Michael Williams on…

Safe Communities and Tough Law Enforcement:

I have a passion for putting the bad guys away and protecting people. People make choices to do the right thing or the wrong thing. Unfortunately, some people choose to do the wrong thing and they must be punished. As Chief Prosecutor in the Midland County District Attorney’s office, I prosecuted all sorts of cases, from murders, sexual assaults (we called them ‘rapes’ in those days), theft — you name it. As the leader of the felony district court “CRB”, a common theme heard around our court was, “You’re in Williams’ court. You’re going to jail.” We won a lot of cases and put bad guys away. Some of the people I prosecuted I had grown up with. One man and I had played little league baseball together. He realized he was a criminal and I was a prosecutor. I sent him to jail. As Special Assistant to the U.S. Attorney General in the Reagan Justice Department’s Civil Rights Section, I was a member of a small, elite group of felony prosecutors. I prosecuted members of the KKK and white supremacists around the country, more than any other prosecutor in the unit during that time. A lack of very strong law enforcement allows criminals to overrun a community. In turn, good folks can’t do what they need to do to run their business, let their kids walk to school, or go to social events. Strong, healthy communities must have strong law enforcement.

Knowing the Law:

Ronald Reagan had a plaque on his desk that read, “There’s no amount of good you can accomplish as long as you don’t mind who gets the credit.” My father was a coach and made similar points to his football teams. He taught me to work as part of a team, to have a playbook and to know that no one wins unless everyone wins. I have had the opportunity to be on many teams in the legal community and to have practiced law in many different arenas. At the U.S. Department of Treasury, I served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Law Enforcement, overseeing a department of 300 lawyers, including oversight of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, the U.S. Secret Service, the U.S. Customs Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, and the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network. I had the reputation of being a tough prosecutor in the Midland County District Attorney’s office and in the Reagan Justice Department as Special Assistant to the U.S. Attorney General, where I was awarded the Attorney General’s “Special Achievement Award” for the conviction of six Ku Klux Klan members on federal weapons charges. I was a successful attorney in the law firm of Haynes and Boone. I have experienced the successes and roadblocks that small businesses face while serving as General Counsel to a small telecommunications company. And as a volunteer, the Republican Party of Texas retained my services as General Counsel. Every legal team I have been on has been successful and made their community a better place in which to live.

Healthy Business Communities:

Entrepreneurs are the key to growth in Texas. In the United States, approximately 80 percent of jobs are created by small business and most small business is entrepreneurial. Texas must provide an environment for small businesses to be created, to grow and thrive, to provide jobs, cutting-edge innovation and economic success for Texas. When people have jobs, they have a sense of self-worth. My background gives me a special ability to connect with small business and entrepreneurs in every community. When I was a senior member of a high tech telecommunications firm in the Metroplex, we provided jobs for 120 employees, did $6 million in revenues, and met the challenges of meeting a payroll and paying taxes. We competed against big companies and people who worked out of their homes. I helped the company figure out how to compete in the industry and identify opportunities in the marketplace. Today, this company is a very successful business that has grown and adapted well to the industry and continues to make a positive impact on its community.

Growing the Republican Party:

Liberals continue to say that whites will not vote for a black candidate. I am living proof that is not true. In the 2000 Primary Election, I won 253 of 254 counties in the State of Texas, including over 3.6 million votes and 77 percent of the vote. Obviously, this includes every voting group. In 2002, I defeated a rising Democrat star for reelection with 54 percent of the vote. I bring to the Republican ticket energy and passion. I personify our diversity and commitment to equality, and I bring an ability to rally our troops like no one else. It is important that the Republican Party have courageous warriors who can battle on a wide range of issues, including protecting our citizens, energy policy, job creation, defending our President and the value of tax cuts. The strategy of the Left is to talk about how tax cuts will harm minority communities and low income earners. No one is better suited than I to illustrate the value of tax cuts to minorities and to low income earners. White liberals find it problematic when they try and tell me what is best for my community. During my many travels campaigning for President Bush’s reelection, we helped raise the African American vote for the President from 7-8 percent in 2000 to 14-16 percent in 2004 in states like Ohio, Pennsylvania and Florida. That was the margin of victory. For every African American vote the Democrats lose, they have to find two more votes to replace the one they lost and one to gain.

Healthy Families and Healthy Marriages:

I have been married to my best friend, confidante and advisor for 20 years. I value her opinion. I trust her. I trust what she thinks and I respect her in every possible way. Others will say I revere her and this is very true. We have a healthy marriage, not just a marriage, but a healthy marriage. I am very concerned about a rising trend of unhealthy relationships and the drag they have on our communities. This is why my focus on the Healthy Marriage Initiative is so near to my heart. I have seen how good marriages can uplift a family, if not an entire community. But, unfortunately, I have seen the many negative outcomes of unhealthy marriages and there are far too many. A strong, healthy community begins at home. One house at a time. One family at a time. One woman and one man.

A Vital Bridge From Minority Communities:

For 50 years, my parents have told me one of my main purposes is to be a bridge from the minority community. I am an American and I am Black. My whole life has been about recognizing that I am both and to cause a conversation between whites and blacks. I can talk about the needs of the African American community, aspirations, hopes and the principles of success. Donna and I regularly have events at our home with a diverse group of people who come away with a true sense of who others are and our common beliefs. We believe a strong economy allows mom and dad to have jobs and provide for and strengthen their families. And the Republican Party stands for thriving economies and strong families. My parents taught me conservative values and I have come home to those values in my own life because of my concern for the Black community. That is why I say I am a Republican and a conservative — because I am Black, not in spite of it. Republicans have to believe in our conservative principles, in education, in jobs, in entrepreneurship, and these principles fit into the African American community. The solutions for urban problems are not left-wing solutions. Our Party should stay exactly where we are, because we are right on the issues affecting all communities, specifically the African American community.