Barton’s version of this matter has too many discrepancies and creates new questions of accountability by a public official. I believe Barton has sullied Bishop’s name to save himself from public shame and accountability
Note: We have a follow up commentary from Charles O'Dell on the violent argument that erupted Tuesday between Commissioner Barton and his campaign manager and assistant Kara Bishop. Somewhere, there may be a reasonable "true explanation" for this incident (loaded as it was with trauma-drama), but bottom line, why would Barton's assistant become so angry as to reportedly fling a cell phone at him outside their office on a public sidewalk, striking him on the mouth? Anyone that "loses it" with the boss in that manner would have to be pretty darn mad.
Send your comments and news tips to roundup.editor@gmail.com, to Mr. O'Dell at codell@austin.rr.com, or click on the "comments" button at the bottom of the story
By Charles O'Dell
Contributing Editor
Kara Bishop, standing, and Commissioner Barton checking his lunch.
Google Search / San Marcos Local News Photo / Sept. 2009
Google Search / San Marcos Local News Photo / Sept. 2009
When a county commissioner becomes engaged in a bloody public confrontation with one of his female office assistants and former campaign manager, it is sad but newsworthy.Still, there are numerous discrepancies between the official Sheriff Department report accounts published in the Statesman and Roundup, and the Barton media versions in the Free Press.com and Mercury.com, both written by Brad Rollins who is a Free Press reporter and Mercury.com Co-Publisher.
For anyone to suggest this sordid matter isn’t newsworthy brings into serious question their motives. The Free Press and Mercury have quickly engaged in damage control to keep the matter from progressing to untold and more serious aspects of this story that are being kept hidden from the public.
A deputy constable who observes a confrontation in progress and calls for backup by the Sheriff Department indicates a serious matter despite statements to the contrary from Barton.
The official account reported in the Statesman and in the Roundup is that the altercation began in Barton’s Pct 2 office and continued outside. The Sheriff Department report is that Barton was “assaulted in his office,” while Barton later tells the Statesman reporter that he had, “an altercation with a staff member outside his office.”
Barton also adds that, “a deputy constable who happened to be driving by on Front Street saw the immediate aftermath of the incident and called for backup.” There is an unconfirmed report that the altercation was reported in a 911 call from a passerby who saw the fight in progress.
We also know that the county paid staff member was Kara Bishop who was also Barton’s recent primary election campaign manager. Barton claims in his Free Press and Mercury versions that Bishop is a, “good person who was dealing with some health issues and is now getting help.” Barton told the Statesman that, “the staff member had been suffering from some health problems and is currently on medical leave.” Barton goes on to say that, “We are talking about a good person and that anything beyond that is a private matter between this individual and their family.” Is Barton speaking about Bishop or about himself?
What are “some health problems” and what would they have to do with Bishop assaulting Barton? What does Barton mean that Bishop “is now getting help” for her health problems?
This all smacks of Barton spin and double talk about something much more serious that went on between Barton and Bishop and ended up in a public confrontation. Is it a private matter when a County Commissioner and one of his paid office assistants duke it out in public during office hours? And by the way, I want to know if Bishop was on leave from her job as a public employee while she performed her duties as Barton’s election campaign manager. And when did Bishop go on medical leave?
Barton’s version of this matter has too many discrepancies and creates new questions of accountability by a public official. I believe Barton has sullied Bishop’s name to save himself from public shame and accountability.
This I’m sure of: Barton and Bishop spent a lot of time together and it ended badly for Bishop.
20 comments:
For whatever it's worth, Charles, I agree with most of what you are saying here.
It will be interesting to see where this all leads. From what I understand Ms. Bishop took an unpaid leave on absance from her county job to work directly for the campaign. Having done so she also lost her insurance. In Mr. Barton's last filing Bishop was paid for counsulting but no dollar amount was given, I also found it interesting just how many friends and family are on the campaigns payroll. I'm not crying foul, I just find it interesting.
If I'm a Democrat, I think he must be having an affair with Bishop. If I'm a Republican, I think he must be having an affair with Bishop.
I see. That must be the corrupt two-headed, one political party Peter Stern was talking about.
Anytime you see Charles getting involved in a ‘story’ it is kind of like Geraldo, Jessie or Al; they show up after everyone has done all the hard work, to grandstand and throw around rumors, accusations and half-truths. What ever happened, no one was hurt (ask Jeff) or arrested so let’s move on. It is really about Jeff having the audacity to run against the darling of the tree huggers in west Hays County and then beat her in the election. Liz is soon to be gone from the scene, so get over it Charles. Are you still carping about Al Gore having the election stole from him by “W”?
HCR comment:
"Whatever happened, no one was hurt (ask Jeff)...."
Jeff Barton quotes:
.... "a good person who was dealing with some health issues and is now getting help.”
“the staff member had been suffering from some health problems and is currently on medical leave.”
Health issues are a private domain between a patient and his or her doctor. Near recent legislation mandates that there are fundamental privacy protections on the release of of health information. This doesn't apply here, but think about it. Did she want her boss to publicly use her health issue as the reason this event occurred?
For example, if my daughter's boss saw some medication in her drawer, should he or she infer that she has some health issues? And if so, is it ethical (or legal) to tell thousands of others?
The first thing, the very first thing that struck me in this sad situation was not about the "boss", but the employee.
Yes, I believe she was "hurt", and hurt very, very badly. My dad always said, "Your good name in this world is the most important thing".
She has now lost at least part of her good name. She may even have to move to avoid anymore shame. My thoughts and prayers are with her.
First Anonymous should stop constantly whining about O'Dell. Obviously you have a ton of hidden agendas with the man and you are the one who needs to let go.
If you have such a big-baby problem with O'Dell, stop reading the blog or specifically what he has to say.
You are another one on this blog who offers nothing intelligent. You bitch and moan about Mr. O'Dell and that's all.
So, please spare us and take your own advice. Get over it!
Hey,
Do you really think for a moment Barton's opponent in the general election is going to just get over it and "move on"? It's very likely that your boy just handed Dr. Cobb and brand new job.
County employee Bishop leaves her job with the county government to work on the campaign of a sitting county commissioner (Commissioner Barton). Commissioner Barton's expenditure reports tell us that Ms. Bishop is working for the campaign, but we aren't told how much she is making.
I thought that was pretty strange, so I took a look at the financial report on line for myself. Odell was right ---- oddly, it is the one expenditure that is listed without an amount. That is enough for me. Something smells.
My thoughts. Let's let the IRS know that they might want to take a close look at Ms. Bishop's tax return. In fact, maybe the IRS should take a look at the returns filed by anyone listed on the Barton expenditure sheet. If that happened, Barton might get hit with a few more flying cell phones.
"It's very likely that your boy just handed Dr. Cobb and (sic) brand new job."
In other words: Don't hold Barton accountable for his bad behavior, shoot the messenger instead.
Lack of accountability promotes corrupt and unethical behavior in business and in public office.
What a wonderful world it would be if each of us took full responsibility for our behavior.
Real transparency in government is the next best thing to accepting responsibility.
"She has now lost at least part of her good name. She may even have to move to avoid anymore shame."
Why would anyone lose her/his good name or feel shame because of a health issue?
Why would any young woman be driven to inflict public physical injury on her trusted fifty + year old boss because of a health issue?
I believe it should be clear that Barton is trying to pass the buck for something that he must have done to make this young woman more than half his age so angry.
Health issue my arse! Just the kind of spin we have come to expect from folks like Barton and Conley to avoid responsibility and accountability for their behavior.
The Republicans don't give a damn about this gossip story. The only people who care are the obsessive Barton-haters on this blog. I don't think you were going to vote for Barton anyway.
Your gal lost . . . by a lot. Get over it!
Charles,
Perhaps I was not clear. I, too, think the "health issue" is not he issue.
However, in this circumstance, in my opinion, the implication is that it is not a physical health issue. A non-physical health issue leaves to speculation that it is the other kind of health issue, to which our society still attaches a stigma. A serious stigma which may be hard to ever escape from.
In my opinion the implication is very clear.
You obsessive Barton-lovers, including some of you two-faced Republicans, the only thing you can see at the end of your tainted rainbow is PAYOLA! Birds of a feather. Barton offers our county NOTHING, except patronage jobs, favors and contracts to his crony supporters. Hitching your wagon to that rodeo clown was a mistake. This latest SNAFU is proof positive. Barton can't even manage a decent professional relationship with his assistant. It's just the tip of the iceberg. I hope Bert Cobb gives Barton a good shellacking. Cobb's lack of a longstanding crony network at least ensures that the county's treasury won't be robbed blind so quickly.
Maybe the IRS should also check for secret payoffs, as in hush money, from Barton's campaign account.
Can any of you imagine what the life of a politician must be like? Constant lying and trying to please people who only care about you as a person who can make them a buck.
No wonder people like Barton - and most politicians - are dysfunctional social beings. Their life is so convoluted and based on deception and half ass fulfillments of promises.
It is a sleazy life with a discernable lack of spirituality. Living a lie cannot be easy. Especially when it is mostly for the almighty corrupting dollar.
I say give Barton a break. He can't help it.
Just saw that the police report was published in the Mercury and Hays Free Press. Maybe that will give you all the answers you were looking for. Doubtful as you don't seem to care about the truth.
Wow! Just read the police reports on the Mercury News website - HOT NEWS FLASH !!!!!
This isn't news, it's scandalous b.s. that has no newsworthiness to it other than your failure to let the dust settle before slinging mud, and in the end cause more hurt than would have otherwise been necessary to Kara's family and her personally for this being made more public than it had to be.
Poor taste to you Bob O.; shame on you Charles O'D., you of all people should know better than to go and start slinging mud when there is nothing other than inuendo to go on. Now who looks foolish? Barton or O'Dell? My vote now that all of the reports are in - O'Dell. Surprise, surprise
Oh lighten up, last Al-Anonymous.
Your phony indignation is not becoming.
If Barton is such a good guy, what right does he have to say about Bishop that "she has serious health problems," as if that excuses the blood on Barton's lip.
Barton is sleaze, and you are too defending his actions here.
Yo wing-nut, nobody is defending Barton, you wackos are the one making him have to respond. I just think that sloppy journalism, especially when its condescending and hypocritical from wannabe journalists like O'Dell, ought to be exposed. If you think that Barton is a shill and has papers under his thumb, then are you so blind as to not see that this paper / blog is the same for Liz Sumter? Please...
But whether or not the Mercury is Barton's paper or not, which I am fairly confident it is not (again you punks are making charges via inuendo with no support provided so far to support the claim), the POLICE reports show that it did not occur the way that O'Dell and the others would have you assume it did just to make Barton look bad, when their own bias against Barton is so obvious that they woudl do or say anything they can to make him look bad. The police report after interviewing both parties find that the lady, Kara, was in need of no less than a psych eval. Now, I guess you're next accusation will be that the Kyle PD and Constable's office are also Barton shills. Well, I guess when you idiots are just so blind that you can't see the trees for the forest, everybody is a Barton shill except you.
Last Al-Anon,
Yo, blind nut. Of course the authorities are going to cover up the real truth for some local politician who partly controls their budgets and has been around smoozing with them for decades.
You are one naive guy if you think otherwise. With politicians, where there is innuendo and darkness there is hidden truth.
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