​The picture above was sent out by the Houston Police Officers Houston. The union believes Mayor Whitmire merits a statue because of the recent proposed union contract with the city.

The contract is very expensive to taxpayers and has no performance standards as part of the big money. These things are important, but are a bit outside the work I do on the Houston Democracy Project. I will comment soon on the ongoing Houston city budget process about how the city has no idea how federal cuts will impact the budget. The six Republicans on Houston City Council especially, must take responsibility
for bad circumstances they have helped create.

My focus here is that the proposed contract makes it even more difficult to discipline Houston Police officers. This comes at the same time Trump has issued an Executive Order making police almost unaccountable & establishing a framework for U.S. military cooperation with local law enforcement.

From The Houston Chronicle:

"The tentative agreement will also give officers the opportunity to reduce any suspensions of three days or less down to discipline without a suspension and give those suspended five days or less the opportunity to use up to 10 days. Officers will only be orally interrogated by internal affairs if criminal activity is suspected...Officers who are called to court will also receive a minimum four hours of overtime, compared to the existing two-hour minimum, records show."

This contract in these times should make Houston Police more accountable to the people of Houston. Not the other way around. The Democrat we elected as Mayor should understand this obvious fact.

The Houston Police Union has in recent weeks retweeted and given further voice to extremists such as Charlie Kirk, Wesley Hunt and Dan Patrick, undermined law and order by being part of the relentless attacks on our judges and been silent about sustained assaults on civil liberties from Trump.

Each police officer will have the autonomy in the challenging days ahead to decide to follow or not follow any unconstitutional orders & any orders that take away freedoms established by law. This is the standard by which public officials and people with authority will be judged on when the day of lawful and procedural account comes for the Trump Administration. We can’t assess people in advance or create a self-fulfilling prophecy of wrong action. People must be taken as individuals. 

It is disappointing Mayor Whitmire is so comfortable with police union support. The police union does not reflect the values of our city. 

These subjects can be uncomfortable to think about because the stakes are so high with our rights on the line. But this is where we are. We must see clearly, speak up & advocate for ourselves.

Here is information on contacting and following Houston City Council--

Public comment time at Houston City Council is each Tuesday at 2 PM. Here is how you can speak at Council and here is how to contact your councilmember.  The earlier before the session you sign up, the higher up on the speaker's list you'll be. The agenda session to conduct Council business is each Wednesday at 9 AM. The agenda is posted in advance. Council can be watched live on HTV Houston Television and the most recent session is available at any time on the HTV feed on Facebook. Here is the link to past sessions of Council.

​Here is the Houston Democracy Project list of things each of us can do to fight Trump/Musk. Here is a fundraising pitch for the Houston Democracy Project. I'm doing the work and showing up in many different ways.  Please help the effort. ​​

I'm on the Egberto Willies Politics Done Right Show every Thursday from 6 AM to 7 AM for the Houston Democracy Project segment. You can hear the show on the radio, stream it on KPFT or watch later Egberto's YouTube channel.

​The City of Houston and the Houston Police Officer's "union" have signed a new contract. The contract is for a lot of money which is addressed in this article from NPR station KUHF. While I will have something to say on that soon, budget issues are somewhat outside my work on the Houston Democracy Project. 

​(Above is a city picture of the announcement of the contract.)

What concerns me here is that the new contract makes it more difficult to discipline Houston Police officers. 

​From The Houston Chronicle:

"The tentative agreement will also give officers the opportunity to reduce any suspensions of three days or less down to discipline without a suspension and give those suspended five days or less the opportunity to use up to 10 days. Officers will only be orally interrogated by internal affairs if criminal activity is suspected...Officers who are called to court will also receive a minimum four hours of overtime, compared to the existing two-hour minimum, records show."

To make it more difficult to discipline police officers here in Houston as Trump is issuing executive orders allowing police officers to run wild and outlining how the military will be cooperating with local police is really something. It's a slap in the face to freedom-loving Houstonians & a public safety menace as protest becomes more and more essential. 

Tell Houston City Council that they must have our backs.  Here is how to follow and contact Council: 

Public comment time at Houston City Council is each Tuesday at 2 PM. Here is how you can speak at Council and here is how to contact your councilmember.  The earlier before the session you sign up, the higher up on the speaker's list you'll be. The agenda session to conduct Council business is each Wednesday at 9 AM. The agenda is posted in advance. Council can be watched live on HTV Houston Television and the most recent session is available at any time on the HTV feed on Facebook. Here is the link to past sessions of Council.

Below is the text of Trump's order. You should read it and be able to speak to it so everybody knows what is going on and how best to respond. 

Here is the order: 
​
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered:

Section 1.  Purpose and Policy.  Safe communities rely on the backbone and heroism of a tough and well-equipped police force.  My Administration is steadfastly committed to empowering State and local law enforcement to firmly police dangerous criminal behavior and protect innocent citizens. 
​
When local leaders demonize law enforcement and impose legal and political handcuffs that make aggressively enforcing the law impossible, crime thrives and innocent citizens and small business owners suffer.  My Administration will therefore:  establish best practices at the State and local level for cities to unleash high-impact local police forces; protect and defend law enforcement officers wrongly accused and abused by State or local officials; and surge resources to officers in need.  My Administration will work to ensure that law enforcement officers across America focus on ending crime, not pursuing harmful, illegal race- and sex-based “equity” policies. 

The result will be a law-abiding society in which tenacious law enforcement officers protect the innocent, violations of law are not tolerated, and American communities are safely enjoyed by all their citizens again.

Sec. 2.  Legal Defense of Law Enforcement Officers.  The Attorney General shall take all appropriate action to create a mechanism to provide legal resources and indemnification to law enforcement officers who unjustly incur expenses and liabilities for actions taken during the performance of their official duties to enforce the law.  This mechanism shall include the use of private-sector pro bono assistance for such law enforcement officers.

Sec. 3.  Empowering State and Local Law Enforcement.  (a) The Attorney General and other appropriate heads of executive departments and agencies (agencies) shall take all appropriate action to maximize the use of Federal resources to:
(i)    provide new best practices to State and local law enforcement to aggressively police communities against all crimes;
(ii)   expand access and improve the quality of training available to State and local law enforcement;
(iii)  increase pay and benefits for law enforcement officers;
(iv)   strengthen and expand legal protections for law enforcement officers; 
(v)    seek enhanced sentences for crimes against law enforcement officers;
(vi)   promote investment in the security and capacity of prisons; and
(vii)  increase the investment in and collection, distribution, and uniformity of crime data across jurisdictions.
(b)  Within 60 days of the date of this order, the Attorney General shall review all ongoing Federal consent decrees, out-of-court agreements, and post-judgment orders to which a State or local law enforcement agency is a party and modify, rescind, or move to conclude such measures that unduly impede the performance of law enforcement functions.

Sec. 4.  Using National Security Assets for Law and Order.  (a)  Within 90 days of the date of this order, the Attorney General and the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security and the heads of agencies as appropriate, shall increase the provision of excess military and national security assets in local jurisdictions to assist State and local law enforcement.
(b)  Within 90 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Attorney General, shall determine how military and national security assets, training, non-lethal capabilities, and personnel can most effectively be utilized to prevent crime.

Sec. 5.  Holding State and Local Officials Accountable. The Attorney General shall pursue all necessary legal remedies and enforcement measures to enforce the rights of Americans impacted by crime and shall prioritize prosecution of any applicable violations of Federal criminal law with respect to State and local jurisdictions whose officials:
(a)  willfully and unlawfully direct the obstruction of criminal law, including by directly and unlawfully prohibiting law enforcement officers from carrying out duties necessary for public safety and law enforcement; or    
(b)  unlawfully engage in discrimination or civil-rights violations under the guise of “diversity, equity, and inclusion” initiatives that restrict law enforcement activity or endanger citizens.

Sec. 6.  Use of Homeland Security Task Forces.  The Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall utilize the Homeland Security Task Forces (HSTFs) formed in accordance with Executive Order 14159 of January 20, 2025 (Protecting the American People Against Invasion) to coordinate and advance the objectives of this order.

Here is the Houston Democracy Project list of things each of us can do to fight Trump/Musk. Here is a fundraising pitch for the Houston Democracy Project. I'm doing the work and showing up in many different ways.  Please help the effort. ​​

I'm on the Egberto Willies Politics Done Right Show every Thursday from 6 AM to 7 AM for the Houston Democracy Project segment. You can hear the show on the radio, stream it on KPFT or watch later Egberto's YouTube channel.

​The election a few days ago in Australia was another clear case--along with Canada last week--of Trump--and all who have enabled him including here in Houston/Harris County--costing the right an election they were set to win. In Australia, the right took heaver losses than in Canada.

(Above-Australia)

This is a good trend for the U.S. in 2026. Elections are important.

Here are three questions about 2026 elections:
​
1. Will the right allow them to be conducted and counted fairly and how will we fight back? 

​2. Even if Democrats make strong gains, when will we openly address the question of how to end--and how to win--a lifetime of conflict with the right?

3. Will local Democratic leaders such as Rodney Ellis & Carol Alvarado, invest their substantial campaign $'s in helping active rank & file Democrats as we work to protect our judges and our majority on the Harris County Commissioner's Court.

Even if it is far away, let's make it local. Our fight is right here. We can't allow Trump's poor poll numbers at the moment or the fact his brand seems toxic across much of the world, allow the Democratic establishment to tell us just wait until for the next election rather than to hold them accountable and to take leadership on our own. 

​Here is the Houston Democracy Project list of things each of us can do to fight Trump/Musk. Here is a fundraising pitch for the Houston Democracy Project. I'm doing the work and showing up in many different ways.  Please help the effort. ​​

I'm on the Egberto Willies Politics Done Right Show every Thursday from 6 AM to 7 AM for the Houston Democracy Project segment. You can hear the show on the radio, stream it on KPFT or watch later Egberto's YouTube channel.

​This past Thursday, I was one of five from the John Cornyn Houston Office Protest team who attended the Houston event for the National Law Day of Action. The event was well-organized and we appreciated the attorneys and elected officials who were there. We encourage more from the professional classes to join the fight. (The John Cornyn Houston Office Protest is each Tuesday, 11:30-1, 5300 Memorial Drive.)

Law firms should not yield to Trump or help end the rule of law. They should instead oppose Trump and fight for the rule of law.

This morning, I was joined by my Cornyn Protest Colleague Mauri Lucas at Melissa McDonough’s interactive community conversation at First Metropolitan Church. Melisssa ran a strong race as the Democratic nominee in CD 38 in 2024. She is considering her options for 2026.

Mauri and I were at a table where people came and asked about protest. They asked where are the protests in Houston & how can one organize or take part in a protest.

On the question of taking part in protests, Mauri & I told people:

*The next protest is when you organize it.
*The First Amendment is your permit.
*Whatever number of people you get at your protest is good.
*Protests are mostly safe so far. Since we are up against an authoritarian and white supremacist opponent, it will not be fully safe. You should not expect it to be safe.
*Police are indeed often more aggressive or more likely to provoke when many Black people are at a protest.
*Whatever way you are taking part in this challenge—That is your call.
*Trump has recently issued an Executive Order that gives cops wide immunity & openly discusses the military military working with local law enforcement.
*There is a lot of trouble ahead. We will see where it all goes & how we each choose to respond. We are the leaders. We are the main act.

This is all part of my work on the Houston Democracy Project. 

There are four pictures here.  1. The law event itself. 2. Cornyn Team at law deal. 3. The event this morning. 4. Mauri & I this morning.
​
Here is the Houston Democracy Project list of things each of us can do to fight Trump/Musk. Here is a fundraising pitch for the Houston Democracy Project. I'm doing the work and showing up in many different ways.  Please help the effort. ​​

I'm on the Egberto Willies Politics Done Right Show every Thursday from 6 AM to 7 AM for the Houston Democracy Project segment. You can hear the show on the radio, stream it on KPFT or watch later Egberto's YouTube channel.

​The purpose of the Houston Democracy Project is to work as needed, for democracy and freedom in Houston, in Harris County and in Texas. I try to keep it local. (Above-Picture I took of Houston police at a march after the police murder of George Floyd in 2020.)

Trump's recent executive order called "Strengthening and unleashing America's law enforcement to pursue criminals and protect innocent citizens" merits full attention. It will likely severely infringe and greatly damage our rights here at home. It is designed to take away our rights. 

The order and what it means locally, is something I'm going to consistently come back to in the days ahead. 

Here are some takes nationally: 

* It offers the prospect of full immunity to police officers no matter what they do.
* It leaves police departments exempt from federal oversight. 
* It helps establish a framework for martial law and the military in our cities. 

It is depressing to read. But we should read it so we know how to oppose it. 

Here is the order: 

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered:

Section 1.  Purpose and Policy.  Safe communities rely on the backbone and heroism of a tough and well-equipped police force.  My Administration is steadfastly committed to empowering State and local law enforcement to firmly police dangerous criminal behavior and protect innocent citizens. 
​
When local leaders demonize law enforcement and impose legal and political handcuffs that make aggressively enforcing the law impossible, crime thrives and innocent citizens and small business owners suffer.  My Administration will therefore:  establish best practices at the State and local level for cities to unleash high-impact local police forces; protect and defend law enforcement officers wrongly accused and abused by State or local officials; and surge resources to officers in need.  My Administration will work to ensure that law enforcement officers across America focus on ending crime, not pursuing harmful, illegal race- and sex-based “equity” policies. 

The result will be a law-abiding society in which tenacious law enforcement officers protect the innocent, violations of law are not tolerated, and American communities are safely enjoyed by all their citizens again.

Sec. 2.  Legal Defense of Law Enforcement Officers.  The Attorney General shall take all appropriate action to create a mechanism to provide legal resources and indemnification to law enforcement officers who unjustly incur expenses and liabilities for actions taken during the performance of their official duties to enforce the law.  This mechanism shall include the use of private-sector pro bono assistance for such law enforcement officers.

Sec. 3.  Empowering State and Local Law Enforcement.  (a) The Attorney General and other appropriate heads of executive departments and agencies (agencies) shall take all appropriate action to maximize the use of Federal resources to:
(i)    provide new best practices to State and local law enforcement to aggressively police communities against all crimes;
(ii)   expand access and improve the quality of training available to State and local law enforcement;
(iii)  increase pay and benefits for law enforcement officers;
(iv)   strengthen and expand legal protections for law enforcement officers; 
(v)    seek enhanced sentences for crimes against law enforcement officers;
(vi)   promote investment in the security and capacity of prisons; and
(vii)  increase the investment in and collection, distribution, and uniformity of crime data across jurisdictions.
(b)  Within 60 days of the date of this order, the Attorney General shall review all ongoing Federal consent decrees, out-of-court agreements, and post-judgment orders to which a State or local law enforcement agency is a party and modify, rescind, or move to conclude such measures that unduly impede the performance of law enforcement functions.

Sec. 4.  Using National Security Assets for Law and Order.  (a)  Within 90 days of the date of this order, the Attorney General and the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security and the heads of agencies as appropriate, shall increase the provision of excess military and national security assets in local jurisdictions to assist State and local law enforcement.
(b)  Within 90 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Attorney General, shall determine how military and national security assets, training, non-lethal capabilities, and personnel can most effectively be utilized to prevent crime.

Sec. 5.  Holding State and Local Officials Accountable. The Attorney General shall pursue all necessary legal remedies and enforcement measures to enforce the rights of Americans impacted by crime and shall prioritize prosecution of any applicable violations of Federal criminal law with respect to State and local jurisdictions whose officials:
(a)  willfully and unlawfully direct the obstruction of criminal law, including by directly and unlawfully prohibiting law enforcement officers from carrying out duties necessary for public safety and law enforcement; or    
(b)  unlawfully engage in discrimination or civil-rights violations under the guise of “diversity, equity, and inclusion” initiatives that restrict law enforcement activity or endanger citizens.

Sec. 6.  Use of Homeland Security Task Forces.  The Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall utilize the Homeland Security Task Forces (HSTFs) formed in accordance with Executive Order 14159 of January 20, 2025 (Protecting the American People Against Invasion) to coordinate and advance the objectives of this order.

Here is the Houston Democracy Project list of things each of us can do to fight Trump/Musk. Here is a fundraising pitch for the Houston Democracy Project. I'm doing the work and showing up in many different ways.  Please help the effort. ​​

I'm on the Egberto Willies Politics Done Right Show every Thursday from 6 AM to 7 AM for the Houston Democracy Project segment. You can hear the show on the radio, stream it on KPFT or watch later Egberto's YouTube channel.

​We had 40 or so at Tuesday’s Week 429 of the John Cornyn Houston Office Protest. You see the picture above. We were charcoal-rolled for by my count the 18th time over the 8 years and 13 weeks of the protest. You see the picture with the truck spitting out smoke. You see the picture below. 

The truck is rigged to do that. The driver pushes a button or calls on Satan or whatever & smoke belches out. Rolling coal. They had an American flag Punisher sticker on the car with what looked to me to be a thin blue line stripe. Only the best people.

Most reactions to our protest each week are positive. Every single week we've been there the reactions have been positive. The Protest is each Tuesday, 11:30-1, 5300 Memorial Dr. 

Even if we know it already, it’s important to not lose sight that many Trump supporters are mean and aggressive people. In my experience, standing with colleagues and being yelled at, given the finger and having things thrown at us, they never let you get a word in and are most likely to do something hostile as they pull away. They are more aggressive and openly angry when there are fewer people at a protest.

They are bullies and cowards. They are waiting for the martial law decree and many dream of a purge.

I’m not saying this from fear or anger. I just want to consistently emphasize the physical aspect of the challenge ahead. This all will not be fully resolved at the ballot box, legislative chamber or in court. It is also headed to the street.

We must show up. We must be willing to demand police protect us. We have every right to consider what type of self-defense is best for our homes and the people in our lives. We must look after one another.
This is where we are at and where we are going.

​Here is the Houston Democracy Project list of things each of us can do to fight Trump/Musk. Here is a fundraising pitch for the Houston Democracy Project. I'm doing the work and showing up in many different ways.  Please help the effort. ​​

I'm on the Egberto Willies Politics Done Right Show every Thursday from 6 AM to 7 AM for the Houston Democracy Project segment. You can hear the show on the radio, stream it on KPFT or watch later Egberto's YouTube channel.