From the inbox, sent to Democratic precinct chairs:
Erica Davis
You elected me to serve as your Trustee for the Harris County Department of Education and I am very proud of what we have accomplished. I too believe in elevating voices, educating the uniformed and ensuring ethical leadership. I made a commitment to be a grassroots’ leader to our community.
Today I write to inform you in my most humble self, that I have filed to run for Harris County Judge. I have served Harris County residents for over a decade building relationships and working to keep people safe.
Every citizen deserves the same response time to safety, the elimination of wasteful spending, and bringing resources back to the Harris County residents. That is why I am running today, a native Houstonian with a purpose and passion for the residents of Harris County.
I’ll be giving you a call in the next week to speak with you. I’d like to share my vision for Harris County and invite you to discuss what matters to you. Thank you for your service and commitment to our community.
Emphasis in the original. Still no “why me and not Judge Hidalgo” statement, as previously noted, but there’s at least some mention of issues. Response times from law enforcement seems to me to be more of an HPD issue, but it could be a call for increasing the Sheriff’s budget, with maybe some more for the Constables as well. I find that a call to “eliminate wasteful spending” is in general sufficiently vague as to be meaningless. What is “wasteful” to you may be critical to me, and vice versa. If you can’t or won’t specify what you consider wasteful, we can’t have a real conversation about it. In other contexts, references to “wasteful” spending have usually meant an intent to cut spending overall. That would seem to be in conflict with a call for a bigger Sheriff’s budget, but 1) I’m drawing an inference here, and 2) we need specifics. As for “bringing resources back to the Harris County residents”, I guess talk to our legislative and Congressional delegations? I don’t know how to interpret this.
I should note that while I got that email on Monday, I got another one on Tuesday that contained this video, in which she restated her concerns about crime and “wasteful spending”, with additional concerns about property taxes and infrastructure. No ideas for improvements were mentioned – this was a brief introductory video – but again, it was the beginning of a critique of her opponent. How receptive a Democratic primary electorate that knows and likes Judge Hidalgo will be to this remains to be seen, but at least she’s saying something.
Good thing I’ll be getting a call to speak with Candidate Davis in the next week or so. As you may imagine, I have some questions.
I’ve heard a lot of positive comments about Erica Davis from people who used to work with her at the Precinct 1 Constables Office. Also, in my opinion, having a solid background in law enforcement and education is a huge plus for her. As far as County Judge Hidalgo, we all must consider the possibility that she could be under felony indictment for corruption sometime this year (see link below).
Anyway, rather than just endorse the incumbents, we need to seriously consider all our options in the upcoming primaries. As Democrats, we need to put forward the strongest candidates possible.
LINK:
https://cbsaustin.com/news/nation-world/democratic-leaders-in-texas-face-possible-felony-corruption-charges-houston-harris-county-mayor-sylvester-turner-judge-lina-hildago-harbor-venture-tom-mccasland-vaccine-outreach-elevate-strategies-felicity-pereyra-public-funds-money
How do we know you are not a paid consultant for Erica, and maybe under indictment somewhere.
You are spreading bull shit.
Manny,
Just read the media reports – the appearance of corruption is definitely there. D.A. Kim Ogg is now investigating the Elevate Strategies contract fiasco (bid-rigging?) and has already issued subpoenas to County Judge Hidalgo and others involved in the awarding of this contract. Like it or not, the possibility exists that this investigation could result in felony indictments. When considering all the candidates for County Judge, it doesn’t benefit us to just ignore this situation.
Anyway, I’m still researching all the candidates and haven’t decided whom to support yet.
Do you bother looking at the source you quote?
Right wing that spreads misinformation.
So that makes you no better.
Manny, this story has been covered extensively by the local media, to include Click2Houston, Abc13, the Houston Chronicle, etc. Just Google it.
You have no understanding of how business is done; if there were any truth to what you claim, then Greg Abbott would be behind bars.
You are a right-wing masquerading as a Democrat. Don’t you have misinformation that the 6th insurrections were FBI agents and Black Live supporters were the ones to try to overturn over government, to push elsewhere?
Manny, your diatribes are tiresome.
I assure you we Republicans will be discussing with the voters how Ms. Hidalgo awarded a contract to a political insider for a huge amount of money, regardless of whether there is an indictment.
As an aside, I find it amusing that Ms. Hidalgo has suddenly become concerned about the increase in crime, now that she has a challenger in her party and a half dozen in the other party who are hammering her on the issue. The uptick in crime and its relation (disputed by some) to bail reform will also be a big issue in November.
Oh God, Manny’s back.
POTENTIAL CRIMINALS ALL AROUND AND AS UBIQUITOUS AS DIRT
Accusing someone of having committed a crime sounds like defamation per se. Not to mention invoking felony grade, which is pretty serious. And this in light of a mere possibility?
Note that DOJ press releases contain a disclaimer as to the presumption of innocence when an indictment is officially announced.
Example: Four more charged in $35M COVID-19 relief fraud scheme (DOJ/USDC SD Tex. Dec. 15, 2021) (“An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.”)
https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdtx/pr/four-more-charged-35m-covid-19-relief-fraud-scheme
Here, there is merely an ongoing investigation.
That said, appearance and allegations of corruption and irregularities should of course be investigated and reported, but this highly premature talk about felonies is a bit much. In the gratuitous opinion of this Kibitzer anyhow.
The focus ought to be on the relevant facts, actions and omissions, not on legal conclusions that are for judge and/or jury to reach after a trial.
TEXAS CONSTITUTION
ARTICLE 1. BILL OF RIGHTS
Sec. 8. FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND PRESS; LIBEL. Every person shall be at liberty to speak, write or publish his opinions on any subject, being responsible for the abuse of that privilege; and no law shall ever be passed curtailing the liberty of speech or of the press. In prosecutions for the publication of papers, investigating the conduct of officers, or men in public capacity, or when the matter published is proper for public information, the truth thereof may be given in evidence. And in all indictments for libels, the jury shall have the right to determine the law and the facts, under the direction of the court, as in other cases.
Manny,
I worked for Harris County for 30 years and actually have a very detailed understanding of how business is normally done. I have directly participated on several RFP selection committees for multi-million-dollar county contracts, including the JPC and OMS projects. Based on the county’s standard eligibility requirements, I was very surprised that Elevate Strategies LLC was even allowed to bid on that contract. Even if multiple waivers were granted and Elevate Strategies’ bid was accepted, it is also extremely rare for a company to be awarded a contract when they submit a bid millions of dollars HIGHER than other competitive bids, especially when the higher bid proposal scores LOWER than the competitor’s bid. That just doesn’t make any sense. The County’s Purchasing Agent is supposed to oversee the entire RFP and contract award process and ensure compliance with county policies but, in this case, that oversight process appeared to break down. Anyway, the appearance of corruption is strong enough that D.A. Ogg (a Democrat) is investigating.
I’ve been a moderate Democrat for over 30 years. Unfortunately, over the last several years progressives have dragged the Democratic Party so far to the left that, to the mainstream voter, we can appear to be even more extremist and radical than ultra-right-wing Republicans. Democrats need to select and nominate moderate, well-qualified candidates if we want to win elections in the future. If the Republicans nominate ultra-right-wing nut jobs and we nominate common-sense moderates, I like our chances.
Summerlin:
While your charge of extremism on the part of local Dems – and ensuing ballot-box rejection — may be valid, you have (in this Kibitzer’s view at least) defamed Lina Hidalgo by accusing her of felonious conduct while an investigation is stilll pending and no indictment has been rendered.
Back it up! Or otherwise shame on you.
And where is your disclaimer as to presumption of innoncence?
Hidalgo is obviously not black (at best mestiza), and that seems to be a screening criterion among local Dems now, but to his credit, Kuff seems to think merits matter too. Sensible folks should side if Kuff even if you think Kibitzer is a nutcase (and that’s okay). So, if you think that Hidalgo ought to be treated like a felon, and not voted for because of some criminal possibility that you envision, back it up.
What do you know that the press and/or the prosecuting authorities don’t know?
Insufficient blackness won’t do it in a court of law. At least one would so hope.
Kibitzer,
Re-read my posts. I never said Judge Hidalgo was guilty of corruption or that she should be treated like a felon. I said (based on credible media report, link provided) that Democrats must consider the possibility that she could be under felony indictment later this year. Based on numerous media reports and the District Attorney’s Office ongoing investigation, that is a possibility (just my opinion) and we should all be aware of it. And yes, this is still America, so indicted people are still presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Also, I don’t know why you brought race into this discussion. In the upcoming elections, let’s just select and support the best candidates. While I strongly value diversity, that is just one consideration. Anyway, I’m going to move on now. I think this discussion has run its course.
Mainstream, like I, give a hoot what racists, fascists, Republicans think.
Greg why not say that about Abbott.
You Republicans are all the same, haters, racists, lying pieces of deplorable human beings.
C.L. I never left, I just had not posted, until the racist haters showed their faces.
Wonder why Mainstream and Greg don’t comment on their Republican Attorney General that does have charges pending?
Like I stated above, lying pieces of deplorable, Hillary was right and should have never apologized for saying it.
Not sure who you talk to. But there is alot of people at Pct 1 that work there who do not like her. She not the most popular or well thought of employee. If she run the county like she run Pct 1, then the rules do not apply to her and she have more power to make her more money and do what she want.