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City of Houston and Harris County Statements on EPA Order for Union Pacific Contamination Cleanup, Harris County Attorney Christian D. Menefee Responds to Texas Comptroller, Harris County Attorney Announces Legal Action Against Landfill Expansion. Just for the comedy value, Id like to see this scenario play out. Directive, Power March 1, 2023 I stop mid-sentence sometimes at town halls. Rosen 717,202 84,691 0 1,322,398 Were not taking the position that the Legislature is opposed to voting by mail, Thompson said. UPDATE: Later in the day I found this Statesman story, which added a few details. Target letters inform the recipients that they are the target of a federal investigation, which means that the government intends to press civil or criminal charges against that person. If the name sounds familiar, it may be because Judge Peeples was the jurist who ruled that the abortion bounty hunter law SB8 violated the state constitution last December, though he did not issue a statewide injunction against it. See here for the background. Liens, Real First Assistant County Attorney Jonathan Fombonne wrote the Harris County Attorneys office was approving the agreement based on the understanding that the Texas Supreme Courts order does not prohibit the tabulating of those votes as long as the ballots themselves remain segregated., Kimberly Gdula, deputy chief of the Attorney Generals office general litigation division, signed off on the agreement in an email: The State is good with this., However, Sunday evening, two days before the commissioners court meeting to certify the election results, Hilton, the chief of the Attorney Generals office general litigation division, sent an email to the parties questioning the legal basis for including the provisional ballots cast after 7 p,m. Well just have to keep an eye on that. The judges listed as well as Lina have little in their campaign coffers. I think the Trib story contains the most relevant bit of information: The Election Day problems were unlikely to have been substantial enough to swing the results of the Harris County judges race, according to Bob Stein, a political science professor at Rice University. Some of the projects cost comes from other non-TxDOT sources, while some of the money dedicated on the project will not be spent until later parts of the construction, likely to stretch beyond 2032. But I will send out word when I learn more. Alexander Mealer is represented by Elizabeth Alvarez. 1 Cause No. No one wants that, but sometimes having the fight is the most straightforward way to resolve the dispute. Most letters will include a section labeled Definitions that instructs the recipient about how to interpret keywords within the text of the requests. DA is technically a state office for smaller counties, the DA can cover several of them at once so Id normally expect to see them on the Texas Ethics Commission site. Whats more, the Republican Party of Texas membership voted overwhelmingly at its statewide convention in June to make more election reforms its No. Though not a guarantee of funding or a commitment to build the projects listed, it details what the state plans to do. Neither he nor Ted Heap seems to have gotten any better at math or more truthful in general, so most likely this will play out in similar fashion. The Fifth Circuit asks the justice to answer whether a volunteer deputy registrar, or VDR, is a public official under the Texas Election Code; whether speech the plaintiffs intend to use constitutes solicitation within the context of the state code; and whether the Texas Attorney General has the power to enforce that code. If you have a favorite or two among them and a few bucks to spare, Im sure theyd appreciate a contribution. In a statement, Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee said his office will keep a close eye on Luncefords election contest. Its your own damn fault you didnt vote! She is the Harris County District Attorney in Texas and assumed office in 2017. I really dont think thats too much to ask. Forms, Independent Dan Simons is represented by Elizabeth Alvarez. 12 Cause No. for Deed, Promissory Greg Abbott recommended keeping the current waiting period. See here and here for some background; the story also references the lawsuit filed by Harris County that has been temporarily paused to allow the discussion that led to this agreement. I am requesting that the Harris County Elections Administrator take the actions required by the Texas Election Code.. 5 Cause No. Minutes, Corporate Claim your certified mail. That letter must include the following four paragraphs: 1. Longoria said her office was now taking a passive approach to voter outreach in regard to voting by mail, with staffers gingerly weighing their words while answering voters questions about their options. Those against the project often note it will result in the demolition of more than 1,000 residences, nearly 350 businesses and a handful of schools and churches. Chris Daniel is represented by Elizabeth Alvarez. The clerk told me I had wrote a bad check for $16.00 and with Attorny Fee's it's now $86.00 shocked to hear the charge..I asked for details on the check she said she can't not give me that info only as to the business name who sent check to them. Federal prosecutors sometimes resemble sharks, because they are frequently unwilling to abandon even fruitless investigations unless they draw some blood. It will only work when communication between the parties is good enough for them to engage in a discussion without arguments, no serious power imbalance between the parties exist, and full transparency of financial matters is available. The Harris County Elections Administrators Office also issued a statement, saying it readily has responded to requests that do not require documents subject to the litigation, and has sought an opinion from the attorney generals office on those that do. Harris Countys decision to allow volunteers to transport election records including voted ballots to the countys Central Count location on Election Night is incompatible with the Texas Election Code and violates well-established chain of custody protocols spelled out under Texas law, Texas Secretary of State spokesperson Sam Taylor said in a statement on Friday. Thats one of many reasons why I plan to do everything I can to protect public health.. Texas Attorney General Website (How to Request Public Information), Harris County Attorneys Office,1019 Congress,15th FloorHouston, TX 77002. Briones 819,495 331,782 0 667,234 There is nothing more reliable in this world than the Fifth Circuit giving Republicans everything they ask for. See here and here for the background. To make its case, Mealers legal team will have to find evidence that more than 18,000 voters were unable to cast ballots on Election Day, and that all of those voters planned to vote for Mealer, Stein said. See here for the background. Click the Create button below for a Certified Letter of Disposition or enter additional information . I just was looking and several firms advise against even signing for these things. In response to each of the requests for public information, the elections office responded by seeking an opinion from the Texas Attorney Generals office allowing it to withhold the information due to ongoing litigation, the lawsuit states. Speaking Engagement- Use this link to request the County Attorney speak to an audience at an event. Litigators travel more than corporate attorneys. As noted recently, there are other obstacles to the project, though perhaps if Harris County and TxDOT can settle their differences, those can be handled as well. The judge said the law likely violates the First Amendment. One reason for the expected slow count Tuesday is the Harris County Republican Partys decision to break with the countys ballot delivery plan, according to Harris County Elections Administrator Isabel Longoria. They also ensure Harris Countys compliance with environmental regulations; represents the county in state administrative hearings; and coordinates with federal, state, and local stakeholders on environmental legislation, rules, and policies affecting the county and its citizens. Their presence allows us to view a case from both points of view the defense and the prosecution. Tenant, More Real It also doesnt matter whether the regular Republicans support this madness or not. The citys press release is here. Well see him in court.. Nearly 70% of voters cast their ballots during the early voting period, but Mealer only cites issues on Election Day itself. The office also includes the Harris County Robert W. Hainsworth Law Library, which is a public library that serves the legal information needs of self-represented litigants, legal professionals, the judiciary, and County and other governmental officials. According to emails shared with Chronicle, parties including the Texas Attorney Generals office, Harris County Attorneys office, Texas Civil Rights Project, Harris County Republican Party and Harris County Democratic Party all signed off an agreement on Nov. 11 for processing the provisional ballots. If it is charges it'll give you the opportunity to prepare if you get the paperwork. This case will focus on the details of every aspect of the November 8 election in Harris County. The Texas Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that Harris County can include about 2,100 ballots cast during an extra hour of Election Day voting when officials certify the midterm results. Standards and Procedures . While remaining supportive of parts of the project, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and city staff have suggested several changes to the project to eliminate some frontage road lanes, re-stitch neighborhoods divided by the freeway with better bike and pedestrian access, and increase commitments to community housing and flood control. Bruce Bain is represented by Elizabeth Alvarez. Federal and state laws requires ballots be securely stored for 22 months after an election, in part to preserve them for recounts or challenges to election results. . The Harris County Elections Administrators Office received a flood of affidavits this summer challenging the eligibility of thousands of registered voters throughout the county, accusing them of not living at the addresses listed on registration records. Greg Abbotts order prohibiting local COVID-19 restrictions. These election contests are frivolous attempts to overturn the votes of more than a million residents in the third largest county in the country. If you need to write a similar letter. Agreements, Bill On balance, with the improvements I think you have an excellent project that will move forward and move the greater good.. Customer Service. View Website View Lawyer Profile Email Lawyer. In a primary election, each polling location has one judge from each party overseeing their own partys voting process. Each of them should be deeply embarrassed and these claims should not be taken seriously by the public, said Harris County Attorney Christian D. Menefee. Alan Rosen had his eye on the Sheriffs office back when Ed Gonzalez was a nominee for head of ICE, but thats off the table now. Federal officials have lifted their pause on a small piece of the planned Interstate 45 mega-project that will remake downtown Houstons freeway system and has divided state transportation planners, community groups and local politicians. 4 Cause No. The agreement announced Monday does not remove the pause the Federal Highway Administration placed on the project in March 2021. Look at how zealously they opposed all of the efforts to expand voting access in the pandemic, including the third week of early voting that Greg Abbott ordered. of Incorporation, Shareholders Schools also are required to notify parents when a student has close contact with someone who tests positive for the virus. It is the May 7 election, and widespread problems that day, that prompted the concerns in the first place. Cant let Mattress Mack undo election wins. You could have voted early! As I said before, the obvious way to deal with delays in opening a given voting location is to push back the closing time for it. None of the affidavits led to county elections officials removing any names from the voter rolls. I do know that at least one more loser has filed a losers contest, but I dont care to give any of this any more validity. Hiring a lawyer is expensive, but if a party is holding off on retaining one because they cant afford the costs, there are options they should pursue. If you can do better than I did, or if the webpage eventually fixes itself, let me know. In a statement Tuesday, Harris County Attorney Christian Menefees office said: The requests for these documents were handled the same as any other requests for documents related to ongoing litigation against the county. (S or C-Corps), Articles The mayor announced Thursday that Arturo G. Michel is returning to government as City Attorney for the City of Houston. The lawsuit follows the approval by the Harris County Bail Bond Board to require bondsmen to take in 10 percent or more of the surety bond minimum set by a judge or magistrate to make it more difficult for violent offenders to leave jail and go on to commit more crime. There were a half-dozen voting locations within walking distance of my house on Election Day. That one would be heard in the House by a House committee, if Speaker Phelan for some reason doesnt toss it as a frivolous waste of time. In a 4-1 vote, the court authorized County Attorney Christian Menefee to pursue a lawsuit against the comptrollers office. The debate over law-enforcement funding in Harris County stems from the countys decision to shift its fiscal year and budgeting schedule to start in October instead of March. Facility operators say the plants are safe and need to be close to construction sites. & Resolutions, Corporate Pick a favored file format to save the document (.pdf or .docx). Under Hegars calculations, Heaps annualized budget would have been about $48.9 million over 12 months nearly $2.3 million off from the $46.7 million figure calculated by the county. For more information contact the Information & Public Service Department at 713-274-6390 or email ccoinfoFM@hccountyclerk.com. local news and culture, Faith Bugenhagen Despite the GOPs criticism, at least 40 Republican judges are choosing to participate in the countys plan. The USPS rede livery form states that it was both a letter and certified mail. To say the least, that is a massive, massive upending of the regular democratic order. An additional $10 collection fee will be added to each invoice referred to collections, as approved by Harris County Commissioners Court in September 2020. To Access County Clerk's Forms: (click here Downloadable Clerk's Office Forms) For suggestions or comments regarding this site please email us at webcomments@hctx.net. Judge Craft is represented by Steve Kherker. We appreciate your patience and look forward to speaking with you soon. The men gave her an official-looking affidavit form and asked her to sign it attesting to the residents at the address under penalty of perjury.. Danna 1,983 19,814 18,452 982 Operating Agreements, Employment James Lombardino is represented by Jared Woodfill. (Except for Steve Radack, who still has a nice chunk of change in his account.) See here for more on that, and here for the response letter, which also observes that the people who want to get the I-45 project going dont represent those who will be affected by it. Details big and small remain works in progress and a federal pause looms as the last big hurdle, for now, as officials move ahead after last months agreements. In at least one race, the provisional ballots could impact the outcome. With fewer people needing bail bonds because fewer people were being assessed bail, bail bond companies saw their revenues decline and so they looked for new customers by lowering their fees so as to entice those who were still being required to pay bail but couldnt afford their fees. To put it another way, good luck proving intent. Disclaimer | Longoria has planned to engage in speeches and hold voter-outreach events but has been unable to do so for fear of criminal prosecution and civil penalties, said Tuesdays filing, adding that Longoria also halted plans to promote mail-in voting with fliers and on social media. Democratic AGs file lawsuit to ease access to mifepristone, Former Land Commissioners oppose anti-Open Beaches bill, So it looks like that TEA takeover of HISD is going to happen, So about that DPS delay in notifying the victims of the credential stuffing attack, Superintendant House speaks about the looming TEA takeover Off the Kuff, Life at the Harris County Criminal Justice Center, Ramblings of an HHSC Employee amidst chaos, They are Building a Wal-Mart on My Street. County Attorney Christian Menefee and Lone Star lawyers alleged in separate complaints to the EPA earlier this year that the state agency discriminated against Black and Latino residents when they didnt adequately ensure communities would be protected and didnt appropriately seek input from people who arent fluent in English. Longoria and Morgan, however, told U.S. District Judge Fred Biery of San Antonio that waiting until summer is not an option for a prohibition that will handcuff them in the weeks leading up to the March 1 Texas primaries. County election officials around the state are already reporting getting a bunch of requests, some of which appear to be part of a coordinated effort. Are there more parks like Fairfield Lake out there? It would be difficult to overstate our disappointment in the contents of these two (agreements), the closed-door manner in which they were created and signed, the lack of sufficient time for the public to read and respond to them, and the tone with which they were presented, the group said. r/magic8ball I wish this was a thing and not a dead sub with one post. The article is paywalled, but I got to see a Google doc copy of it. Who is the county attorney Harris County? Let me just show you what that second linked file says: The case underlying these certified questions is a pre-enforcement challenge to two recently enacted provisions of the Texas Election Code: section 276.016(a) (the anti-solicitation provision) and section 31.129 (the civil-liability provision) as applied to the anti-solicitation provision. This is often a good strategy, but it comes with some caveats. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Sales, Landlord Governors have broad power under the Disaster Act, he said, noting that the state Supreme Court sided with Abbott when Travis County attempted to enact a New Years Eve curfew for restaurants. How TxDOT will rebuild Interstate 69 beneath Metropolitan Transit Authoritys Red Line light rail in Midtown while keeping the trains moving as much as possible. The SOS raised no concerns, legal or otherwise, with the program. I was all set to have a peaceful weekend when I came across a press release from Commissioner Ellis office on Friday afternoon about this. Members of the Texas Transportation Commission, however, stopped short of imposing a deadline or considering shelving the project, as they have in the past when removing the $9 billion plan from the states short-range plan was a possibility. In the old days, when you had to vote at your precinct location, you really were screwed. Hidalgos order requires students, teachers, staff and visitors to K-12 schools and daycare centers to wear face coverings. The challenged provision makes it a state jail felony for election officials to solicit the submission of an application to vote by mail if the voter did not request it. USLF amends and updates the forms as is required by Texas statutes and law. And facilities are often in communities of color not wealthy, white River Oaks making what has been happening clear environmental racism, state Sen. Borris Miles said. 8(lost to Judge Erika Ramirez), Bruce Bain, former candidate for the269th District Court(lost to Judge Cory Sepolio), Michelle Fraga, former candidate for the281st District Court(lost to Judge Christine Weems), Elizabeth Buss, former candidate for theHarris County Criminal Court at Law No. The resulting ability to anticipate the governments case strategy gives us a critical edge over firms that lack this capability. and help keep the future of the Houston Press, Use of this website constitutes acceptance of our. We expect TxDOT to uphold its end of this historic agreement, and not only to evaluate the impacts over the next year but to agree to and fund real solutions that address concerns about displacement, pollution, flooding and impacts on the public transportation network, said Harris County Pct. Greg Abbott expanded early voting for an additional week to allow more people concerned about COVID-19 to vote before Election Day. 5:00AM. Respondents are ordered to provide the Court with a copy of the canvass results, including the separately tabulated later cast votes, as soon as they are available. The Real Estate Practice Group handles legal matters regarding the Countys acquisitions and sales of real property. Wyatt 1,950 2,110 0 2,258 Upon receiving a sworn statement challenging a voters residence, election officials must send a Notice of Address Confirmation to the voter in question. They couldnt hold out forever theres a lot of pressure to make I-45 renovation and expansion happen and no one gets everything they want in a negotiation. The bail board, as the lawsuit points out, is designed to oversee the bonding business in Harris County. Todays decision allows the threat of criminal prosecution to loom over election officials trying to help voters.. Provides legal advice to the Commissioners Court and to other elected officials. This 11th-hour ask to throw those votes away should not be tolerated, especially considering the State rejected the Countys offer to hold off on counting these votes while it sought clarification from the Supreme Court, Werner added. Ramsey 550,625 149,433 0 944,935 Im pleased with the courts decision today to reject the request for a temporary restraining order that would have blocked this rule from being implemented.. Burgess 940 14,710 5,207 5,403 Jerry Garcia, Constable Precinct 2 They dont know when theyre going to run afoul of this vague [law].. 1) that makes it a crime for election officials and election workers to encourage voters to vote by mail, whether or not those voters are eligible under Texas law to do so. A legal opinion released by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton last week will almost certainly throw county elections offices into chaos after November, experts say, exposing election clerks to possible criminal charges and materially reducing the security of every ballot cast in the state. Not that Im complaining. These losing candidates are finally laying bare what we all know to be true for them, its not about improving elections or making sure our elections are secure, its about playing games with our democratic systems and refusing to accept the will of the voters.. From the inbox, a press release from Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee: Judge David Peeples will preside over the election contest filed by Republican candidate Erin Lunceford to void the results of her race for the 189th District Court in the November 2022 Harris County General Election. https://mailchi.mp/3860a20fae8b/we-need-your-help?e=cf7bb2b770&fbclid=IwAR3bf6Pdu4mhPHiTnPDtpzT361sMx5VyDAxSnUXy7qM7EbTLGfZabSUiT4w, Clubs in Action PAC (@CIAHTX) 8:32 PM 27 February 2023. Public servants have moved on. It appears you forgot to include your location in the title or body of your post. We cant spend money to design and we cant spend money to do those things, Ryan said at the forum, which drew criticism because it was for paying guests only at an event sponsored by various engineering, construction and planning firms. We expect TxDOT to work alongside us to achieve the same. Sometimes if you sign up for trustee (work while in jail) they give you and extra days credit. And even the states witness Keith Ingram, the Texas secretary of states director of elections indicated the threat of prosecution loomed over election officials. The other thing is this: because theres enough prosecutorial discretion thats involved, it takes time obviously justice takes time and any sort of delay in court action could be months from now, long after, hopefully, the crisis and the spike in delta has passed. Steve Radack. You really gonna claim that there were over two thousand of them, and all of them were going to vote for Erin Lunceford? In his orders, hell suspend two to three laws specifically by name, and then hell say any other laws that could allow a local official to do something inconsistent with what Im doing, Menefee said. You can also contribute to any candidate you like directly just google them or find their campaign Facebook page to get to a suitable Donate link for them. Though there is concern about the projects impacts in Midtown, Third Ward and Eado, the most vocal opposition to the project emanates from north of downtown where TxDOT proposes to add two managed lanes in each direction to I-45. I didnt write about the initial failure of the board to pass a rule requiring that bail bond companies must charge a minimum of ten percent of whatever bail had been set. Last year, TCEQ approved an amendment that included exemptions for emission limitations for concrete batch plants, in response to an application to construct a plant by a Fort Worth concrete company. My office is going to do everything we can to protect every single vote that was cast. In the roughly 20 months since, officials chipped away at the differences,postponing action on the countys lawsuitand awaiting the federal review, while exploring what changes TxDOT could make to appease concerns. Earlier on Thursday, County Attorney Christian Menefee filed a lawsuit challenging Gov. & Estates, Corporate - 2023-00930; Mark Goldberg v. Judge Erika Ramirez. Works with law enforcement officers in the investigation of criminal cases. Weve seen this show before Comptroller Hegar misconstruing the law and playing political games to make headlines, Menefee tweeted. I have no context to guess how long it may take, though Id expect that if the state doesnt like what the EPA says well get a lawsuit afterwards. (Any lawyers out there that want to help, by all means please do.). Harris County Community Supervision & Corrections Department; Harris County Pretrial Services ; HC AZ; Court Agenda; County Directory; Fortunately, we know how to handle these types in fact, many of our clients have been shocked to learn that their investigations have been closed with zero civil or criminal liability. 1, Longoria, Morgan, and other election officials and election workers across Texas can be imprisoned for a minimum of six months and fined up to $10,000 if they encourage a voter to apply for a mail ballot application. The guardian of the person is authorized to make decisions about health care, living arrangements, and similar matters, but has no authority to expend funds. Although the scope of Rodriguezs preliminary injunction is limited, the judge dealt the first legal blow to new elections restrictions and voting changes Republican lawmakers enacted last year. Usually, federal agents will handle investigative tasks, such as interviewing witnesses or executing search warrants, and then the United States Attorneys Office will rely on those investigative efforts of the federal agents to build a case for trial. They elicit strong backlash from residents who often already know what its like to live by one. No matter how you get there, bullshit still walks. Update: I'm being summoned to the county court to defend myself for reckless driving charges. The challenges were first reported by The New York Times, which found the affidavits disputed the eligibility of more than 6,000 voters. Hani Mirza, legal director of the Texas Civil Rights Projects voting rights program, was part of the team that sought the court order extending voting hours this year. I did not see any news items related to this, so what you see here is all I know. The remedy, if they somehow win on these laughable claims, would be to redo the entire damn election. Former officer Gerald Goines led a raid on the home, which police believed to. Planning, Wills There will be a lot more litigation over the rest of that law to come. I'm only ever in the county my college is in for school alone. Thank you for your time and consideration. Commissioners courtOfficeNameHarris County Commissioners Court JudgeLina HidalgoHarris County Commissioners Court Precinct 1Rodney EllisHarris County Commissioners Court Precinct 2Adrian GarciaHarris County Commissioners Court Precinct 3Tom Ramsey1 more row. Further, the EAs Office discussed the plan for both May elections with both political parties as early as April 7. If the facts as stated above are accurate, then this really is another case of political math being used in place of, well, math. Given that Harris County voters cast more than 1.1 million ballots overall, the 2,000 provisional ballots have little chance of changing most election outcomes. Target letters inform the recipients that they are the target of a federal investigation, which means that the government intends to press civil or , The letters stem from the investigation into the 2019 drug raid of a small home on Harding Street in south Houston.