Pubdate: Mon, 24 Jul 2000 Source: El Paso Times (TX) Copyright: 2000 El Paso Times Contact: P.O.Box 20, El Paso, Texas 79999 Fax: (915) 546-6415 Website: http://www.borderlandnews.com/ Author: Gary Scharrer WAR AGAINST DRUGS MIGHT RECEIVE HELP U.S. District Judge Royal Furgeson is optimistic that Congress finally will take action to solve the border justice crisis created by the unfunded war on drugs. The former El Paso lawyer got a favorable reaction to his testimony before a Congressional subcommittee recently when he made a strong case about a system hopelessly drowning in a caseload driven by drug arrests. Congress, however, has not come up with the money to pay for more federal judges, marshals, prosecutors, public defenders, support staff and courtrooms. Furgeson primarily hears cases in Midland and Pecos. Last year, El Paso's two federal judges -- U.S. District Judge Harry Lee Hudspeth and U.S. District Judge David Briones -- and Furgeson averaged 736 felony criminal cases. That national average was 74 cases for federal judges. The explosive growth in drug cases along the border has convinced Furgeson "that there is such an overwhelming demand for illegal drugs in the United States that it is going to be difficult to stem the tide of illegal drug smuggling for the foreseeable future," he told the criminal justice subcommittee. Border case dockets will keep expanding by double-digit percentages each year through the decade, the federal judge told the committee: "From what I can see, the probability of apprehension and conviction is still not high enough to bring about deterrence, especially in light of the ingenuity and skill exhibited thus far by drug smugglers." El Paso Congressman Silvestre Reyes and U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison deserve credit for pushing to get more federal judges for the border region, Furgeson said later. Del Rio and El Paso each should be getting another federal judge, and El Paso could get a new federal courthouse big enough to accommodate five district judges and five magistrate judges, he said. Watchdog or lap dog? Texas Democratic Party Chairwoman Molly Beth Malcolm offered a clever response last week to a newly formed group calling itself the "Proud of Texas Committee." Texas Monthly Publisher Michael Levy organized the so-called watchdog group that will respond to attacks on Texas from Al Gore. "If these proud Texans have anything to do with it, the Lone Star State will weather the remaining months of the presidential election campaign without suffering any of the slings and arrows that can result from the political brouhaha surrounding a national election," the group said in its coming-out announcement. The five lead organizers warned in a letter to Gore that they would speak out against his attacks. They described themselves as independents and Democrats. But Texas Democrats did some checking and discovered that all five signees on the letter contributed to George W. Bush's presidential campaign, including four who gave the maximum $1,000. "As the old Watergate saying goes, follow the money. This make-believe watchdog won't hunt," Malcolm says. Gary Scharrer covers politics and state government for the El Paso Times. His column appears each Sunday. For stories or suggestions, call him at (512) 479-6606 or e-mail him at --- MAP posted-by: John Chase