Star Chambers

Did the mayoral election already happen? Because, all of the sudden, it seems like we’re deep in Trinity River mud, and it ain’t even May 12 yet. Unfair Park just received a press release from the Greater Dallas Chamber begging folks not to sign Angela Hunt’s Trinity Parkway petition. Indeed,…

Ed Oakley: The Man’s Got Wrecking Balls

On Friday — hey, only eight days before the election, what’s the rush? — Ed Oakley debuted his new TV spot, in which he promises to tear down “aging, rundown apartment complex[es] that have become a haven for crime.” Actually, Oakley doesn’t promise anything; he never says a word in…

We Now Officially Have Those Trinity River Blues

Sorry, Jim, but Aaron “T-Bone” Walker got there first. I know, I know — you just can’t get enough of this Trinity River talk. It’s like porn for politicos, which was also my favorite post-Jane’s Addiction band. So, yeah, here’s some more — a press release from the Sam Coats…

I Vote for Icky Twerp!

This morning, “richardallenkent” posted to YouTube a few fond memories from the old Channel 11 morning show, Slam Bang Theater. This clip, in particular, seems somehow…oh, I dunno…relevant this morning. –Robert Wilonsky…

Griffith Says “Cheese,” Again, While Coats Gets Around

Tom Leppert’s got those scintillating ads that look more staged than the Mars landing (sorry, no Capricorn One fans in the room?). Gary Griffith’s still saying “cheese” in order to scare voters to the polls, and the other mayoral candidates, well, they’re not yet there with their TV spots –…

Jim Schutze’s Dream Come True

Angela Hunt has a radio date with the mayor this morning. Just a programming note: At 11 this morning, KRLD-AM (1080) will broadcast a live debate during which Mayor Laura Miller and city councilmember Angela Hunt will go at it over the Trinity River toll road referendum Hunt’s pushing for…

Tom Leppert, You’re So Great, Why Are You So Great?

I thought this was a Saturday Night Live sketch, till I realized, nope, it’s just accidentally funny: On Friday, Tom Leppert posted to YouTube a handful of videos in which a few Regular Folks — by which I mean hand-picked lifelike Leppert supporters who might be reading off cue cards…

Max Wells: Mayoral Candidate and Amazing Coward

Max Wells has quite a posse, including, at far left, former council member Don Hicks. And Max Wells is quite a pussy. Cat. Pussy cat. Last night, at a forum at a black church in a front of a black crowd, the very white Max Wells had a black politician…

And Your Next Mayor Is…

Either Gary Griffith is more popular than we think he is, or he has three interns who figured out how to cast 1,638 votes for him. The results of The Highly Unofficial Unfair Park Mayoral Poll are in, and the new mayor of Dallas is…Gary Griffith. Seriously? Yes, 6,723 of…

John Edwards Flies Fred Baron

Dallas attorney Fred Baron, John Edwards’ national finance chairman As reported earlier this week, Texas Democrats love John Edwards — to the tune of $1.5 million in campaign donations raised from January to March 2007, which put him second overall in Texas to the $2-million man, a very flip-flopping and…

Get Polled

Ed Oakley, Jim Schutze may not be a fan, but the Friends of Unfair Park like you just fine…so far. Just a reminder that the Highly Unofficial Unfair Park Mayoral Poll’s up and running till 5 p.m. tomorrow. Thus far, it’s been a fascinating 24 hours, with nearly 2,200 votes…

The Highly Unofficial Unfair Park Mayoral Poll

It does not get any easier than this. You have until 5 p.m. Friday, when the polls close and retire to Lithuania, to tell us who you think ought to be the mayor of our city. You can vote only once, and when you do, the results will be visible…

Coats Says Oakley Ain’t Woonerful

Last week in the paper version of Unfair Park, Jim Schutze revealed the real reason Ed Oakley’s been snatching up tiny pieces of land inside the Trinity Design District. Today, mayoral candidate Sam Coats tells Oakley that “an apparent conflict of interest” isn’t such a woonerful thing after all, and…

Full-Court Press Releases

Brian Harkin Someone told us the other day this photo of Sam Coats almost makes them wanna vote for the guy. “Makes him look tough.” Which is one way of putting it. If a mayoral candidate has a beef with one of his fellow combatants, we usually hear about it…

Drink Up and Cover Up

Things are getting mighty ugly in the District 9 Dallas City Council race. Between this story from Pegasus News, in which it’s revealed that council contender Jill Kotvis was convicted in Dallas of driving while intoxicated and for resisting arrest in October 1987, and the following press release we just…

Don Hill Asks Tom Leppert: What, Exactly, Are You Spreading?

Tom Leppert, Don Hill just called you out. Doesn’t really believe that whole billion-dollar minority contract thing. Neither does our sister paper in Cleveland, come to think of it. On Friday, in his weekly mayoral frontrunner round-up, Matt Pulle noted that at week’s end, Don Hill sent Tom Leppert a…

Sam Coats, You’re Movin’ On Up

Ed, couldn’t you have found a mayor people actually voted for? And one they remember? C’mon — you’re loaded. Only a political reporter would ever say this: Sam Coats is super hot. This week, the afterthought candidate became the rage of the local blog world after he debuted two pitch-perfect…

Tom Dunning Goes Both Ways

Phil Romano, like several other prominent Dallasites, loves him some Giuliani — which you can get on a sandwich at Eatzi’s. Gary Griffith isn’t the only local to throw his arms around Rudy Giuliani — which he did again, by the way, in a campaign missive sent to would-be voters,…