Burleson Star (Burleson, Tex.), Vol. 22, No. 5, Ed. 1 Monday, October 27, 1986 Page: 3 of 34
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A
Burleeon Star, Monday, October 27.1986—3
Hensley says Gibson helped
passage of horse racing bill
■«*
, *<$
Bruce Gibson
BY CARLA POMMERT
At a press conference held
Thursday evening in Clebume,
Bob Hensley, candidate for the
state House of Representatives
for district 58, claimed that in-
cumbent Bruce Gibson's guidance
helped the pari-mutual gambling
bill pass at the recent special ses-
sion of the legislature.
Hensley gave members of the
press a letter that he said he
received this week from a regis-
tered voter in Stephcnvillc who
preferred to remain anonymous.
The letter, dated Oct. 8, 1986,
and signed by Ricky Knox, the
executive director of the Texas
Horse Racing Association, states
that "Rep. Gibson was critical in
assisting in preventing damaging
amendments from being at-
tached to the bill (S B. 15). These
amendments would have made
the bill not worth the paper it is
printed on."
"The content of this letter
clearly states that without Bruce’s
guidance a pari-mutual gambling
bill, which pro-gambling forces
would support, could not have
been passed,” Hensley said. "In
addition to this endorsement
from the Texas Horse Racing
Association, I now find that on
Nov. 7, 1984, he received one of
his largest contributions, $1,000,
from the Texas Horse Racing
Association. This was received
too late to be disclosed until after
the ('84) election,” Hensley
added.
Hensley said he found the
position indefensible. "You can-
not be against an issue and work
for passage of legislation prom-
oting that same issue while ac-
cepting money from the lobby
group promoting that issue,”
he explained.
Even though Gibson voted
against the bill, Hensley conten-
ded that "he convinced enough
of the other representatives to
vote 'yes’ so that he didn’t
have to.’’
In a separate telephone inter-
view, Gibson said that Hensley’s
focus on amendments is mis-
leading. "For three terms I’ve op-
posed horse racing and voted
against it. It came up for two
votes at the special session and I
voted against it both times,”
he said.
Gibson explained that even
though he voted against the bill,
he did vote in favor of some of
the amendments because he
wanted to make sure the pro-
gram would be workable in case
(he bill did pass.
“People often propose amend-
ments that would make the pro-
gram unworkable if it passes. If
we're going to have horse racing,
it should control organized
crime,” he said.
Gibson acknowledged that he
Goodnight
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE
— "Why would four women, dif-
ferent ages and different back-
grounds, say what they did?"
3 District Attorney Dan Boul-
tttare, only using a portion of the
time alloted for his summation,
asked, "What started this thing in
the first place1 What made Wylie
(former county auditor, Bob
Wylie) look into this thing1
Because- he received reports from
the girls in that office tnat money
was missing. These girls are tell-
ing us what they saw and are tell-
ing the truth.”
•’NOW,’’ BOUIWARE con-
cluded. "is the time for you (the
Jury) to do your duty Doing your
duty is sometimes unpleasant I
am sure it won’t be easy for you
to do it in this case "
Thomas pointed out in his
lengthier summation that the
clerks "saw what they wanted to
see ” He cited McClure in par-
ticular as having a reason: "She
wanted 'a promotion," Thomas
said
There was also defense-pro-
duced testimony that an internal
rash register tape—vital to Good-
night's defense—was mvs-
- teriously missing, that money
was missing frotn cash register
; receipts on one day, only to be
replaced at a later date
"There are too many mistakes
in the state audit for you not to
have a reasonable doubt." Thomas
stated
Vogel, finishing up lor the
defense, faced the jury with the
comments. "I|'s time to talk with
- you about lacts Robby Good-
night, the man He didn't have to
£
testify. He wanted to. And you
have heard testimony from ban-
kers, previous employers, and
lice officers (Goodnight is a
Clebume police officer).
Robbv Goodnight nas shared his
life with everyone. He has a
reputation for truthfulness
"Robby Goodnight’s finances
were in good order for the first
time in his life He had a good
job Why in the world would he
jeopardize that?
"When he started this job (in
January , 1985) he was a neophyte
at politics He w-as not prepared
for some of the back-biting and
politics. (In this area) "If some-
one can discredit somebody, they
will
"Folks, vou heard people testify
in his defense who have known
him a long time And we have
shown you a 100 percent sub-
stantiated audit.”
Vogel apologized for the length
of time it took the defense to
prove its case. “We had a respon-
sibility. We must give every case
every minute of time it takes."
IMMEDIATELY after the trial
when asked what he intended to
do with his accusers, Goodnight
said, "I don’t know I’ll have to
take one step at a time."
Asked to comment on the out-
come of the trial, one of the
clerks in Goodnight's office said,
"We did not lie. We told the truth.
We do not intend to walk out ”
Goodnight called a press con-
ference for 2:15 p m Friday.
Goodnight called a press con-
ference at 2:15 p m. on Friday
He said he wanted to thank his
family, friends, and the other
people who gave him encourage-
ment during the last three
months.
"I can’t thank everyone, but I
have sincere appreciation for all
the prayers that were offered for
me during the last three months
and I especially thank mv minis-
ter," he said. _
Goodnight described the ex-
perience as a tremendous strain
and an ordeal for himself and his
family "What I went through
was a terrible experience both
emotionally and economically;
however, going through such an
experience makes you a stronger
person, he said.
"One thing that the trial proved
was that my office records are
correct. An independent, exhaus-
tive and very professional audit
was performed by a CPA and
once and for all showed that my
record keeping has been ac-
curate during my entire term of
office,” Goodnight stated.
Goodnight said he wouldn't
take any time off in the upcom-
ing weeks Tve still got an elec-
tion and a campaign to run,"
he explained.
When asked whether he
thought the publicity of his case
would affect his chances of get-
ting reelected in the upcoming
election, Goodnight commented,
"I hope the public would judge
me on the accomplishments ot
my office and not on the unfoun-
ded accusations against me.
did receive a $1,000 donation
from the Texas Horse Racing
Association in 1984. “What that
shows is that a financial con-
tribution does not buy my vote
and I’m very proud of that,” he
said. “I never did one thing in
assistance for the bill and I
worked with the group against
it,” he added.
“I’m not against horse breeders.
I'm against pari-mutual gam-
bling,” Gibson concluded.
E.Z.
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Blood disorder
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE
for donations to the Vines' blood
account, but no confirmation has
been made yet of that possibility,
say friends of the family.
A call from Deena near
deadline Friday informed The
Slat that she had been released
from Hugulev late Thursday af-
ternoon, and was glad to be
home.
1
£
O
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Moody, James. Burleson Star (Burleson, Tex.), Vol. 22, No. 5, Ed. 1 Monday, October 27, 1986, newspaper, October 27, 1986; Burleson, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth761295/m1/3/: accessed July 6, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Burleson Public Library.