By Jennifer Bendery, GalleryWatch.com
Austin, TX –
Enduring 100-degree heat in her assault on Gov. Rick Perry's "misplaced priorities," Republican gubernatorial candidate Carole Keeton Strayhorn today touted her "One Tough Grandma" campaign slogan in announcing that her administration will push for strict mandatory sentencing for violent sexual offenders.
The announcement comes on the eve of Florida's implementation of "Jessica's Law," which mandates life in prison or a split sentence of a minimum 25-year sentence and lifetime satellite monitoring for serious crimes committed by first-time sexual predators.
"For five years, Gov. Perry has done absolutely nothing to impose tougher penalties on the most heinous violent criminals: those who sexually assault our children," she said. "One heinous crime violating one precious child is one too many. Texans won't stand for it; I won't stand for it."
Currently, Texas judges and juries have sentencing guidelines that range from two to 10 years in prison without mandatory monitoring for criminals convicted of a sex crime with a child. Only one crime, murder with sexual assault, carries a mandatory minimum life sentence or death penalty in Texas.
As governor, Strayhorn said she will propose legislation that mandates life sentences without parole or a minimum of 25 years in prison with lifetime global positioning satellite (GPS) monitoring for first-time violent sexual offenders. Her legislation would eliminate all discretion in sentencing, monitor all registered sex offenders, require semiannual address verification of registered sex offenders and hold accountable people who harbor convicted sex offenders not complying with the law.
"I asked the governor to allow legislators to impose these tougher penalties during this pointless special sessions and he refused," said Strayhorn. "My administration will act, not grandstand. Not one child should suffer because of this governor's misplaced priorities and failed leadership."
She pointed out that Perry allowed legislators to debate telecommunications reform and renewable energy on July 12, during the special session, but "did nothing to protect our most precious resource: our children." That same day, Perry appeared on national television and said he would consider being tougher on crime "when the legislature comes back in," but never did, said Strayhorn. "Gov. Perry's priorities may be special interest legislation," she said. "My priority is protecting the children of Texas."
Strayhorn said she is "shocked" that Texas, with a population of 22 million, has convicted only 51 violent sexual predators currently monitored for life. By comparison, Florida has a population of 17 million and 450 monitored violent sexual predators, she said. North Dakota has a population of 642,000 and 58 monitored violent sexual predators.
"The governor obviously is content to sit by and let a Jessica Lunsford tragedy hit a Texas family," said Strayhorn, noting that Perry has $380 million in his slush fund that could be used to monitor the 43,000 sex offenders currently living in Texas. Instead, the governor has been using the fund for "doling out to his close friends," she said.
Asked if it was fair to blame Perry for not being tough enough on crime since at least one senator pledged during the session to block bills that added more people to the state's overcrowded prison system, Strayhorn replied, "Hogwash." She reminded that Perry dedicated $50 million from his slush fund "to study mice."