As with endorsement editorials, they’re going to need to write a lot of these in the next couple of weeks.
Commissioner Rodney Ellis
Few Harris County politicians — of any party — are eager to challenge Rodney Ellis, the widely known, well-funded, well-connected Precinct 1 commissioner. Former state district judge Maria T. Jackson says she is up to the task.
The Democratic primary in March will all but crown the winner in November’s general election, as the Republican Party has put forth no candidates in the heavily Democratic precinct, which includes Sunnyside, Downtown, Midtown, Montrose, The Heights, Acres Homes, Greenspoint, Kashmere Gardens and parts of northeast Harris County.
Ellis casts himself as a champion of progressive causes, citing his work reforming Harris County’s bail system, raising the minimum wage for county contractors and ensuring that funds from the landmark $2.5 billion flood bond benefit rich and poor neighborhoods equally.
“During my four years on Commissioners Court, I think I’ve had the same energy, despite my many years in public service, of being a change-maker,” Ellis said.
[…]
Jackson said she would better represent Precinct 1’s impoverished communities than Ellis and be a moderate advocate on criminal justice issues. She said the commissioner has failed to promote economic development in neighborhoods like Sunnyside and neglected the downtown criminal justice complex which was badly damaged by 2017’s Hurricane Harvey. For starters, she said, Commissioners Court needs to build a new criminal courthouse.
“To me, Harris County has gone backwards,” Jackson said of Ellis’s tenure.
After five years as a municipal court judge, Jackson was elected as a felony judge in the 339th State District Court in 2008. She was the longest serving judge in Harris County when she stepped down in September to take a position in the tax assessor’s office and prepare for her Precinct 1 campaign.
During a 90-minute candidate screening with the Houston Chronicle editorial board last month, Ellis displayed a rapt attention for policy details he brings to Commissioners Court meetings. He said he benefits from a sharp team of analysts he assembled, in contrast to other commissioners who organize their staffs around road and park maintenance.
Jackson, 55, struggled to articulate positions on issues such as flood control and criminal justice reform.
She said she supported the landmark misdemeanor bail settlement Ellis helped draft, though she misstated parts of the deal. She alleged the settlement, which could cost as much as $97 million over seven years, would provide free Uber rides and cell phones to defendants. Those benefits were part of a draft settlement proposal, but were removed before Commissioners Court approved the agreement in July.
Jackson said she supports reforming the felony bail system, but criticized Ellis for supporting a potential lawsuit against the county’s felony judges to force changes. Judges have the expertise, she said, to ensure only defendants who pose a public safety risk are jailed before trial.
“You have to be thoughtful about dangerous criminals hurting the public,” Jackson said. “I just want to be smart on who’s released.”
My interview with Commissioner Ellis is here; as noted in that post, Jackson declined to do an interview with me. If you’re wondering what a “moderate advocate on criminal justice issues” might be, this appears later in the story:
Jackson accepted contributions from six bail bond firms, as well as the state bail bondsmen and Houston Police Officers Union political action committees in the last six months of 2019. Bail bond firms and the police union have lobbied against criminal justice reforms that would allow more defendants to be released without bail.
Yeah. The bail reform settlement we got doesn’t happen without Rodney Ellis. I was supporting him anyway, but that clinches it beyond any doubt. This is not a time to go backwards.
Women power! Houston Chronicle is a white supremacist magazine that prefers less qualified mens over women.
Bail Reform
It is case after case after case, he is already on deferred for multiple felonies (thanks DA Ogg), while on deferred he commits MURDER and Aggr Assault. Judge Franklin allows him to post bail on all and he is out again, without violating the deferreds.
This is not hyperbole, this failed social experiment is costing Houstonians their lives. All because Kim Ogg and certain Judges continue to handle violent, repeat offenders with kid gloves. Meanwhile we all suffer….
From HPOU page:
This is Gerald Washington. While on Deferred Adjudication x 2, commits Murder and Agg Assault x 2… Posts bail on all four charges and commits Agg Assault and Murder. This happened in Judge Ramona Franklin’s 338th District Court with Kim Ogg’s office complacent in making sweetheart deals. More details to follow… #HarrisCountyDeservesBetter
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LOL @ Jennifer
Vote Vagina 2020! You go girl, with your bad self! Keep denigrating those evil men, especially those evil WHITE men, like our host, Kuff, and most of the other regular posters here. You’re doing great!