The Texas juvenile justice sexual abuse scandal – in which Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton are accused of failing to take action – is a broader scandal that was covered up for two years, involving hundreds of serious complaints and investigations against dozens of staff members, according to officials.
The Texas Youth Commission scandal went unnoticed, says Texas Ranger Brian Burzynski, despite his numerous attempts, beginning in early 2005, to get local, state and federal prosecutors to investigate allegations teachers, administrators and guards had sex with minor male inmates.
Burzynski exposed the situation March 8 in testimony to the Texas legislature's Joint Committee on Operation and Management of the TYC. He stated he began his investigation Feb. 23, 2005, after a phone call from a teacher at the West Texas state school in Pyote, Texas, alleging another teacher at the school was involved in sexual misconduct with boy inmates. In his testimony, Burzynski detailed being rebuffed by federal, state and local prosecutors for two years.
Burzynski presented a timeline asserting his investigation was, in turn, stonewalled by Ward County District Attorney Randall Reynolds, Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott, U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton and Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.
All refused to prosecute, he claimed, despite being presented evidence of sexual abuse at the Pyote school.
More information should be forthcoming, but it is beginning to look like there was an attempt to bury an follow-up on this case in order to save Texas Republicans - including Rick Perry and Greg Abbott - who were up for reelection last year from any political ramifications. And if Alberto is connected in any significant way, then it's certainly curtains for him.
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