Jeff Weems Campaigned in Paris

The Paris News—February 22nd, 2010

Democratic candidate for Texas Railroad Commissioner Jeff Weems stumped in Paris late Friday in the Precinct 5, Place 1 Justice of the Peace courtroom where he spoke to about 25 people.

Weems is unopposed in the March 2 Democratic Primary but will face either incumbent Republican Victor G. Carrillo or David Porter in November.

In introductory remarks, State Rep. Mark Homer, D-Paris, said it will be refreshing to have someone on the Railroad Commission who “has a concept of what those people are there for.”

“He actually knows what happens within the Railroad Commission and how refreshing that is going to be,” Homer said.

A Houston attorney with life-long experience in the energy business — first as an oil field worker and now representing both oil and gas firms as well as landowners — Weems labeled Lamar County “ground zero” for Democrats winning statewide elections before telling his audience what he plans to do differently in Austin.

“What folks don’t realize, this is one of the biggest environmental agencies in the entire state of Texas,” Weems said. “They are responsible for monitoring well sites — especially out here in East Texas — that were drilled in the 1920s and some of them leak, threatening the ground water and the land.”

He took a jab at the three incumbent commissioners — Republicans Carrillo, Michael Williams and Elizabeth Ames Jones.

“Two of them are so busy running for (U.S.) Senate they don’t have time to focus on their day jobs; and that’s wrong,” Weems said.

Speaking of large oil and gas companies, Weems claimed the “big boys” write giant checks every year to commissioner campaign funds, something the candidate said is perfectly legal. Weems said Carrillo had $600,000 to start his campaign.

Pitching campaign finance reform, Weems said he would propose restricting campaign contributions to the year a commissioner is actually running for office.

Although he did not accuse incumbents of wrong doing, Weems said he is upset about the handling of a complaint by the mayor of Dish, Texas, the site of a gas compressor station. That station is similar to the Midcontinent Express Pipeline compressor station south of Paris. A Texas Commission on Environmental Quality hearing was held in Paris Feb. 9 with the Dish mayor present.

“He (Dish mayor) went to the Railroad Commission for help when they found benzine in the air at potential unhealthy levels,” Weems said. “Instead of listening to him and treating him with respect, they treated him with disrespect, challenging his authority to be there.

“That is wrong,” Weems said. “You never challenge a public official looking after the health and safety of his or her citizens,” Weems said.

Instead of the Railroad Commission doing a study and holding hearings, the case is now before TCEQ, Weems said.

Weems said he would spend time in the field if elected to the position.

“For too long, no one has paid attention out here,” Weems said. “When is the last time you had a railroad commissioner come out here and visit with you and ask you what you concerns are?

“I want to be that person,” Weems said. “I promise you it won’t be just during the campaign season.”

A message left with the Carrillo campaign remained unanswered at presstime.