio

Budget Resolution, FY2009 - Vote Agreed to (51-44, 1 Present, 4 Not Voting)

The Senate narrowly approved this budget resolution for fiscal year 2009.

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison voted NO......send e-mail or see bio
Sen. John Cornyn voted NO......send e-mail or see bio

Recent House Votes
Overriding the Veto of the Intelligence Authorization Act of 2008 - Vote Failed (225-188, 17 Not Voting)

The House fell far short of the 276 votes needed to override President Bush’s veto of this intelligence bill that would ban interrogation methods like waterboarding and mock executions.

Rep. Joe Barton voted NO......send e-mail or see bio

Establishing within the House of Representatives an Office of Congressional Ethics - Vote Passed (229-182, 4 Present, 15 Not Voting)

The House narrowly approved a new ethics rule to create an independent office that would consider ethics complaints against House members.

Rep. Joe Barton voted NO......send e-mail or see bio

Budget Resolution, FY2009 - Vote Passed (212-207, 12 Not Voting)

The House passed this $3 trillion budget resolution setting spending priorities for the 2009 fiscal year.

Rep. Joe Barton voted NO......send e-mail or see bio

FISA Amendments Act of 2008 - Vote Passed (213-197, 1 Present, 20 Not Voting)

The House passed this intelligence bill that would revise U.S. surveillance laws.

Rep. Joe Barton voted NO......send e-mail or see bio

A very beautiful mail piece by the Joe Grubbs campaign states this about our incumbent county/district attorney:

Dear Friends,

Joe Grubbs is a family man who is well respected through out the community. He has demonstrated the utmost integrity serving the citizens of Ellis County as our District and County Attorney.

We can be proud of this servant leader, and I encourage you to support Joe in his campaign for re-election by voting in the upcoming Republican Primary.

Sincerely,
Joe Barton
Member of Congress

Barton needs a primary opponent the next time around. Any takers? This guy has a history of endorsing incumbents who have screwed county taxpayers to the hilt (Al Cornelius is the big-name I think of), and Barton's antics in Washington (per his voting record) have not represented the GOP platform.

Since 2006, Barton's voting record became conservative again (voting against most of the Democratic-controlled agenda's spending bills) and I have praised him for it.

But this one sealed the deal for me.

I almost regret saying I voted for the congressman yesterday even though he was unopposed.

One of the victims - or someone close to the victims in the Dr. Chitale case (the Ennis doctor that sedated patients, took advantage of them, squirted semen on one of their faces, got probation) - has said that Congressman Joe Barton, R-Ennis, admitted to there being photographs involved in this case.

Now this is huge because this source says Barton himself said it.

Guess that's why County Attorney Joe Grubbs has sued state Attorney General Greg Abbott to keep from information and documents in the Chitale case from being released.

Here's what was posted:

I infact had a face to face discussion with Joe Barton on the case involving Joe Grubbs and the fact that his office is currently involved in a lawsuit against the AG’s office to deprive the victims of Aniruddha Chitale documents they are legally entitled to. At first mention of Chitale’s name Joe Barton said, “He’s the doctor who took photos of those women while they were under anesthesia.” Since photographs have never been mentioned publicly I was startled by this statement. Despite the fact that Joe Barton continued on to say that he avoids any perception by the public that his office might have any influence one way or the other over the DA’s office it was obvious that he had been priviledged to some details of the case that I had not been priviledged to. I was only there to ask him to request that Joe Grubbs’ office abide by the State of Texas’ ruling and the open records act since he is a representative of the citizens of Ellis County and would therefore be concerned with the rights of all those citizens.

It's ironic that of all of my blogging and news reports, there have been two trials in the past two weeks involving sexual assault suspects. That's unheard of for these cases to go to trial. It must pain assistant prosecutor Patrick M. Wilson to forgo plea bargaining in exchange for these trials. (one of which, defense attorney Mark Griffith secured a not-guilty verdict for his client in a jury deliberation record of four minutes)

That's not to say all plea bargains are bad. It's like annexation. Some annexations are good and needed. Some are not.

Let's go down the list:

Twice Barton endorsed former County Judge Al Cornelius.

Endorsed Judge Gene Knize

Now he's endorsing Grubbs

Whatever respect I had for our congressman for holding such a conservative voting record since 2006 when the Democrats gained control of Congress, that is now gone.

Joe Barton doesn't speak for this Ellis County resident.
Joe Barton Town Hall Meeting with GOP Precinct Chairs
@ Holiday Inn - Waxahachie - 7 p.m.
(next to Johnny Carino's)  - Tonight

FISA Amendments Act of 2007 - Vote Passed (68-29, 3 Not Voting)

The Senate passed this intelligence bill that would revise U.S. surveillance laws and grant retroactive immunity to telecommunications companies that helped the government conduct warrantless wiretapping of U.S. citizens.

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison voted YES......send e-mail or see bio
Sen. John Cornyn voted YES......send e-mail or see bio

Recent House Votes
To extend the Protect America Act of 2007 for 21 days - Vote Failed (191-229, 9 Not Voting)

The House rejected this bill that would have extended the current FISA law for 21 days and given Congress time to resolve the differences between the House and Senate bills.

Rep. Joe Barton voted NO......send e-mail or see bio

Providing for the adoption of H. Res. 979 and H. Res. 980, contempt of Congress resolutions - Vote Passed (223-32, 1 Present, 173 Not Voting)

The House passed this resolution finding former White House Counsel Harriet Miers and White House Chief of Staff Joshua Bolten in contempt of Congress for failing to comply with subpoenas issued by the Judiciary Committee.

Rep. Joe Barton voted Not Voting......send e-mail or see bio

FISA Amendments Act of 2007 - Vote Rejected (48-45, 7 Not Voting)

The Senate failed to get the 60 votes needed to end debate on this intelligence surveillance bill.

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison voted NO......send e-mail or see bio
Sen. John Cornyn voted NO......send e-mail or see bio

Recent House Votes
Recovery Rebates and Economic Stimulus for the American People Act of 2008 - Vote Passed (385-35, 1 Present, 10 Not Voting)

The bipartisan economic stimulus package passed the House last week with overwhelming support.

Rep. Joe Barton voted YES......send e-mail or see bio

If Congressman Joe Barton, R-Ennis, voted for the new federal gun control law that the compromised NRA backed, he should resign from office and come back home.

If what I'm reading and hearing is correct, this law would prohibit military veterans who are termed mentally unstable (by physicians) from owning firearms.

Where are the "We Support Our Troops" on this one?

Joe Barton, if you voiced your Yay on the House floor last week on HB 2640, you've just earned a primary opponent in 2010.

UPDATED: It appears Barton did in fact vote with the majority in approving this bill.

Other than that, here's the latest voting record from Congress.org:

National Defense Authorization Act, FY2008 - Vote Passed (91-3, 6 Not Voting)

The Senate approved a modified version of the defense authorization bill, which addressed concerns that caused President Bush to unexpectedly veto the original bill last month.

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison voted YES......send e-mail or see bio
Sen. John Cornyn voted YES......send e-mail or see bio

Recent House Votes
Veto Override on Children’s Health Insurance Program Extension and Improvement - Vote Failed (260-152, 19 Not Voting)

The House fell 15 votes short of the two-thirds majority needed to override President Bush’s veto of this bill reauthorizing and expanding the Children’s Health Insurance Program.

Rep. Joe Barton voted NO......send e-mail or see bio

Upcoming Votes
FISA Amendments Act of 2007 - S.2248

The Senate is scheduled to vote on this intelligence surveillance bill.

Economic Stimulus Package - H.R.____

The House will vote on this economic stimulus bill early in the week.

S-MINER Act - Vote Passed (214-199, 17 Not Voting)

The House passed the S-MINER Act in an attempt to improve mine safety standards.

Rep. Joe Barton voted NO......send e-mail or see bio

National Defense Authorization Act, FY2008 - Vote Passed (369-46, 15 Not Voting)

On Wednesday the House approved a modified version of the defense authorization bill, which addressed concerns that caused the President to unexpectedly veto the original bill last month.

Rep. Joe Barton voted YES......send e-mail or see bio

HOPE VI Improvement and Reauthorization Act - Vote Passed (271-130, 29 Not Voting)

The House passed this bill to reauthorize the HOPE VI grant program that revitalizes severely distressed public housing.

Rep. Joe Barton voted NO......send e-mail or see bio

Barton has voted for the pay raise numerous times before, but at $169,300 - for a congressman who's just now getting conservative voting records (consistently) - that is just simply too much.

Source: Voice of the Taxpayer, a project of my friends working at the Americans For Prosperity-Texas chapter.

I'm not making this up. But Barton, who voted for the Great Society-esque Medicare prescription drug benefit when the Republicans had every branch of government, should take a cue and quickly sponsor legislation abolishing the EEOC, which has absolutely no Constitutional authority to even exist, let alone throw out "regulations."

Recent Senate Votes
Consolidated Appropriations, FY2008 - Vote Agreed to (76-17, 1 Present, 6 Not Voting)

The Senate passed H.R. 2764, a 2008 fiscal year omnibus appropriations bill that provides additional war funding.

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison voted YES......send e-mail or see bio
Sen. John Cornyn voted YES......send e-mail or see bio

Recent House Votes
CLEAN Energy Act of 2007 - Vote Passed (314-100, 19 Not Voting)

The House passed this comprehensive energy bill that will raise the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards to 35 miles per gallon by 2020.

Rep. Joe Barton voted NO......send e-mail or see bio

Terrorism Risk Insurance Revision and Extension Act - Vote Passed (360-53, 19 Not Voting)

The House passed this bill that would help the insurance industry cover costs in the event of a terrorist attack.

Rep. Joe Barton voted NO......send e-mail or see bio

Temporary Tax Relief Act of 2007 - Vote Passed (352-64, 17 Not Voting)

The House voted in favor of this bill to fix the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) for one year, sending it to the President for his approval.

Rep. Joe Barton voted YES......send e-mail or see bio

SCHIP Extension Act - Vote Passed (411-3, 18 Not Voting)

The House passed this bill on Wednesday to extend funding of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) in its current form until March 2009.

Rep. Joe Barton voted YES......send e-mail or see bio

Consolidated Appropriations, FY2008 - Vote Passed (272-142, 18 Not Voting)

The House gave final approval to this $555 billion, 2008 fiscal year omnibus appropriations bill that includes a Senate provision providing additional war funding.

Rep. Joe Barton voted YES......send e-mail or see bio

Recent House Votes
Terrorism Risk Insurance Program Reauthorization Act - Vote Passed (303-116, 12 Not Voting)

The House passed this bill that would help the insurance industry cover costs in the event of a terrorist attack, after making slight revisions to the Senate version that passed last month.

Rep. Joe Barton voted NO......send e-mail or see bio

National Defense Authorization Act, FY2008 - Vote Passed (370-49, 12 Not Voting)

The House passed this bill to authorize defense appropriations.

Rep. Joe Barton voted YES......send e-mail or see bio

AMT Relief Act - Vote Passed (226-193, 13 Not Voting)

The House passed this measure to patch the alternative minimum tax that would be financed by a pay-as-you-go plan.

Rep. Joe Barton voted NO......send e-mail or see bio

Intelligence Authorization Act, FY2008 - Vote Passed (222-199, 10 Not Voting)

This bill authorizing intelligence spending would also ban waterboarding, mock executions, and other severe methods of interrogation.

Rep. Joe Barton voted NO......send e-mail or see bio

Making further continuing appropriations for FY2008 - Vote Passed (385-27, 21 Not Voting)

On Thursday the House passed this continuing resolution to fund government programs through Friday, December 21.

Rep. Joe Barton voted YES......send e-mail or see bio

I've praised our congressman since the Dems took control last year for having such a conservative voting record, but privacy is the last thing Barton should be concerned about with large companies. Why? Because of all the legislation that has passed Barton's desk, nothing comes close to privacy-shredding than the anti-Constitutional  USA PATRIOT Act.

Barton voted for the PATRIOT Act. And he is a steadfast supporter of it.

So Joe, practice what you preach. It's hilarious that Barton chairs a privacy caucus. If Barton wants to gain any credibility on the privacy issue, he needs to recant his votes for the PATRIOT Act authorization and reauthorization.

I'm not sure to the validity of this rumor, but I doubt Bush would take on Barton in a primary. If Bush is like his dad (Jeb), that's good. If he's anything like his uncle (W.), then I'd much rather take Chad Adams.

Barton, whose Congressional District 6 covers all of Ellis County, large chunks of Tarrant and counties to the south that aren't very important (kidding!), has become highly conservative since last November when the GOP lost control of everything (including their spending habits).

I have not been a big fan of Barton in the past (I tried running against him in 2005), but I've praised his votes since the Democrats took control. He's voting like a Reagan and not a like Bush. And that's a good thing.

Barring any Ron Paul-type of primary challenger, I fully expect to support Congressman Barton.

Though no Democrat has announced, there's an independent running against him. Expect a Libertarian to file for the race too.