Gov. Perry talks to Republicans about eliminating gangs on border
By Brandi Grissom / Austin Bureau
Article Launched: 06/12/2008 03:38:50 PM MDT


HOUSTON -- Gov. Rick Perry will press for a comprehensive strategy to eliminate gangs, including those that do the dirty work of Mexican cartels, during the legislative session next year, he said Thursday to thousands of Republicans.
"The time has come to stop these murderous thugs in their tracks," Perry said.

Perry told more than 12,000 Republicans, including about 30 El Pasoans, at the party's three-day state convention that Mexican cartels are turning to gangs in the U.S. to peddle drugs and commit other crimes in Texas.

State leaders including Perry, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and House Speaker Tom Craddick spoke at the convention, where the main theme was a call for Republicans to unite behind presumptive presidential nominee John McCain.

Although, some of those calls were greeted with boos from a contingent of U.S. Rep. Ron Paul supporters.

Before telling the crowd to support McCain, Perry discussed issues including taxes, spending, voter identification and border security.

Perry said the $110 million legislators approved last year for border security operations has helped reduce border crime.

But, he said, the crackdown has pushed Mexican cartels to rely more on Texas-based gangs like the Texas Syndicate, Mexican Mafia and MS-13, "vicious criminals that are regularly engaging in murder, kidnapping, extortion, child pornography and selling illicit drugs."

Perry said he wants lawmakers to approve a comprehensive plan to eradicate those gangs.
"The drug cartels and their minions might be winning battles and killing hundreds on the other side of the border, but, in Texas, they're going to lose the battle, they're going to lose the war," he said.
Dewhurst and Craddick also called for a renewed focus on border security during the 2009 legislative session.

"I am just as concerned about the dangerous illegal drug trafficking that's killing Americans and the increasing gang activity in virtually every city in the state," Dewhurst said.

Republicans must also win another battle, state leaders said, referring to the November general election.

McCain was not the first presidential choice for many conservative Texas Republicans. In fact, Perry's first choice was former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

But Perry said Republicans must put aside their divisions and unite for McCain and against Democrats.

"We can disagree with one another and still link arms against the forces of the liberal left," he said.

El Paso County Republican Party leaders have said that local GOP supporters would support McCain for president.

But 23-year-old El Paso Eastsider Robert Larson, wearing a red t-shirt that said "The GOP Rules," said he wouldn't vote for McCain.

Larson said he supported Paul, who planned to end his campaign Thursday, because the congressman advocates principles of the U.S. Constitution, including free speech and gun rights.

Most of the speakers at the convention, Larson said, were full of hot air.

In November, he said, he might not vote or he might write in Paul's name for president.

"I feel our country has moved away from its basis in the Constitution," he said.

Today at the convention, former presidential candidate and Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and former presidential candidate and Massachusetts Gov. Mike Romney, among others, are scheduled to speak.

Brandi Grissom can be reached at bgrissom@elpasotimes.com; (512) 479-6606




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