Former TDCJ-PIO: Agency 'suffers from intellectual incest'
After the Texas Department of Criminal Justice ran their Public Information Officer (PIO) Michelle Lyons out of her post, they briefly hired John Hurt, who was in charge of media relations at the Texas Department of Transportation for 20 years, to fill the slot. He was there for about ten minutes then suddenly Jason Clark, an internal hire, had the job. Duane Stuart at The Backgate Website caught up with Mr. Hurt and asked him why he left TDCJ. Here's how he responded:
"My last interview was with Time magazine about the expiring execution drugs. When they found out, they positively came unglued that I did what I was getting paid for. They even admitted the interview read well, they just didn't want the issue in the media. They just wanted to keep issues like the CO shortage and the outdated execution drugs as far out of the media as possible." Mr. Hurt went on to explain, "The admin suffers from intellectual incest. They all live in a little town, went to the same little college in Huntsville and are terrified of new ideas." Mr. Hurt then offered his ideas on how to change the face of the public information office and the agency in general. "Moving the agency to Austin would be in everyone's best interest." "I tried to show them how to position themselves in a positive light and they didn't want any part of it. I've never worked in a stranger place."
Sounds about right. Now, of course, we know they didn't want the execution drug issue in the media because they'd conspired with a now-recalcitrant pharmacist to secure the drugs on the "down low," as he put it.
That said, I'm not sure moving them to Austin would help, though it's possible. Lately, Grits has come to consider both the TDCJ and Department of Public Safety PIOs basically worthless, and DPS headquarters are in the capital. To get any useful information out of either of those agencies these days requires an open records request, even for routine, workaday stuff that a few years ago would have been routinely disclosed by their media relations folks without going through that formal process. So I'm not surprised by Mr. Hurt's comments, but I'm glad he was willing to offer them publicly.
MORE: From The Dallas Observer.
Labels: DPS, Media, TDCJ
Yeah, those country hicks over in Huntsville obviously can't be expected to achieve a level of sophistication and liberal enlightenment anywhere close to that of the intelligentsia in the People's Republic of Travis County! What a pompous A$$!
At least he was willing to make his criticisms under his own name, 9:29, which puts him one up on cowards like you spewing anonymous bile.
The issue isn't sophistication or enlightenment, it's transparency and accountability. DPS HQ is in Austin and as I said in the post, they're no better. But that doesn't change the fact that TDCJ thinks its PIO's main job is covering up information instead of providing it.
I would characterize the TDCJ PIO's mission as controlling the message, rather than simply covering it up. Much more insidious but not unexpected given the amount of litigation on this particular issue. Would bet dollars to donuts Mr. Hurt did not consult with his Gen. Counsel or the AG
Shame on you Mo Fo
He WAS controlling the message, Skifool. TDCJ didn't want the issue discussed at all. Problem is, when you do that, journos will file their story anyway and then TDCJ's message isn't included. It's just an amateur move.
DEWEY said...
Change the name to PDO -Public DISinformation Office.
The problem with the PIO is Bryan Collier micro-managed the Public Information Office. Collier is no expert on public relations and would not allow the PIO to respond properly to media request. False information was given to some journalist in an attempt to kill a story. False information was given to the media and politicians about staffing issues. The agency lacks serious credibility and has retaliated against too many people for too many years. Mr Hurt is speaking the truth about the unethical culture in the agency. I would disagree about the agency needing to be moved to Austin. Even Austin run agencies lack credibility, look at the Texas Youth Commission.
Halloween demagoguery on sex-offenders in full swi...
What happens to people convicted under now-unconst...
Dallas News to AG: Don't go looking for trouble by...
Taking judicial notice of Miley Cyrus' twerking: T...
Are we on the verge of a Fourth Amendment revival?...
On the dubious constitutionality of DPS roadblocks...
High-tech method to prevent dangerous high-speed c...
Excellent reporting on AZ prosecutor misconduct
Budget smoke and mirrors: Lege should stop raiding...
Strip searching in jail overkill for minor traffic...
Cold justice, bad optics, junk science, cyber-secu...
Details on new TX reporting requirements for appoi...
Are police shootings of mentally ill on the rise?
Polunsky unit short 130 COs
Dallas cop may become first DPD officer charged fo...
Former prosecutor, now a judge, embroiled in Eliza...
Capital case overturned because ineffective counse...
CCA considers volte-face on DPS crime lab fiasco
SA 4 may benefit from new habeas statute affording...
Disputing the indisputable: Media exaggerate dange...
Dallas wants just-closed Dawson State Jail propert...
Congrats to Inside Books on 15 years of service
Pecos DA challenges state fire marshal review of j...
Judge who texted tips to prosecutors resigns, admi...
Just don't call it a "jail"
Voters should approve "Sharon Keller Disciplinary ...
Online money laundering: Tricks of the trade
California's Jerry Brown vetoes legislation simila...
Police officer "victim" shoots man standing at dis...
Climate-controlled hog barns spurred union partici...
Former TDCJ-PIO: Agency 'suffers from intellectual...
Odds and ends: Guilt, innocence, bullying, forgive...
SCOTX issues new rules on prosecutor misconduct
Confronting 'myths' about conservatism and crimina...
IRS auditing entrepreneurial Texas jails that impr...
Rare coverage of Court of Criminal Appeals races o...
News flash: Using county jails to score political ...
Ruby Session, R.I.P.
Immigration courts, asset forfeiture, federal publ...
Steve Stockman, states' rights and marijuana
Bite me: Validating research supporting forensic d...
Roundup: Bullying flaks, students, and more
'The Recanters': False convictions more likely as ...
DPS crime lab fiasco headed to CCA oral arguments,...
Poll: Majority of Texans, half of Republicans favo...
State prison closures have nothing to do with over...
On the dangers and pitfalls of diminished electron...
DPS backs off S. Texas roadblocks after lame justi...
Ruh Roh: Pharmacist who made new TX execution drug...
Nine years of Grits and counting
Houston mayoral candidate promises to "just barely...
Harris Co. public defender achieves much better ou...
'Show me your papers, comrade': DPS vehicle checkp...
Paging Radley Balko: New Dallas Sheriff vehicle a ...