Tag Archives: Jerry Eversole

Checking in with Ed Gonzalez

Posted on November 12, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Also known as Harris County Sheriff-elect Ed Gonzalez. Ed Gonzalez will have a lot to do when he assumes the position of the county’s top cop in January. He’ll have to rein in overtime pay, manage the Harris County jail … Continue reading →

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RIP, El Franco Lee

Posted on January 5, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

The longest-serving and first African-American Harris County Commissioner passed away suddenly on Sunday. El Franco Lee, Harris County’s first African-American commissioner and a popular mainstay in the political community, died Sunday morning of a heart attack. He was 66. The … Continue reading →

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Eversole to seek Presidential pardon

Posted on March 30, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

For real. Three years after pleading guilty to lying to FBI agents and resigning his post as a Harris County commissioner to avoid further prosecution, Jerry Eversole is seeking a presidential pardon for his misdeeds. In a letter sent to … Continue reading →

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From the “If at first you don’t succeed” files

Posted on December 30, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Sometimes you have to try try again for 24 years to get what you want. It seems as if he never existed, but he certainly did. For 24 years, Charles Hixon attended nearly every Harris County Commissioners Court meeting to … Continue reading →

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Time for more information about Early To Rise

Posted on August 17, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

What Lisa Falkenberg says. They’ve turned over more than 150,000 signatures in favor of putting an early education tax on the Harris County ballot in November. Now the folks behind the Early to Rise campaign need to turn over the … Continue reading →

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HCDE hires Eversole to lobby for them

Posted on March 3, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

From the Things That Make Me Do A Facepalm department: The HCDE has hired Jerry Eversole as a lobbyist. Yeah, that Jerry Eversole. Eversole was taciturn in discussing his work Thursday, saying department of education officials approached him. His contract … Continue reading →

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Constable Trevino’s day in court

Posted on November 30, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

It went about as you’d expect. Precinct 6 Constable Victor Trevino and his attorney said Tuesday they expect the longtime law enforcement officer to be cleared of any wrongdoing in connection with allegations he abused his official role and used … Continue reading →

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Jail privatization update

Posted on November 27, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Grits, from about two weeks ago: In a conference call last week with investors (see the transcript), Corrections Corporation of America said it expects to find out by next spring whether they will receive a contract to operate the Harris … Continue reading →

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Eversole gets off easy

Posted on January 6, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

And so it ends. The receiving line of well-wishers and smiling faces that came to life in the usually somber federal courtroom Wednesday was 10 years in the making. Jerry Eversole, who fell from one of the highest perches in … Continue reading →

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Eversole and Surface whine for leniency

Posted on December 31, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Stop, you’re breaking my heart. Even after former Harris County Commissioner Jerry Eversole and real estate developer Michael Surface agreed to plea deals, their lawyers said prosecutors were trying to “criminalize” a 30-year friendship. In letters filed Wednesday to the … Continue reading →

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Surface gets probation

Posted on November 12, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Mike Surface, one of the developers implicated in the Jerry Eversole case and who pleaded guilty alongside Eversole to one count of filing a false income tax return, was given two years probation for his crime. Prosecutors asked for a … Continue reading →

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Commissioner Cagle

Posted on October 4, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

As predicted, the new County Commissioner is County Court Judge Jack Cagle. “Cactus” Jack Cagle was named Harris County Precinct 4 Commissioner this morning by County Judge Ed Emmett, ending two weeks of political intrigue that followed former Commissioner Jerry … Continue reading →

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Eversole pleads out

Posted on September 30, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Another saga comes to an end. Harris County Commissioner Jerry Eversole pleaded guilty this morning in federal court to a felony charge of making a false statement to FBI agents. The charge carries up to five years in prison and … Continue reading →

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Evaluating Eversole

Posted on September 27, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

As we prepare to say good-bye and good riddance to Jerry Eversole, the Chron takes a look at what he has achieved in office and what his legacy might be. After more than 20 years as a Harris County commissioner, … Continue reading →

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Eversole expected to take a plea

Posted on September 23, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t think this comes as a surprise to anyone. Harris County Commissioner Jerry Eversole, who on Monday announced his resignation from office, is expected to plead guilty to one count of making a false statement to FBI agents in … Continue reading →

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Everybody loves Ed

Posted on September 22, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Everybody who hopes to be appointed to Commissioners Court, anyway. In the hours after [Commissioner Jerry] Eversole’s announcement [that he would resign as of October 1], hopeful appointees pressed the flesh with local Republican leaders and scrambled to see whether … Continue reading →

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Eversole to resign

Posted on September 19, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Wow. Harris County Commissioner Jerry Eversole has submitted his resignation, county officials said, effective Oct. 1. Representatives in Harris County Judge Ed Emmett’s office confirmed Eversole submitted his resignation shortly after 2 p.m. today. Eversole represents about 1 million constituents … Continue reading →

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Commissioners Court approves its redistricting plan, DOJ approves city’s plan

Posted on August 9, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Greg and Stace attended today’s Commissioners Court meeting, where to nobody’s surprise the slightly-less-but-still-retrogressive new redistricting plan was unanimously approved. And why shouldn’t it be? It took care of the main, if not the sole, purpose of the task, which … Continue reading →

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Chron story on Harris County redistricting

Posted on August 7, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

County Commissioners are shocked and dismayed to learn that there are people who would question their ability to do whatever they want to do. The county released an amended map on Friday, having gathered community input on the initial map … Continue reading →

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The alternative Commissioners Court map

Posted on August 4, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Opponents of the proposed County Commissioners map have presented their version in the last public hearing on county redistricting. Democrat Sylvia Garcia was Precinct 2 commissioner from 2002 until this year, having lost to Republican Jack Morman in last November’s … Continue reading →

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Poor Jerry

Posted on July 23, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

I feel so, so sorry for him. Harris County Commissioner Jerry Eversole has racked up $1.1 million in legal bills fighting a federal corruption probe in the past two years, nearly exhausting his campaign funds months before his case is … Continue reading →

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Emmett goes after Raycraft

Posted on July 16, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

This will be fun to watch. Harris County Judge Ed Emmett, spurred by revelations about former finance chief Edwin Harrison’s business practices and personal conduct, is calling for Harrison’s boss — longtime budget director Dick Raycraft — to produce a … Continue reading →

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Meet the Harris County redistricting map

Posted on July 13, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

On the agenda yesterday at Commissioners Court – the long-awaited redistricting plan for County Commissioner precincts. The proposal would bring significant changes to several precinct boundaries, seeking to make the populations in the four commissioners’ precincts roughly equal, as required … Continue reading →

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Eversole and Surface to be tried together

Posted on April 28, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

There will be only one more trial relating to the Jerry Eversole case. We think, anyway. Harris County Commissioner Jerry Eversole and developer Michael Surface, two longtime friends who exchanged more than $100,000 in trips and gifts, will be tried … Continue reading →

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Trying Eversole, take 2

Posted on April 5, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The two sides in County Commissioner Jerry Eversole’s trial are planning for the sequel. The biggest help to each side, seasoned trial lawyers said, are the jurors who sat through three weeks of testimony. “I relied a lot on input … Continue reading →

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Hung jury for Eversole

Posted on March 30, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

It’s the one outcome guaranteed to ensure that nobody is happy. Federal prosecutors plan to retry their corruption case against Harris County Commissioner Jerry Eversole after a judge today declared a hung jury in the three-week trial on charges that … Continue reading →

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Eversole rests his case without presenting one

Posted on March 25, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

You have to admire the guts, if nothing else. In a move even his attorneys acknowledged was risky, Harris County Commissioner Jerry Eversole’s defense team rested Wednesday without calling a single witness after prosecutors ended more than two weeks of … Continue reading →

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Jury selection begins in Eversole trial

Posted on March 7, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Get your popcorn popper fired up. Jury selection begins this morning in the trial of Harris County Commissioner Jerry Eversole, who stands accused of accepting bribes from a friend and developer to whom he allegedly steered county contracts and appointments. … Continue reading →

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Harris County minus one?

Posted on February 27, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Despite essentially keeping up with the state growth rate, Harris County may lose a legislative seat in the next round of redistricting. As Texas lawmakers turn their attention to the complex and contentious task of redrawing their own districts, that … Continue reading →

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Eversole’s trial set for February 22

Posted on January 29, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Indicted County Commissioner Jerry Eversole got his wish for a speedy trial. Eversole’s jury trial is scheduled for Feb. 22. Thursday’s ruling by U.S. District Judge David Hittner is mixed news for the Eversole camp. Eversole’s attorney, Rusty Hardin, said … Continue reading →

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We’re not getting rid of Jerry Eversole that easily

Posted on January 15, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Federal indictments? Pshaw. Ain’t nuthin’ stopping Jerry Eversole. Harris County Precinct 4 Commissioner Jerry Eversole on Tuesday declared that he will be acquitted of federal bribery charges in his upcoming trial and left open the possibility he will run for … Continue reading →

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A brief history of Houston-based political corruption

Posted on December 31, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Nice overview of the political crime scene. Houston’s political landscape is littered with careers wrecked or damaged by allegations of wrongdoing, and for watchers of the political scene, the sight of [County Commissioner Jerry] Eversole in cuffs likely rekindled memories … Continue reading →

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Trying Eversole

Posted on December 26, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron wonders if the freshly-indicted Jerry Eversole can beat the rap. That will depend on whether federal prosecutors can convince a jury that the gifts Surface gave Eversole and the actions the commissioner took that benefited Surface constitute conspiracy … Continue reading →

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Eversole indicted

Posted on December 21, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

This has been so long in coming I was beginning to wonder if it would ever arrive. Harris County Precinct 4 Commissioner Jerry Eversole pleaded not guilty to federal bribery and income tax charges today. Eversole is charged with accepting … Continue reading →

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