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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 2, 1992)
M Page 2 The Battalion Monday, November 2,1992 District court judge faces challenger for first time Contest for incumbent's seat only one he's seen in 2 terms By MELODY DUNNE Assistant City Editor of THE BATTALION After two terms on the bench. Democrat John De laney is facing his first contested election for judge of the 272nd District Court. Bryan attorney John Hawtrey is running as a Re- B ublican against Delaney in the November election. •elaney said he hopes voters will look at his record instead of his political party. About one-third of the voters on the A&M campus voted straight-ticket in the last election. Delaney said straight-ticket voters show poor judgment. "I think all of them are making a mistake," De laney said. "They could crush some of us. A vote is just too precious to waste or to cast in the blind." The best way to decide on a candidate is to look at their past record, Delaney said. "Hopefully voters are informed on all the races," he said. "I'm confident if they study the record, they will choose the right person." Delaney said he enjoys his job — especially helping people es cape the stress linked to court cas es. "Unresolved conflicts create re curring pain," he said. "The faster the case is over, the faster the people can get on with their lives." During his eight years on the bench, Delaney said he intro- Delaney duced a computer-assisted case management system and tele phone hearings, innovations that reduced the civil case backlog by more than half. "Lawyers from Houston, Austin, Dallas and other places can opt for a telephone hearing to save time and money," he said. Delaney has also used a tape recorder in place of a court reporter, which he said saves Brazos County about $31,000 a year, speeds up appeals and reduces the risk of trial reversals due to incomplete trial records. Republican candidate hopes to take 272nd District Court race from Democratic rival By TANYA SASSER Staff Writer of THE BATTAUON Republican lawyer John Hawtrey will oppose two-term Democratic incumbent John De laney, who has never had a chal lenger, for the 272nd District Court bench position Tuesday. Hawtrey said he decided to run against Delaney because the two lawyers hold different views on a number of issues. "I decided to run against Judge Delaney because I didn't agree with his judicial philosophy," he said. "He's what we judges call a 'judicial activist'. He tries to do innovative procedures that I don't much care for." Hawtrey said he favors tradi tion in the courtroom. As judge, he said he would administer the law as it exists, not change it. Hawtrey said he opposes some of the progressive tech niques that Delaney has imple mented in his courtroom. "Those of us who administer the system shouldn't experiment with it," he said. "We shouldn't be making our own rules. We should be the first ones to follow the rules." Hawtrey said the issues of budget spending and what the average number of appellate trials in a given period of time should be are the main issues on which the two candidates have "locked horns." Hawtrey said he thinks De laney had a high number of appeals in his trial court in the past fi ve-and-one half years. "We have other differ ences but we've ex hausted most of those differ ences in previous debates," he said. "Those are the two that are still up in the air." Hawtrey has tried cases in about one-third of the state's counties and in all of the state's federal districts, he said. Hawtrey said he has a wide variety of trial experience includ ing the honor of appearing before the United States Supreme Court. Hawtrey Low-profile post in limelight Race for railroad commissioner receives extra attention By TODD STONE Reporter of THE BATTAUON The race for Texas Railroad Commissioner, normally a low- profile office, has put the Republi can and Democratic candidates in the media spotlight. Democratic candidate Lena Guerrero has intensified claims that her Republican opponent, Barry Williamson, would misuse the position to enhance his fami ly's business interests while Williamson has called Guerrero's personal integrity into question. Past elections for the commis sion have generated little public interest, but that changed when it was revealed in early September that Guerrero had falsely claimed to be an honors graduate from the University of Texas in Austin. Guerrero was the first Hispanic woman to hold a statewide office when she was appointed to the commission by Gov. Ann Richards in 1990. She resigned from the commission Sept. 24, but chose to remain in the race. "I believe I am the best candi date for the job," Guerrero said. "I believe I have the best record. If anybody thought that I earned something that I didn't deserve, then I gave you your seat back and decided to go out and earn it on my own." The Williamson campaign has continued to attack Guerrero's character with political advertise ments showing Guerrero at a Texas A&M commencement last summer in which she recalled her own commencement — even though she never graduated. Guerrero said Williamson at tacked her character because she has a strong public record. "They (Republicans) had to search 12 years to find something on Lena Guerrero. They had to go back 20 years to find something on Bill Clinton," she said. "They don't want to talk about the kind of things we've been doing. They don't want to talk about the Bill Clinton record as governor. "It's the same for me." Williamson, former director of the U.S. Minerals Management Service, said his experience as an independent oilman makes him the most qualified of the two can didates. "My opponent has no oil and gas experience," he said. "She's indicated that she has no experi ence. In the last 18 months she has been on the commission, we've lost 18,000 jobs, and she's studying. "Well, when it comes to the Railroad Commission, school's out - study hall is over." Guerrero said the extensive en ergy holdings of Williamson's wife and father-in-law, Bobby Hold of Midland, place See Railroad/Page 4 Helping Hand Officer Mann of the Texas A&M University Police Department assists Sean Pritchett, freshman general studies student from Louisville, on Sunday. Pritchett locked his keys in his car while unloading it near the quad. Monday (the HI \ The FA l Wc fV'l f£n ^ u Cl: Delta Sigma Pi and Sigma Iota Epsilon present Patrick O’Dooley (A motivational speaker) "5 1/2 Ways to Motivate Yourself in the Real World" November 2, 1992 510 Rudder 8:30 p.m. Professional Attire Open to anyone who wants to be motivated!! The Battalion ATLANTIS TILLMAN, Editor in Chief STEVE O’BRIEN, Managing Editor JASON LOUGHMAN, Opinion Editor GARY CARROLL, City Editor MEREDITH HARRISON, News Editor J. DOUGLAS FOSTER, Sports HEIDI SAUER, News Editor Editor TODD BLACKMON, Arts & Entertainment CHRIS WHITLEY, Sports Editor Editor RICHARD S. JAMES, Photo Editor Staff Members Reporters — Melody Dunne, Mark Evans, Todd Stone, Brandi Jordan, Cheryl Heller, Tanya Sasser, Robin Goodpaster, Juli Phillips, Tanya Williams, Julie Chelkowski, Mack Harrison and Will Healy. News desk — Kyle Burnett, Tracia Newbold, Jennifer Mentlik, David Thomas, Lance Holmes, Lauri Reysa and Jennifer Smith. Photographers — Darrin Hill, Randy Nichols, Sandra Alvarado, Billy Moran, Jennifer Lockard, Ricardo S. Garcia, Karl Stolleis and Robert Reed. Lifestyles writers — Susan Owen, Anas Ben-Musa, Tricia Martinez and Julie Polston. Sports writers— K. Lee Davis, Michael Plumer, Don Norwood and Ruly Medrano. Columnists — Anthony LoBaido, Stacy Feducia, Dwayne Purvis, Shawn Ralston, Matt Dickerson, Robert Vasquez and Toni Garrard. Cartoonists — William Harrison, Thomas Deeney, George Nasr and Clay Welch. Clerks — Darra Dees, Pejcharat Harvey, Shelley Rowton and Carrie Miura. The Battalion (USPS 045-360) is published daily, Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semesters and Monday through Thursday during the summer session (except University holidays and exam periods), at Texas A&M University. Second class postage paid at College Station, TX 77840. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Battalion, 230 Reed McDonald Building, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843. News: The Battalion news department is managed by students at Texas A&M University in the Division of Student Publications, a unit of the Department of Journalism. Editorial offices are in 013 Reed McDonald Building. Newsroom phone number is 845-3316. Fax: 845-2647. Opinions expressed in The Battalion are those of the Opinion Page staff or the contributor and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the Texas A&M Battalion editors, student body, administration, faculty or staff. Advertising: For campus, local and national display advertising, call 845-2696. For classified advertising, call 845-0569. Advertising offices are in 015 Reed McDonald and office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Fax: 845-5408. Subscriptions: Mail subscriptions are $20 per semester, $40 per school year and $50 per full year. To charge by VISA or MasterCard, call 845-2611. Hey Ags! Get involved in Aggie Athletics by joining the 12th Man Foundation's Student Membership and attending our next Fall meeting. SPEAKER :Lynn Hickey Associate Athletic Director/Women Women's Basketball Coach WHEN: MONDAY, NOV. 2 7-8:15 PM PLACE: Room 110 Student Services Building (Parking garage across from M.S.C.) Aggie Ring Orders Orders are being taken on the 2nd floor of the CLAYTON W. WILLIAMS JR. ALUMNI CENTER for March'93 deflvery. You must come to the Ring Office na later than Wednesday, November 11, 1992 to fill out the form for an audit of your transcript. (It is suggested that you do this as soon as possible, In the event a problem exists.) At that time you will be given a date to return to check on your status, since one-two days are required for processing the audit before you may order and pay for your ring. Undergraduate ReqiUreirmita may place an order if: 1. 30 credit hours were completed in residence at A&M prior to Fall ’92, if you were a transfer student (Hours in progress aren't completed.)_ 2. 95 total credit hours are completed/will be completed at the end of this semester. (Should you be including enrolled hours for the Fall '92 semester, only hours in progress at A&M may be counted.) 3. You have a 2.000 cumulative grade point average at A&M. 4. Your transcript doesn't have any blocks for past due fees, loans, parking tickets, etc. Graduate Stlldsill Kgquirgmeata may place an order if: 1. You are a December '92 degree candidate. (Your order will be accepted contingent upon your December '92 degree being conferred.) 2. Your transcript doesn't have any blocks for past due fees, loans, parking tickets, etc. The full amount is paid in cash or by check when ordering. 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