Crazy county judge makes Lubbock a national laughingstock

Gov. Rick Perry shakes hands with County Judge Tom Head. Note Head's Bugs Bunny tie. (Photo: dangerousminds.net)

Missed the video that started this “war”? Here it is.

‘Crazy county judge makes Lubbock a national laughingstock
Rick Dunham
Chron.com
August 2012

That'll be the day...

Where is Buddy Holly when you need him?

Instead of one of the greatest Texas singers of all time, Lubbock is now known nationally (and internationally) for the words of a local Republican politician who declared that President Obama’s re-election might trigger a civil war and a United Nations invasion of Texas.

There were two basic reactions to the words of Lubbock County Judge Tom Head, which became a YouTube sensation after he uttered them on a local Fox TV affiliate: Did he really say those things? (Yep!) And what should we do about it? (Dunno.)

“It’s really up to Judge (Tom) Head to do the right thing and resign and stop embarrassing Lubbock County,” Lubbock County Democratic chair Kenny Ketner told CNN. “I wish we were getting worldwide attention for something better than a crazy county judge. But what are you going to do?”

If you’re the Texas Democratic Party, you definitely know what to do. State Democratic chair Gilberto Hinojosa issued a blistering statement questioning, among other things, the county judge’s “mental competency.”

“Judge Head’s statements on the United Nations invasion raise serious questions about his mental competency to hold elected office,” Hinojosa declared. “[Senate nominee] Ted Cruz is clearly in good company. Republican crazies have now taken over the Lubbock County courthouse.”

Hinojosa said Head’s talk is “not only ridiculous, it’s dangerous. It’s crystal clear that Judge Head should resign.”

In case you haven’t been near a computer, Head became a household name from Dallas to Dubai when he predicted a United Nations invasion of the Lone Star State if Barack Obama wins re-election this fall.

“I’m thinking the worst,” he told Fox34. “Civil unrest, civil disobedience, civil war, maybe. And we’re not just talking a few riots here and demonstrations. We’re talking Lexington, Concord, take up arms and get rid of the guy.”

In response to Head’s warnings, Lubbock lawyer Rod Hobson adorned the outside of his Lubbock office with U.N. flags to express his horror (or sense of humor).

“”Well you can either laugh or you can cry. When I saw the story I thought, once again, Lubbock is going to be the laughingstock of the entire nation,” Hobson told Fox34. “It’s like the light’s on, but no one is home. … I’d just like to think he’s off his meds.”

Meanwhile, Texas Democrats (suffering perhaps from Todd Akin overload) shifted their sights to Texas’ own Republican embarrassment.

“There are a lot of unanswered questions here,” Texas Democratic chair Hinojosa continued. “Does Judge Head expect the United Nations to come in riding a couple of combines? Does Lubbock also need an Air Force? A Navy? Will the revenues from this tax increase be put into a dedicated account to fight the U.N. invasion? Will the money be returned to taxpayers if the U.N. army doesn’t make it into Lubbock County? What will happen if the Sweetwater militia defeats the vicious blue-beanie peace-keepers before they reach Lubbock?”

Head, meanwhile, tried to clarify his views at a Wednesday meeting of his commissioners court.

“My remarks yesterday, worst case scenario in my opinion, and how do you prepare for it,” he said, according to Fox34. “Do I think those are going to happen, probably not.”

...Hinojosa couldn’t resist a low blow aimed at fair-and-balanced Fox News.

“I guess this is what happens when you get all your information from Fox News,” the Democratic chief concluded. “This would be truly funny if it were a skit on SNL. The fact that these were serious utterances by a supposedly responsible elected official make the entire episode horribly sad, but unfortunately, not even slightly unusual in today’s Republican Party.”

Deloitte says accountant's suicide unrelated to Standard Chartered

Deloitte says accountant's suicide unrelated to Standard Chartered
Aug 19, 2012
(Reuters)

Deloitte LLP said Sunday that the suicide of a New York accountant was unrelated to work for British bank Standard Chartered Plc.

Daniel Pirron, 57, was found dead of a gunshot to the head on August 13 after a passerby noticed the body in a Fairfield, Connecticut parking lot, a Fairfield Police spokeswoman said Sunday. A .38-caliber handgun, found near his body, was registered to Pirron.

Pirron worked as an accountant in the general counsel's office of Deloitte in New York City. In the wake of the death, The Telegraph newspaper in London suggested there was a link between Pirron's death and Deloitte's work for Standard Chartered, which drew the scrutiny of New York's banking regulator.

Standard Chartered on August 14 settled with the New York Department of Financial Services for $340 million after an inquiry into the bank's transactions tied to Iran. That inquiry had questioned work Deloitte had done for the bank. Deloitte has said its work was proper.

In a statement, a Deloitte spokesman on Sunday said, "Dan was a highly respected member of our office of general counsel who made many contributions to our firm. However, Dan was not involved in any way on our work for Standard Chartered Bank. Our thoughts are with his family at this very difficult time."

In an interview, Daniel Pirron's older brother, Michael, said Daniel had shown no sign he was considering suicide and that the timing of his brother's death raised questions as to whether it was related to work for Deloitte.

Michael Pirron said he didn't know specifically the cases his brother was handling for Deloitte. Michael Pirron said his brother was the main financial supporter for two daughters who are approximately 22 and 24 years old. "He loved his work," Michael Pirron said.