Dear Texas DPS troopers — don't stand by these Republicans

DPS Trooper Billy Spears and Snoop Dogg. / Snoop's Instagram

According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, it's allegedly a serious work-related faux pas to be caught in public next to a big-time criminal.

Trooper Billy Spears, while in uniform and working security for South by Southwest, was spotted by one Calvin Broadus, commonly known as rapper Snoop Dogg. The Dogg, for whatever reason, wanted a picture with Spears, who agreed, and someone in the Dogg Pound shot the pic and up it went on Instagram.

Soon thereafter, it was spotted, and up in smoke went any love for Spears at DPS HQ.

And, not just in anyway, but in a particularly Kafkaesque one.

The "deficiency" that was issued against him, which includes counseling from superiors, is something that can't be appealed. It's based on this, from a DPS PR quote:

While working a secondary employment job, Trooper Spears took a photo with a public figure who has a well-known criminal background including numerous drug charges. The public figure posted the photo on social media and it reflects poorly on the Agency.

And, it gets worse from there.

Spears’ reply to what actions he intended to take to “overcome deficiencies” was “Refuse photos.”

And it gets worse from there.

A lieutenant from Tyler drove 80 miles round trip at night to have Spears fill out and sign the one-page document.

Puhleeze, Steve McCraw, doesn't your department have more serious things to do, like pretending to "secure the border," or pretending that the border is "insecure" in the first place? (Maybe an "insecure" border needs counseling?)

Since then, apparently a lot of people have been covering Spears' back, at least informally.

But, if this is a real issue, then let's enforce it.

DPS troopers, you can't stand next to:

1. Tom DeLay (convicted, though later overturned on a bizarro-world Texas CCA take)

2. Rick Perry (indicted on multiple felony counts)

3. Scott Walker and Chris Christie (under investigation) when they visit Greg Abbott

4. Ken Paxton

5. George W. Bush,  (DWI, a more serious issue than marijuana; possible though unproven cocaine; war crimes not listed here).
Fellow Texas bloggers, feel free to add names.

And, beyond partisan GOP figures, of course, no DPS trooper should ever be caught dead with Willie Nelson.