Attorney General Abbott claims credit for activities not his own, in press and other public statements, including his website. Contrast the Attorney General claims below with the unequivocal, defined scope-of-responsibilities statement from his former employee, Ted Cruz. "As solicitor general of Texas from 2003 to 2008, Ted Cruz says he moved from 'one enormous litigation to another to another.' Leading a team of 15 appellate attorneys, Cruz supervised every civil and criminal appeal in state and federal court on behalf of Texas, its agencies and its officials." (Texas Lawyer September 28, 2009 vol 25 no 26 p. 5).

Attorney General Abbott claims credit for the Washington, D.C. handgun ban case

"Last year, Attorney General Abbott helped lead a nationwide effort to strike down the Washington, D.C. handgun ban, which was ruled unconstitutional by the United States Supreme Court."  (Excerpt from Attorney General Abbott's press release announcing his filing for re-election, December 22, 2009).

"On behalf of 31 states, Attorney General Abbott helped champion the defense of citizens' right to keep and bear arms before the United States Supreme Court." (Excerpt from Attorney General Abbott's campaign website as of January 5, 2010).

Attorney General Abbott claims credit for the Pledge of Allegiance cases

"When a Dallas couple filed lawsuits that sought to prevent Texas children from observing a moment of silence or saying the Texas Pledge of Allegiance before class each morning, the Attorney General defended both childhood rites in court. He also led a national fight to defend the United States Pledge of Allegiance."(Excerpt from Attorney General Abbott's press release announcing his filing for re-election, December 22, 2009).

Attorney General Abbott claims credit for the Ten Commandments case

"Under his leadership, the Office of the Attorney General successfully defended the constitutionality of the Ten Commandments displayed on the Texas Capitol grounds all the way to the United States Supreme Court." (Excerpt from Attorney General Abbott's campaign website as of January 5, 2010). 

The man who once bore the lofty title "Solicitor General" boldly and proudly claims credit for the work the Attorney General now claims as his own. Ted Cruz, the former Solicitor General and still-declared hopeful to be the Republican nominee for Attorney General for later in 2010, is also claiming credit for wedge issue case leadership on his campaign website and in other very public forums.

Ted Cruz claims credit for the Washington, D.C. handgun ban case

"successfully defended for 31 States the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms, winning in a 5-4 landmark decision before the U.S. Supreme Court;" (Excerpt from Ted Cruz's Attorney General campaign website as of January 5, 2010)

Ted Cruz claims credit for the Texas Pledge of Allegiance case

"successfully defended the Texas pledge of allegiance in federal district court;" (Excerpt from Ted Cruz's Attorney General campaign website as of January 5, 2010)

Ted Cruz claims credit for Ten Commandments case

"successfully defended the constitutionality of the Texas Ten Commandments monument, winning in a 5-4 landmark decision before the U.S. Supreme Court;" (Excerpt from Ted Cruz's Attorney General campaign website as of January 5, 2010)

"Cruz believes one of his most significant cases was 2005's U.S. Supreme Court opinion in Van Orden v. Perry.  At issue was whether a 6-foot-high monolith inscribed with the Ten Commandments and located on government property since 1961 was unlawful under the First Amendment as an establishment of religion."  (Excerpts from Texas Lawyer, September 28, 2009).

How can we believe the incumbent Attorney General who appears as a figurehead in the face of clear, published statements from an employee who bears no ill will to his former boss, and is by all accounts grateful to have had a job to which the Attorney General delegated virtually all litigation and related power?

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During her 30 year legal career, Barbara Ann Radnofsky, Democratic candidate for Texas Attorney General, has represented retirees, life-saving doctors, blood banks, children burned by lighters, families of murder victims, unfairly treated businesses: a wide variety of persons entitled to protection. Barbara Ann graduated with honors from the University of Houston and the University Of Texas School of Law.   She was honored as the Outstanding Young Lawyer of Texas in 1988 and for the past 17 years she has been listed in, "Best Lawyers in America".

Prior to 2006, she was a partner at the law firm of Vinson & Elkins in Houston, where she served as head of the Alternate Dispute Resolution Section.  She was the first woman at Vinson & Elkins to have children as an associate and later attain partnership.  Texas has never had a woman Attorney General. 

Media Contact
Katie Floyd
713-357-3360
katie.floyd@radnofsky.com