SANCHEZ CALLS FOR INQUIRY INTO PERRY APPOINTMENT

Gubernatorial candidate Tony Sanchez on Saturday called for an
investigation into accusations by his campaign that Gov. Rick Perry
may have traded political favors for consideration of a judicial appointee.

Perry's campaign calls it coincidence, but his opponent's camp says
there's something dubious about the fact that a Houston lawyer lent
support to the governor's recent bombshell political ad the same day
Perry's appointment secretary interviewed the lawyer's wife.

The lawyer, Dan Hedges, met with reporters Monday to vouch for the
accuracy of a Perry ad linking Democrat Tony Sanchez to drug dealers
and money-launderers. Facts and assertions in the ad have been
disputed by Sanchez and legal experts.

Perry campaign spokesman Ray Sullivan and Hedges have insisted that
there was no connection between Hedges' efforts on Perry's behalf and
Appeals Court Justice Adele Hedges' bid for a judicial promotion.

Sullivan said Justice Hedges hadn't received any special treatment and
that the governor's office, as a matter of policy, routinely grants an
interview to any judge seeking appointment to a higher post on their
court.

"Justice Hedges is an extremely well qualified and experienced judge,"
Sullivan said. "The allegation that she was only considered because of
her husband's work is sexist and false."

But Sanchez said the timing of the events were more than
coincidence.

"I think Rick Perry is out of control," he said to reporters after
speaking in Irving Saturday to the state convention of the Fraternal
Order of Police.

"We need to have this investigation as soon as possible by the
appropriate authorities," he said. "The selling of a judicial
appointment for political favors is a very, very big deal."

Sanchez said he would not meet with state or federal authorities to
discuss the issue, but hoped authorities would inquire whether Perry
abused his position as governor.

"Rick Perry has corrupted the office of governor and stripped it of
its dignity," Sanchez said. "He has disgraced the highest office of
this state."

Justice Hedges, who has served on the First Court of Appeals in
Houston for the last 10 years, denied any deal with the governor's
office.

"There was no quid pro quo," she said when contacted Saturday at her
Houston home. "It was convenient for us to go up together. It is so
far-fetched, it didn't even occur to me" that the timing would be questioned.

The spat is the latest in a weeklong spate of heated exchanges over
Perry's ad, which accuses Sanchez of knowingly allowing millions in
Mexican drug money to be laundered through his family-owned thrift 20
years ago.

Sanchez has denied the charge and accused the Perry campaign of
stooping to a new low in airing the ad.

"I am running ads talking about my opponent's record. I am not lying
like he's been lying," Sanchez said while speaking to FOP members.

He also spoke in favor of gun rights, collective bargaining and police
input into state homeland security planning, which led to applause by
FOP members.

Perry spoke to the group Friday, advocating similar
measures.

State Attorney General John Cornyn, who is running for the seat being
vacated by retiring U.S. Sen. Phil Gramm, appeared before FOP members
Saturday morning.

The Republican pledged to funnel more federal funds to local law
enforcement agencies "on the front lines of the war against
terrorism," along with pushing legislation allowing current and
retired law officers to carry concealed weapons, even across state
lines.

Cornyn, who was applauded several times, drew laughter when he talked
about his opponent, former Dallas mayor Ron Kirk.

"My opponent likes to say that if you want to know what kind of
senator he would be, look at Dallas. I would encourage you to look to
his record in Dallas."

Kirk, who spoke to the GOP group Friday, was criticized by some Dallas
police union members, who said he was not responsive to collective
bargaining demands and a shortage of uniformed officers.

Kirk countered that he secured raises for police and fire workers
nearly every year he was mayor, increasing retirement benefits, while
updating equipment and planning a new police headquarters.