Lt. Gov. Dewhurst: A consistent policy is more important than logical consistency.

On Aug. 22, Gov. Rick Perry‘s press guy sent out a press-release bitch slap to the European Union for daring to comment on the death penalty in Texas. “While we respect our friends in Europe,” said flack-in-chief Robert Black, “welcome their investment in our state and appreciate their interest in our laws, Texans are doing just fine governing Texas.”

On Aug. 24, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst put out a gushing press release applauding Circuit Judge Richard Howard for handing down the death penalty on John Couey, the Florida man convicted of raping and murdering nine-year-old Jessica Lunsford. “Jessica’s murder was a horrible, horrible crime,” said Dewhurst, “and I commend the jury and judge for their actions.”

So asking a state not to perform executions, bad; encouraging a state to do them, good. Just so we know.

This article appears in August 24 • 2007.

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The Chronicle's first Culture Desk editor, Richard has reported on Austin's growing film production and appreciation scene for over a decade. A graduate of the universities of York, Stirling, and UT-Austin, a Rotten Tomatoes certified critic, and eight-time Best of Austin winner, he's currently at work on two books and a play.