Letters – Dennis Bonnen, Ken Paxton, Attorney Steven Menashi, Doctors, Abortion, Cintra

If students had seen thisRe: "Former House speaker attacked in secret meeting — People who have heard tape say Straus, keeping GOP majority in 2020 were among topics," Tuesday news story.Regarding the alleged private meeting among Michael Quinn Sullivan of Empower Texans, Rep. Dustin Burrows and Texas House Speaker Dennis Bonnen, does anyone else see the irony in Bonnen stepping out of the meeting room to talk with visitors from Boys State, a program for high school students who were there to teach them how to operate local, county and state governments? Seems that it would have made more sense to have had the young men step into the private meeting room to learn how government really works.Claude E. Caffee, Honey GroveWhere are the Texas Rangers?Re: "Panel asks Texas Rangers to investigate meeting — Lawmakers seek report about Sullivan, Bonnen allegations," Aug. 13 news story.The Texas Rangers are a group I had always admired to the point of almost trying to find a pedestal to put them on. But now I'm wondering why they are spending their time investigating House Speaker Dennis Bonnen but have not investigated Attorney General Ken Paxton. Is this undue influence by those far right groups like Empower Texans? Paxton was indicted by a grand jury in 2015. I'm sure he's afraid he'll be convicted if he ever has to go before a jury of peers and that's why he is costing Collin County taxpayers many thousands of dollars in legal fees as he's trying to squirm his way out of facing a jury. I used to feel sorry for those Collin County residents having to pay all that money until they kept reelecting him. And then also elected his wife whose sole purpose was to pass a bill that would protect her husband. Thankfully that didn't work. Now I only feel sorry for the ones who did not vote for him. Those who did have pretty much gotten what they asked for.Beverly Rigsby, RichardsonComparing the oddsRe: "Guyger makes court appearance — Jury selection in Botham Jean murder trial due to begin Sept. 6," Tuesday Metro & Business story.The odds that Amber Guyger, former Dallas police officer, will get a fair trial in Dallas County are exactly the same as my odds of winning top prize in the Publisher's Clearing House.Howard Logan Casada, DuncanvilleKeep bias out of courtsI urge Sen. John Cornyn and Sen. Ted Cruz to vote no on Steven Menashi nominated by President Donald Trump for the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. In my opinion, Menashi's views on ethnocentricity and democracy are repugnant and inconsistent with America's core values.As a descendant of Irish and Italian immigrants who were once cast as "the invaders coming to destroy our country," I firmly reject Trump's institutionalizing racism and ethnocentrism into the federal court system as abhorrent and unacceptable. Justice is blind when when those who steward the justice system are self-aware and disciplined with respect to checking their biases. Menashi is not that kind of person. He must not get confirmed.Steven Hurley, DentonExamine child's doctorsRe: "Mother says she made up illnesses — She pleads guilty to 8 years of son's unneeded treatment, surgeries," Sunday Metro & State story.Nowhere in the article did it mention any law enforcement groups bringing charges against the doctors who performed the surgeries. Thirteen major surgeries and no red flags? Where was the oversight? It took until 2015 for a medical professional to notice signs of medical child abuse. This case should not be closed with just the mother going to prison. As usual, follow the money.Red Benson, WylieOf course it's politicalRe: "A moral and medical issue," by John F. Boyle Jr., Tuesday Letters.Boyle is frustrated that abortion is a political issue. Pointing his finger he writes, "The Catholic Church is responsible for the politicizing of abortion." "Politicizing," according to dictionary.com, means to make someone politically aware, especially by persuading them of the truth of views considered radical. Let's break that down. We have abortion. Abortion ends a human life. That is true and that is radical. The church teaches us that ending another person's life is wrong. So if the Catholic Church is making people aware that abortion kills a unique and whole human being and that there are some politicians who are OK with that, I say well done Catholic church!Tish Grijalva, CoppellMatters of life and deathShockingly, one of Tuesday's letters suggests that churches should stay out of the abortion issue. Along that line of reasoning then, the church should also stay out of such moral issues as capital punishment, sex trafficking, pornography, reform of the justice system and more. Life and death is the reason the church exists. Just have a look at a crucifix.Pam Meyercord, DallasBuilding America's roadsRe: "How Texas helps firms like Fluor — Company finds success building infrastructure in D-FW," by Mitchell Schnurman, Aug. 13 Metro & Business column.The column is correct in that TxDOT approaches private firms as partners. Clearly, Texas needs every tool to address traffic congestion. However, in mentioning Cintra, you fail to accurately represent our work and the enormous contributions our partnerships deliver. Thanks to Cintra-led managed lanes projects, Texas has realized some $7 billion in new Metroplex roads with the LBJ Express and North Tarrant Express networks. Highways that were once parking lots are expediting more than 1 million trips daily. Through public-private partnerships in Texas alone, Cintra has helped create more than $8 billion in new congestion-alleviating roadways that likely would not exist otherwise, putting more than 2,000 Texas firms to work and saving taxpayers billions — because unlike traditional projects, we pay for the majority of work ourselves. Other states are embracing this model. Maryland leadership is calling for $10 billion in private development and Cintra is helping to create a $3 billion project in Virginia — at no cost to taxpayers. At a time when Texas has unfunded roadways, it needs many great partners, including those who invest their own money to keep the state moving.Patrick Rhode, Austin, U.S. vice president, Corporate Affairs, Cintra  Continue reading...