The Texas Senate Democratic Caucus wrote a letter to the U.S. Justice Department about the violent and anti-democratic actions of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. It does a good job detailing Paxton's wrong conduct. Here is the letter. 

Here is a Texas Tribune article on the letter.

From the article-

"A group of Democratic state lawmakers on Friday asked the U.S. Justice Department to investigate potential violations of federal law and civil and voting rights related to Texas state leaders’ recent voter roll purge, raids of Latinos’ homes in connection to alleged election fraud, probing of voter registration organizations and ongoing scrutiny of groups that work with migrants....“Collectively, these actions have a disproportionate impact on Latinos and other communities of color, which is sowing fear and will suppress voting,” twelve Texas senators wrote in the letter. “We urge the DOJ to investigate Texas … and to take all necessary action to protect the fundamental rights of all Texans and ensure all citizens’ freedom to vote is unencumbered.”

It is fine the letter was sent. They've got to do something. But it's also so that many of these Senators have been in public office for many years & have won office in a succession of low-turnout elections. How can more of the same produce different results?       

Last year Democratic State Rep. John Bryant of Dallas talked about the need for a more aggressive approach by Democrats in the Texas Legislature.  It would be great to see Democrats in the Texas House and Senate actively campaigning against Republicans, working to increase turnout even if not in a difficult race themselves and in general acting with urgency as we face an authoritarian threat in Texas and the nation.

Please sign the Houston Democracy Project petition to make the pledge to show up for freedom in 2024 no matter what.

The Houston Democracy Project works daily to inspire, organize and strengthen pro-democracy coalitions in Houston and Harris County.  

Please share word of the Houston Democracy Project and support the effort with your contribution. If you have a question about the Project or a suggestion, please send an e-mail to [email protected]​​​​​

I've relaunched the Houston Democracy Project petition on Change.org calling on people to show up for democracy in 2024 as circumstances require in Houston and Harris County. I've updated the petition to reflect where we are at the moment. 

It's important that we are ready for the prospect of voting not being enough. Republicans do not intend to accept election results they don't like and corrupt officials like Ken Paxton are using violent police raids to hold power.            

Here is the link to sign on Change.org. Please sign and also share with others. We have to be prepared to show up and not rely on someone else to advocate for our freedom.    

Here is the text of the petition:   

Will you commit to showing up or being present protect democracy in Houston and Harris County in 2024 and 2025?

Trump is again the Republican nominee. He has not committed to accept election results and has said he'll use the Insurrection Act to suspend civil liberties and send the National Guard into cities. 

Trump has pledged mass round ups of migrants. Imagine the impact of such round ups on the streets of Houston and Harris County. 

In Texas, Republicans have passed legislation allowing them to meddle in or even overturn Harris County election results.  Attorney General Ken Paxton undermines faith in our elections with false claims, frivolous lawsuits and even violent police raids on Latino Democratic Party activists.    

At the end of the line is a rogue U.S. Supreme Court that cannot be relied upon to uphold either election results or the rule of law.        

In these conditions, we must be prepared to advocate for ourselves both before and after Election Day.

What does it mean to commit to showing up as needed?   

*A willingness to take part in politics beyond the essential act of voting.

*Being ready to be present when and where needed if Republicans undermine Harris County/Texas results in 2024 as the votes are counted. 

*Knowing that we may need to engage in protest if Republicans seek to overturn elections or refuse to accept election results. 

*Calling the Harris County Democratic Party at 713-802-0085 and asking how to volunteer as a poll-watcher in 2024. 

Showing up matters. Knowing when to show up and for what purpose is essential.     

Consider your role. There is no doubt of the threat. Make the pledge now for yourself, for the people in your life and to the values that guide you. We must show up and be present no matter where our politics take us in 2024 and 2025.

Please sign the Houston Democracy Project petition to make the pledge to show up for freedom in 2024 no matter what.

The Houston Democracy Project works daily to inspire, organize and strengthen pro-democracy coalitions in Houston and Harris County.  

Please share word of the Houston Democracy Project and support the effort with your contribution. If you have a question about the Project or a suggestion, please send an e-mail to [email protected]​​​​​ ​​

Every journalist covering local politics has the opportunity each day to ask every elected Republican in Houston and Harris County the following questions:

1. Are you voting for Donald Trump? 
2. Do you agree with Trump's calls for violence if he loses and dictatorship if he wins?
3. Will you accept the results if Donald Trump loses?
4. Will you accept the results if Ted Cruz loses?
5. Do you support mass round up of migrants as Donald Trump is saying he will conduct?
6. Do you support Project 2025?
7. Do you agree with JD Vance that people without children should have fewer rights than people with children?   

There are plenty more questions that could be asked. The upshot is that there is no doubt the Republican Party is an extremist & anti-democratic outfit. Shouldn't Republican elected officials be held accountable?

Maybe reporters would lose access to political figures if they asked these questions. Isn't it worth the risk? Is it really so important to have access to authoritarians and bigots? Aren't journalists supposed to be going after the big story?

I'd say one of our two major political parties refusing to accept election results and embracing authoritarianism is the biggest story in town.                        

Please sign the Houston Democracy Project petition to make the pledge to show up for freedom in 2024 no matter what.

The Houston Democracy Project works daily to inspire, organize and strengthen pro-democracy coalitions in Houston and Harris County.  

Please share word of the Houston Democracy Project and support the effort with your contribution. If you have a question about the Project or a suggestion, please send an e-mail to [email protected]​​​​​ ​

Attorney General Ken Paxton has conducted violent raids against a Democratic nominee in a hotly contested Texas State Rep, race, a well-known Democratic operative and an 87 year old rank and file Democrat.

​From the Texas Tribune:

The League of United Latin American Citizens plans to request a federal investigation into raids Attorney General Ken Paxton conducted this week as part of what he called an “ongoing election integrity investigation.”....Gabriel Rosales, Texas LULAC’s state director, said in a statement that Paxton carried out the raids 11 weeks before the 2024 elections “to suppress the Latino vote through intimidation and any means necessary to tilt the electoral process in favor of his political allies.”...Agents raided the home of Cecilia Castellano — the Democrat running to succeed state Rep. Tracy King, D-Uvalde — and confiscated her phone as part of the search, according to Rosales. Republicans see that seat, which Gov. Greg Abbott carried by nearly 6 percentage points, as their best potential state House flip in November....Law enforcement also searched the homes of at least five other Latino individuals, all of whom were working on Castellano’s campaign and three of whom are members of Texas LULAC, Rosales added. LULAC is a non-partisan, volunteer-based Hispanic civil rights organization headquartered in Washington. 

Here are some observations about the raids:

1. That one of the subjects raided is the Democratic-nominee for Texas State House in a strongly contested seat, should make it clear to Democratic elected officials that they are not immune from Republican violence.

2. The homes of rank & file Democrats taking part in voter registration efforts were raided.  We're at a place where normal volunteer efforts can be criminalized.

3. The use of DPS troops to conduct these raids should remind people that every additional police officer in Texas is another potential participant in Republican attacks on democracy, and also the mass round ups of migrants openly planned by the right.   

4. Republicans are afraid of Democratic gains at the ballot box. Two recent polls have Colin Allred within two percentage points of Ted Cruz in the Texas U.S. Senator race.

5. Republicans in Texas will not accept statewide defeats and other defeats as well, without resorting to every tactic possible to stop and overturn those defeats. Violence from the political right is very much on the table. 

6. With violent raids taking place and Democratic victories increasingly possible across Texas, what excuse do elected Harris County Democrats have to not be involved in every way possible in the 2024 campaign? 

7. Democrats are running to win elections. Republicans are looking to take and hold power.  

Please sign the Houston Democracy Project petition to make the pledge to show up for freedom in 2024 no matter what.

The Houston Democracy Project works daily to inspire, organize and strengthen pro-democracy coalitions in Houston and Harris County.  

Please share word of the Houston Democracy Project and support the effort with your contribution. If you have a question about the Project or a suggestion, please send an e-mail to [email protected]​​​​​                

I signed up for the Zoom call you see described below---

"Are you interested in becoming a Voter Protection Hotline Volunteer or a Poll Watcher? Join the Harris County Democratic Party Voter Protection Director Nicole Pedersen for a Zoom call on Wednesday, August 28th, at 6 pm to learn more about the Voter Protection Program and describe our volunteer opportunities."

The call is being conducted by the Harris County Democratic Party. It is Wednesday, 8/28, from 6 PM-7PM.     

Here is the Facebook link to sign up.   

​You can also call the HCDP at 713-802-0085 to sign up. 
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I'm going to be pushing this effort here on the Houston Democracy Project in the weeks ahead.  

Republicans don't intend to accept election results they don't like. We must be ready to meet that challenge every way possible both for Election Day and after.

Please sign the Houston Democracy Project petition to make the pledge to show up for freedom in 2024 no matter what.

The Houston Democracy Project works daily to inspire, organize and strengthen pro-democracy coalitions in Houston and Harris County.  

Please share word of the Houston Democracy Project and support the effort with your contribution. If you have a question about the Project or a suggestion, please send an e-mail to [email protected]​​​​

Three observations/thoughts today: 

1. A goal of the Houston Democracy Project is to act effectively within traditional politics, help bridge the gap or make use of the spaces between traditional politics and protest, and make clear the relevance of protest and the street. We need every tool we have for the challenges ahead. 

2. I watched a lecture on C-SPAN by Professor Jasmin Howard of North Carolina Central University about civil rights-era activism from Historically Black Colleges in North Carolina. It is well worth watching.  

Near the end of the lecture Professor Howard said "Activism is choices made by ordinary people." I really like that. We all can make the choice to do what we can do.

3. Democrats and people who want to live in a free society are trying to win an election. The political right is trying to take power anyway they can. There is a big difference. We have to be ready for whatever is on the way    

Please sign the Houston Democracy Project petition to make the pledge to show up for freedom in 2024 no matter what.

The Houston Democracy Project works daily to inspire, organize and strengthen pro-democracy coalitions in Houston and Harris County.  

Please share word of the Houston Democracy Project and support the effort with your contribution. If you have a question about the Project or a suggestion, please send an e-mail to [email protected]​​​​

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This evening I went to the endorsed candidate meet and greet for Secular Houston. Above you see a picture of some of the attendees. There were more who arrived after I took the picture. 

Secular Houston works to keep religion out of politics and government. The Chair of the group is Will Jeudy and he does a good job. Here is who Secular Houston has endorsed for 2024. 

I made the rounds talking about the Houston Democracy Project. Just showing up is a good and productive thing. 

Make your own rounds in 2024 between now and Election Day. Share your hopes and concerns with people and be ready for the challenging days ahead. Know how to contact people outside of big social media platforms that won't be reliable in a crisis. Build your networks of freedom to protect yourself and others. 

Please sign the Houston Democracy Project petition to make the pledge to show up for freedom in 2024 no matter what.

The Houston Democracy Project works daily to inspire, organize and strengthen pro-democracy coalitions in Houston and Harris County.  

Please share word of the Houston Democracy Project and support the effort with your contribution. If you have a question about the Project or a suggestion, please send an e-mail to [email protected]​​​

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​Please be aware of freedom-loving American Darius Provost-Evans. Darius is pictured above. He was kind enough to join us recently at the John Cornyn Houston Office Protest.

Darius is a Precinct Chair, educator and union member who is running against one opponent for the position of Board Member in Sheldon I.S.D. His race is on the November ballot.

Sheldon is a unincorporated community here in Harris County with a population of approximately 2400. We are seeing over and over the importance of winning seats on school boards in communities of all sizes.

On the campaign trail Darius is talking about the impact of Project 2025 on education, and is working to make certain Sheldon I.S.D. is following state law in to registering students to vote as they become eligible.

Darius sees the connection between the big democracy issues and the everyday business of Sheldon ISD. I’ve encountered him as part of my work on the Houston Democracy Project as I navigate both traditional politics and protest & then also the spaces in-between those two poles.

We are going to have be advocate for ourselves and others in every way possible in the challenging days ahead. No one path is by itself the right way. 
 
Here is the link to the campaign Facebook page. Please like the page & support Darius. 

Please sign the Houston Democracy Project petition to make the pledge to show up for freedom in 2024 no matter what.

The Houston Democracy Project works daily to inspire, organize and strengthen pro-democracy coalitions in Houston and Harris County.  

Please share word of the Houston Democracy Project and support the effort with your contribution. If you have a question about the Project or a suggestion, please send an e-mail to [email protected]

Mayor Whitmire's review committee on the Houston Police Department suspended case scandal issued its report today.  

Here is a story on the report from KUHF. 

From the KUHF story: Half a year after the Houston Police Department was rocked by a scandal involving a quarter million suspended cases, Mayor John Whitmire's Independent Review Committee released its finding on Wednesday....The committee found an "overwhelming volume of incident reports and limited time and resources" contributed to the dropped cases, and it suggested "substantial resources, technology, personnel, and infrastructure investment" to address the concerns...."It still shocks me that this was allowed to continue for ten years," Whitmire said." ...Echoing the findings of HPD's internal investigation, the committee's report found multiple instances over several years where department leadership raised concerns about the use of the "insufficient personnel" code...Council member Edward Pollard called for an "extreme cultural shift" in the department. ."To get to that amount of cases means there was a lot of work not being done," Pollard said. "It may be a culture of, ‘Hey, let’s just code this and move on.'"

I read the full report. I was curious how a culture developed that allowed serious crimes to be disappeared by just entering a code. I also know from protests I've been part of, that HPD wastes a lot of resources and is content to have officers assigned to protests sit in the police car looking at the phone, or just talking the time away amongst themselves and not paying attention.      

Here is full 87 page report on the City of Houston website. It is worth reading. 

The report details a mix of outdated technology, poor communication and inconsistent practices across departments within HPD, command structures that don't foster good day-to-day operations and a lack of resources. What Mayor Whitmire and Counciman Pollard said in the news story above also seems to have relevance.

It went on for years and nobody spoke up. Spiking serious cases with little thought was part of police culture.   

I'm not an expert on police policy and police policy is not the purpose of the Houston Democracy Project. I just know what I read in the report commissioned by Mayor Whitmire.   

I'll say these three things:

1. We hear a lot about how Democratic judges in Harris County are soft on crime. But HPD was letting criminals go left and right. Where are the police unions and all the tough on crime folks? It is like these people have a political agenda more so than always being actually tough on crime.    

2. Based on this report and from practices I've seen at many protests, officers can as a matter of routine be very casual about their duties and suffer no consequence. Remember that as we face an authoritarian threat and we need protection from the right.   

3. Looking the other way at many serious crimes, mirrors how HPD and police unions so often look the other way at the extremism of the right.       

​Please sign the Houston Democracy Project petition to make the pledge to show up for freedom in 2024 no matter what.

The Houston Democracy Project works daily to inspire, organize and strengthen pro-democracy coalitions in Houston and Harris County.  

Please share word of the Houston Democracy Project and support the effort with your contribution. If you have a question about the Project or a suggestion, please send an e-mail to [email protected]

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Above you see a Tweet made this evening by Houston District C Councilwoman Abbie Kamin. 

Councilmember Kamin has been watching the Democratic National Convention. There are some Republicans speaking at the convention talking about how they will not be voting for Donald Trump. 

​That's fine for Ms. Kamin to talk about Republicans from around the nation speaking up to oppose Donald Trump. However, Councilmember Kamin has six Republican colleagues on Houston City Council. (There are ten Democratic Councilmembers.)  To my knowledge, no Republican on Council has formally announced they will not support Donald Trump.  

The six Council Republicans are Julian Ramirez, Twila Carter, Willie Davis, Mary Nan Huffman, Amy Peck and Fred Flickinger.  

Councilmember Kamin and every Council Democrat has the ability to ask Republican Councilmembers they sit with each week to step back from Trump. This is just as every Council Republican has the capacity to do the right thing without being asked.

It's easy for a politician to talk about people far away in some other place. The more difficult thing is to address the extremist sitting right next to you. Authoritarianism and mass migrant roundups will require a local infrastructure of support.  We need elected officials willing to confront the far-right every place it is found--Including right here at home.         

Please sign the Houston Democracy Project petition to make the pledge to show up for freedom in 2024 no matter what.

The Houston Democracy Project works daily to inspire, organize and strengthen pro-democracy coalitions in Houston and Harris County.  

Please share word of the Houston Democracy Project and support the effort with your contribution. If you have a question about the Project or a suggestion, please send an e-mail to [email protected]