November 3, 2005
Goodbye Earle
By Salena Zito

Ronnie Earle, the district attorney from Travis County in Texas, finally has made his strongest case for removing a political operative from office -- himself.

Yep, time to go, Ronnie.

Mr. Earle's brand of political prosecution makes you want to sing "Goodbye Earl," the Dixie Chicks' tune about abusive men.

It's easy to dislike Earle's latest target for judicial mayhem. Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay never hides his swagger or his cowboy leadership style. Vocal, tough and unafraid of a fight, DeLay's stick-to-itiveness grates many.

But Earle's long-in-the-tooth investigation of Mr. DeLay is not just a grudge of biblical proportions; it is a case of a self-serving ideologue masquerading as prosecutor.

Earle claims partisanship plays no role in his prosecutions. And his record gives the illusion of a principled prosecutor -- he's hauled 12 Democrats before grand juries to three Republicans.

But that's a bit misleading. At least two Democrats he dragged before grand juries were political thorns in the side of his ally, former Texas Gov. Ann Richards.

And his charges against Texas Treasurer Warren Harding cleared a path for Richards to win that springboard post. Ditto for state Attorney General Jim Mattox, who previously faced Richards in a bitter gubernatorial primary; Mattox, however, was acquitted and won re-election.

And, oh, don't forget Earle's self-inflicted misdemeanor charge against himself for untimely campaign-finance reporting.

Yet none of these chess moves has rooted Earle to the bosom of Texas Democrats. Mention his name around state party leaders and many cringe.

Lone Star State Democrats traditionally are a conservative lot, while Earle is a throwback to the crunchy 1960s liberal mentality that plays poorly statewide.

What possesses a district attorney to employ a documentary film crew to shadow his every move for a score of months as Earle did? A memo from Michael Moore? Why go Hollywood unless you have propaganda to spew?

Earle is turning his prosecutorial legacy into a mockumentary.

There is a compelling list of reasons for Earle's tenure to end. It goes beyond his sniffing after DeLay -- or his neatly packaged attacks on officials of his own party -- to the heart of his intent.

Earle has created "Mini-Me" versions of his activism by fueling his children's careers as elected officials.

Daughter Elizabeth is a Travis County judge and his heir apparent.

Son Jason is gearing up to run as a state legislator, a position Earle himself briefly held.

The Earle birthright continues.

What Ronnie Earle apparently fails to see is that he has become what he claims to despise -- an empire of self-interest. Going after DeLay put him on the national radar screen. It should also put him under the microscope of Travis County voters. Does Ronnie Earle serve them well? Or does he serve only Ronnie Earle?

Spend less than five minutes watching his documentary and the answer is plain: Ronnie's peculiar activism and misuse of the media is an all-about-me crusade.

Salena Zito, a political consultant who has worked for Democrats and Republicans, lives in Mt. Lebanon, PA.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/Commentary/com-11_3_05_SZ.html