The swift-boating of Ronnie Earle

The campaign to discredit Travis County, TX District Attorney Ronnie Earle has begun.

Count Novakula reports that Republicans are going after Earle, who has brought charges against Congressman Tom DeLay, with TV attack ads.

The Washington-based Free Enterprise Fund's TV ad contends that Travis County (Austin) District Attorney Earle's campaign against DeLay is aimed at "the Bush free-market agenda." It adds: "Ronnie Earle, the partisan prosecutor investigating DeLay's political activities, gave a speech attacking him to liberal activists, raising money to support high-tax, big-government candidates."

It is difficult to understand just what the purpose of such a campaign would be except to contaminate the jury pool by creating sympathy for Tom DeLay and doubts about the motives of the District Attorney.

Meanwhile, right on cue, conservative news outlets are characterizing Earle as the bastard love child of Richard Nixon and Col. Kurtz.

"He's likable, works hard, but is a real weird duck," one local lawyer told The Washington Times. "He doesn't have many close friends, doesn't mingle much. Nobody really knows what to make of him."

"I would be a fool to comment on this," said one Senate aide last week. "Anything could happen to me or my boss."

Lawyers who deal with the district attorney's office regularly will talk about Gov. Rick Perry, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst or House Speaker Tom Craddick -- often colorfully -- but generally they shy away from remarks about Mr. Earle or his realm.

"It's not that we are afraid," said one, glancing around to see if anyone was in earshot, "but this guy has the power. You know, the real power. And he's known to have been vindictive."

The Washington Times also raises questions as to whether Earle is a racist. Reporter Hugh Aynesworth reports that the D.A. is inclined to send black children to prison while letting white kids go free. The story delves into the prosecution of 11-year old LaCresha Murray who Earle prosecuted in 1996 for capital murder. There were questions as to whether Miss Murray was coerced into a confession about the death of a two-year old child. Her conviction was overturned on those grounds in 1999. We learn next of the story of John Christian who, in 1978, shot and killed his teacher at school.

Mr. Earle told the press within hours that he would recommend five years in a state reform school "if the boy is found sane."

Within two weeks, two psychiatrists testified that the boy suffered with "latent schizophrenia" and was suicidal. Judge Hume Coker ordered the youth to a Dallas psychiatric hospital until he was 18.

The youth went on to graduate from Highland Park High School in Dallas, then the University of Texas and finally, UT Law School.

"Plaintiff contends," read the Hernandez suit, "that if defendant Ronnie Earle had treated plaintiff Murray in the same manner that he treated John Christian, she would not have been charged with capital murder and would not have suffered the damages she has suffered. The reason she was treated differently is because she is black, compared to John Christian, who is white."

None of which, even if true, has anything to do with the charges against Tom DeLay for which there was enough evidence to convince two grand juries that The Hammer should stand trial.

There is more, no doubt, to come.