An Open Letter To The Citizens Of Midland                                                      April 21, 2008

Dear Citizens of Midland,

It is with sadness that today I resign from the Midland City Council. I am deeply honored to have served my community in such a profound way. Please accept my heartfelt gratitude for this opportunity.

I am compelled to resign in response to actions taken by the leaders of the Republican Party of Texas, actions that I consider contrary to the basic nature of democracy. Their efforts to remove me from the ballot as a candidate for the Texas House of Representatives should cause deep concern for every citizen who values our freedom of choice. We all have a duty to protect our freedoms, and so it is my duty to resign.

When I made the decision to run for the Texas House of Representatives, there was a question about whether I had to resign from the City Council because of the state’s rule against overlapping terms for different offices. According to my legal advice, a 1996 federal decision by the late Judge Lucius Bunton of Midland allowed me to continue serving on the council while campaigning for a place in the Texas Legislature.

I made this decision not to gain some unfair advantage, but to continue to honor my commitment to the people of Midland.

However, the Republican Party of Texas filed a last-minute challenge to my candidacy. In response, the Texas Democratic Party went to federal court asking for clarification of Judge Bunton’s order. Last week, Judge Walter Smith said Judge Bunton’s opinion did not override the Texas resignation rules for current council members such as myself who wish to run for the Texas legislature.

I do not take this decision to resign lightly. This is a painful step for my family and me. But only by resigning now will I have a chance to be on the ballot in November and provide the people of District 82 with a choice. I hope that even those among you who currently support my opponent will honor my intentions and respect this decision.

And so I thank you, good citizens of Midland, for the honor of serving as your City Councilman. God willing, I will serve you again.

      Sincerely,