By Ronnie Lewis
The “Catfish and Candidates” was another successful event. Shout out to Big Daddy’s for hosting. The voters were fired up and ready to take action and get involved to help County Chair candidate Donna Kelm win this election.
Unfortunately, we had Crow Cabal protesters crash our meet and greet. I swear they’ve stolen the Democrat’s playbook. Denise Swanner’s husband showed up in an enormous style military truck plastered with their campaign signs. And then proceeded to stand in front of the door of Big Daddy’s. Clearly trying to intimidate voters and candidates. Shortly afterwards, Kris Crow, and precinct chair candidates Jeff Russell, Brandon Pugh and Jaime Mendoza barged into the campaign celebration. Myself, along with a few voters confronted Crow, while others were left a bit shaken by their presence.
Unfortunately my nine year old daughter was right there when the chaos erupted. Voters saw the true Crow Cabal in action. Voters witnessed exactly what I’ve been writing about for a year. They bully anyone and everyone that doesn’t agree with them. It was a total classless act. These people should not be representing Odessa or Ector County in any form or fashion. Crow and Russell respectfully are President and Vice President of the Odessa Development Corporation Board. Embarrassing, they stooped so low! And Thursday night Jamie Tisdale owner of the Odessa Accountability Facebook page and Pickles Restaurant posted a fake screenshot of a text exchange that dishonestly indicated that I invited Kris Crow to the event. A flat out lie, Kris Crow has agreed that Jamie Tisdale is being totally dishonest and has agreed to have it taken down. We’ll see. It’s the nasty lies from the Casey Gray/Landgraf campaign all over again. Don’t trust anything you see or read on Odessa’s Accountability Project.
You just don’t show up to a campaign event in a military truck that’s covered with the oppositions campaign signs if you aren’t there to intimidate and protest. Agree? Was this a scare tactic they learned in their extensive 2 day training?
Odessa Headlines, a Facebook page ran by Jeff Russell, tried to get ahead of news regarding a two day training requirement of all ECRP board members. Jeff Russell did his best to spin the training stating it was “security training to recognize and identify potential terror threats in the Permian Basin”. JP candidate Jennifer Woodall posted, “ I attended this meeting and it was incredibly eye opening”. I’m sure it was Jennifer. But folks this training was about using fake profiles and going after their opposition. Keep in mind Jennifer Woodall is running for JP, she wants to wear a judges robe yet she studies how to use fake profiles and how to spy on opponents. During training, the ECRP came up with a “enemy list”. I was told I was on the list along with Brooks Landgraf and Kirk Edwards. Do they think Brooks, Kirk and I are involved in some kind of terror plot. It’s laughable. They got caught learning how to attack their opposition and are attempting to spin their way out. Apparently, one person involved in this training was asked to speak up about the 2 day training and tell the truth, he replied, he was “afraid for his safety” Whoa! Guys, this kind of intimidation and bullying has no place in Ector County. Fortunately Richard Pierce the only elected precinct chair, came forward and shined a light on this “training”.
Kris Crow has a letter this week trying to deny their slanderous attacks in the 2022 election against Brooks Landgraf. But facts are facts. Precinct Chair 208 Dick Saulsbury funded Casey Gray’s campaign. Casey Gray headquartered out of an office space owned by ECRP treasurer and appointed 312 precinct chair and now candidate Jeff Russell. Precinct chair 110 Tim Harry actively campaigned and fundraised for his “good buddy” Casey Gray. Tisha Crow sent out two press releases demanding Landgraf come and answer to her and her executive board. Clearly harassing the candidate during early voting while he was busy campaigning across District 81. Surely this all can’t be just a coincidence. Crow also states repeatedly that they have gotten Republicans elected in offices throughout the City and the County, but the reality is those are his Republicans that carry water for Crow, Russel and Mayor Joven. And they get elected by bullying and demeaning other Republicans. At the Big Daddy’s event I told Crow that “I would vote for a Martian over another Crow endorsed local candidate”.
So, just this week, the ECRP crashed our campaign event, denied attacking Landgraf, and got caught participating in a 2 day training session on using fake profiles and attacking your opponents…including Brooks Landgraf. What a week!
But hold on guys, they are desperate. No telling what they will pull in the days and weeks leading up to Election Day on March 5th. Continue following Ector County Politics on Facebook. And since the incident at Big Daddy’s we have been overwhelmed with interest about the next campaign event. See you at La Margarita on February 12th. Don’t miss it!
Ronnie Lewis is a longtime Odessa businessman and founder of Dos Amigos.
