Birdwell Residence For Senate 22 Run in Question

Stories in "Quorum Reports" and the Waco daily paper have
called the eligibility of Brian Birdwell for a run at State
Senate District 22 into question.

It seems that the native Granbury resident, a burn victim of
the 9/11 attack on the Pentagon, did not move to his home
until 2007 and voted in a Virginia election during the five
year period he is required to have been a Texas resident to
be eligible for the post of State Senator.

The eligibility of both Mr. Birdwell and former State
Senator David Sibley has been challenged because Mr. Sibley
claimed a homestead exemption on his $700,000 Austin home.
Application for the exemption requires that a person declare
the property exempted as his principal abode.

Candidate Darren Yancy has declined to enter a complaining
lawsuit against either candidate and Baylor Political
Science Professor Gayle Avant has reserved comment on the
matter.

Such residency requirement complaints are rare in the Lone
Star State because, as the "Quorum Reports" writer noted, "it
is usually considered a state of mind."

Shame of it all. Shame of it all.