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​Harris County Democrats has advanced the resolution to admonish Democratic Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg.

At the bottom of this post are details from the resolution. 

(Above is picture I took a few weeks ago of DA Ogg oddly filming her primary opponent a few weeks ago.)     

The vote to advance the resolution came in a Zoom meeting of the Harris County Democratic Party Resolutions Committee. I watched the meeting on Zoom and spoke in favor of admonishing DA Ogg. I am not a member of the committee. The resolution now goes to the Steering Committee of the party. That meeting is Saturday, December 2.  If it passes out of the steering committee, it goes to a December meeting of Harris County Precinct Chairs scheduled for December 12th for a final vote.

Everybody involved in the Resolutions Committee meeting is a volunteer, rank and file member of the party. Committee members and precinct chairs are volunteers. In many cases these are people who have been giving volunteer time to the party for years.

Here is what DA Ogg said after last night's vote:

"A narrow vote of 11 to 9 resolution committee insiders does not represent the Democratic voters of Harris County. A few partisan extremists will never subvert the rights of voters in the upcoming March primary. I trust the people of Harris County to base their vote in the upcoming election on facts, not lies and misinformation propagated by my opponent and his supporters."

About what DA Ogg said-

* The committee members are not "insiders". They are volunteers. None of them signed up to be insulted by an elected official. Volunteers do so much of the work that elects these people. What a cheap shot by the bully Ogg to trash the people who sustain the party. 

* Ms. Ogg uses the term "partisan extremists." Of course the committee members are partisans of a kind. It was a Democratic party meeting. Ms. Ogg goes to Democratic Party meetings. What the members are not is extremist. They were regular rank & file Democrats of varying ideological views across the spectrum of the party.
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* Nobody is working to "subvert the rights of voters." DA Ogg will be on the primary ballot. You can go vote for her if you wish. Ms. Ogg here likens party volunteers to January 6th criminals trying to undo democracy.             
 
* DA Ogg says her Democratic Primary opponent was responsible for the committee vote. Not true. It's a real grassroots effort. Ms. Ogg can't seem to imagine principled conduct by good people. 

Harris County Precinct Chair Rebecca Shulka was quoted regarding the meeting in the Houston Chronicle. Here is what she said:  

"Precinct chairs and other committee members who donate countless hours, dollars, and other resources to help support the party by knocking doors, making phone calls and hosting meetings should be thanked for their hard work, not demonized by their elected officials and their staffers." 
       
The active rank and file sustains the party. It's not the role of elected officials to be anything other than respectful to the people who do the work. With democracy on the line in Texas and the nation, our elected officials must be strengthening relationships with involved citizens committed to democracy rather than calling them names.        

Some details of the resolution to admonish DA Ogg: 

In June 2022, in the wake of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, Ogg noted that she would prosecute Gov. Greg Abbott’s abortion ban, the most extreme in the nation, “on a case by case basis.”  

Ogg has joined Republican officials in repeatedly making demonstrably false claims that Harris County democrats on Commissioners Court are “defunding law enforcement.” 

Ogg continues to oppose efforts by democrats to reform our broken criminal justice system by working to oppose efforts by democrats to fix the cash-bail system, intimidating public servants working to enact community and gun violence prevention programs, lobbying for republican legislation fueling mass incarceration that disproportionately impacts black and brown communities, and directly attacking elected democratic judges advocating for fairness to our criminal justice system.   

In November of 2022, at the behest of State and local republican Officials, Ogg initiated a partisan criminal investigation against local election workers - an investigation premised on debunked conspiracy theories, lies, and unproven innuendo.  Ogg also pursued a criminal investigation against Hervis Rogers for voting in the March 2020 primary. Rogers is a 64-year old black man who was already arrested and prosecuted by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in a politically motivated investigation designed to add credence to “the big lie.”

In August of 2023, Ogg broke a major campaign promise to support decriminalizing low-level drug offenses, which disproportionately impact people of color, by reversing her own policy. 

The Houston Democracy Project works daily to inspire, organize and strengthen pro-democracy coalitions in Houston and Harris County. The Project will continue through 2024 at the least. 

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 is a picture from a text I got from the John Whitmire for Mayor of Houston campaign. 

Congresswoman Garcia & Senator Whitmire have a constricted view of public safety. Half the Houston city budget goes to the police and fire, yet Houstonians who care about democracy are not safe from the anti-democratic extreme right. Senator Whitmire has accepted the endorsement of many police unions without asking them to step back from support of election-deniers. Law enforcement must stand with democracy.  

Confronted with clear authoritarian threats in our state and nation, 2023 Houston city politics & elections  have gone on as usual, with candidates and the consultants who guide them fully comfortable with racially-divided low-turnout elections.      

Public safety is an important part of any municipal election campaign. People must be safe from crime. At the same time, there is no public safety without democracy. How would residents of the most diverse city in America be safe in a second Trump term? How would people who want a future rooted in democracy for themselves and their families be able to live freely and prosper in the America Republicans are planing?

Our elected officials must have the imagination and courage to confront the authoritarian threat in Texas and in the nation. We must demand that they do so.        

The Houston Democracy Project works daily to inspire, organize and strengthen pro-democracy coalitions in Houston and Harris County. The Project will continue through 2024 at the least. 

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].​ 

Like many thousands of active Houston rank & file Democrats, I'm voting for all five citywide Houston municipal candidates opposed only by a Republican regardless of whether I really like them or not & without any concern as to their racial or ethnic status.

​The Democrats running citywide are Hollins, Miles, Hellyar, Cantu & Plummer. Those five and also Jackson Lee and Whitmire from Mayor. Sheila Jackson Lee is the better choice for Mayor. Here are Houston Democracy Project runoff recommendations with some additional perspective. 

This pragmatic approach should be matched by our Harris County elected Democrats. They all need to endorse all the candidates no matter what community the candidates represent & they should be out actively promoting these candidates. Instead, what we get are very selective endorsements by elected officials including Houston City Council Democrats who were elected outright on November 7. That's if they bother to get involved at all.  

Our elected officials are almost all in safe districts and have similar views. There is nothing special or unique about most of them. A way they could distinguish themselves is to take part in elections every cycle and generate turnout. Just imagine if we'd had stronger turnout when we almost defeated anti-democratic Ted Cruz in 2018.

Democratic elected officials tell us our vote is our voice & look the other way at consistent over-policing of peaceful protest in Houston. So the least they could do is match the efforts of the voters who sustain the party and show up for every election.    

If these political figures won't show up for each other, why should we believe they'll show up for us in an authoritarian crisis?  

The Houston Democracy Project works daily to inspire, organize and strengthen pro-democracy coalitions in Houston and Harris County. The Project will continue through 2024 at the least. 

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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The Harris County Democratic Party held a press conference today to support the Democrats running against Republicans in Houston municipal runoffs. Above is a picture the party posted of the event.

Here are Houston Democracy Project runoff recommendations.  Early voting runs through December 2 and Election Day is December 9.

​The Democrats running citywide are Hollins, Miles, Hellyar, Cantu & Plummer. Those five and also Jackson Lee and Whitmire from Mayor. Sheila Jackson Lee is the better choice for Mayor.  

It is good to see city elections being made partisan. It is not that all the Democratic candidates are great. It's that the Republican candidates running for city office are either far to the right or refuse to publicly distance themselves from election-deniers.

Bipartisanship is fine so long as all involved respect democracy.       

Republicans don't see Houston elections as non-partisan.    

In the first round of voting Houston city candidates are often reluctant to say what party they support. They tell you it is a non-partisan election. But when the choice is down to a Democrat and a Republican, then they tell you.

We must remember these candidates called themselves Democrats when they felt it served themselves to do so. It is by no means a given they will be brave or take risks for us in an authoritarian moment. But we can at the least hold them to the values they assert when they want our votes.     

The Houston Democracy Project works daily to inspire, organize and strengthen pro-democracy coalitions in Houston and Harris County. The Project will continue through 2024 at the least. 

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].​
   

The Houston Democracy Project Blog is taking a Thanksgiving break.  

Here are the Houston Democracy Project's 2023 Houston Municipal election runoff recommendations.   

Here is why Houston municipal Democrats who have accepted police union endorsements must insist these unions step back from support of election deniers. There is no public safety without democracy.

Here are documents relating to the history of Thanksgiving from the National Archives.     

​Please have an excellent Thanksgiving in whatever way you do or do not celebrate.

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​The Houston Democracy Project works to create, inspire and help organize pro-democracy coalitions in Houston and Harris County.

These coalitions consist of whoever shows up & must demand that our elected officials show up for us as we fight to protect democracy.     

(Above is picture of Houston I took.  Here is link to Pictures I Have Taken section of Project.) 

Here are some ways people we elect in Houston and Harris County can fight for democracy:

*Use their resources, influence and time to campaign for Democrats in every election cycle. We could use much more help from elected Democrats in safe seats and from Democrats on Houston City Council.   

*When accepting law enforcement union endorsements, insist such unions step back from support of candidates and elected officials attacking democracy. There is no public safety without democracy.  

*Speak up when democracy is under assault & help create a climate where rank & file citizens are informed and prepared to act. We merit protection from the anti-democratic right. 

*Understand that protection of freedom may require career, personal and even physical risks by public officials. If you've chosen this critical time to seek or hold office, you must meet the challenges of the moment. 

Here are the Houston Democracy Project 2023 Houston municipal election runoff recommendations: 

Mayor:

I'm voting for Rep. Shelia Jackson Lee.

It's an insult to voters that both Rep. Jackson Lee and Senator Whitmire have been in public office for decades, and don't have the ability to generate enthusiasm in the districts they represent. Neither have well-served democracy in this important respect. 

From the Houston Chronicle:

"In the precincts that fall in Texas Senate District 15, the district that Whitmire has represented for decades, the average turnout in the mayor's race was about 17% of registered voters..... In U.S. House District 18, the district that Jackson Lee has long represented, about 15% of registered voters turned out to vote in the mayoral race — lower than the turnout in Harris County as a whole this election cycle." 

I'm concerned with Senator Whitmire's open relationships with authoritarians and his intent to bring Greg Abbott's Texas DPS troops to Houston. These troops will serve as deportation squads in Houston communities and would follow Donald Trump and Greg Abbott's instructions if Trump returns to the White House and implements the Insurrection Act as has been reported is in the works. The Senator has accepted the endorsement of many law enforcement unions without asking when they will step back from support of election deniers. There is no public safety without democracy. Senator Whitmire is reckless, complacent and living in a different era regarding the top public safety challenge of the day.       

Controller:

Chris Hollins has been one of the few candidates in Houston 2023 municipal elections willing to talk about voting rights and democracy. He has talked about expanding the role on Controller to address political freedom and far-right threats. This makes sense because all elected officials take an oath to the U.S. Constitution. Our freedom must be the top concern of all elected officials.          

Houston City Council:

These are good candidates who might well show up for us if the Texas Secretary of State nullified a Democratic statewide win or a President Donald Trump ordered use of the Insurrection Act. 

At-Large #3: Richard Cantu. Mr. Cantu is a decent and thoughtful person who I believe will consider what is the right thing to do when faced with tough choices.    

At Large #4: Letitia Plummer. Councilwoman Plummer has at times wrestled with pursuing a hopeful course on the one hand, and the relentless depressing status quo inertia of Houston City Hall politics on the other hand. Hopefully she will be there for us if needed in an anti-democratic crisis. 

These candidates are better than their opponents. Both have the potential to grow and to reflect with greater focus on the anti-democratic challenges facing Texas and the nation.    

At -Large #1: Melanie Miles
At-large #2: Nick Hellyar 

Travis McGee has an extensive record of advocacy and support of democracy in District D.  I support Mario Castillo in District H. Voters should sit out the District G race where there is no pro-democracy choice.            

Houston Municipal runoff Election Day is Saturday, December 9. Early voting is November 27- December 5. 

Here is a broader Houston Democracy Project look at the Council runoff candidates. Here are Houston Democracy Project recommendations from the first round of voting on November 7.    

Here is Erik Manning's spreadsheet with the primary voting history of '23 Houston municipal candidates.

All elections are partisan. 

​If you found these recommendations helpful, please share them with other & please consider supporting the Project with your contribution. It takes time, effort and resources to do this work. I have full autonomy from candidates and elected officials. We must advocate for ourselves. The Project will continue through 2024 at the least. If you have a question about the Project or a suggestion, please send an e-mail to [email protected].​

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Donald Trump and Greg Abbott held a political rally at the border today, and there were many law enforcement and border enforcement troops and agents in attendance. Governor Abbott endorsed Donald Trump for President. Above is a picture from the event.

Houston Mayoral candidate John Whitmire wants to invite 200 Texas DPS troops under Greg Abbott's command to police Houston. In this political climate with our Governor backing an authoritarian for President, these troops would likely serve as deportation squads in Houston communities and            enforcers of Donald Trump's intended use of the Insurrection Act if he returns to the White House. 

(Houston municipal Democrats who have accepted law enforcement union endorsements, must ask those unions to step back from support of election deniers. There is no public safety without democracy.)   

Democratic State Rep. Armando Walle of Houston tweeted out today that the law enforcement officers were being used as props for the rally. He said Trump and Abbott were "....using all of our law enforcement state resources for a campaign event."

Maybe some of those troops felt used. Plenty were certainly fine to be there. You can hear in Rep. Walle's    comments the arguments being made in advance from elected officials to justify looking the other way at attacks on democracy.     

We must advocate for ourselves in the challenging days ahead and demand that our elected officials see  threats to our freedom for what they really are.

The Houston Democracy Project works daily to inspire, organize and strengthen pro-democracy coalitions in Houston and Harris County. The Project will continue through 2024 at the least. 

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].​ 

The Houston Democracy Project had a witty and insightful blog post in mind today, but a Covid booster   yesterday left me at less than full speed today.

I do have energy though to make mention of the new book by Houston tropical disease Doctor Peter Hotez from the Baylor College of Medicine.  

The Deadly Rise of Anti-Science--A Scientist's Warning, deals with issues of democracy and authoritarianism in the context of lies about the effectiveness of vaccines. Dr. Hotez is a strong spokesperson for science and democracy.    

It is a bummer we are back fighting issues of free elections and use of vaccines that seemed sort of settled. But here we are. We'll stay the course. 

Houston voters just approved Proposition B, which directs the City of Houston to work to obtain fair representation on an important regional transportation council, by a margin 65%-35%. It was a decisive win for proper representation and expanded democracy.  

This strong ballot box victory however does not seem to impress Houston Mayoral runoff candidates Shelia Jackson Lee and John Whitmire.

From the Houston Landing:

"Houston’s two remaining candidates for mayor appear to have cooled their earlier support of local Proposition B now that it has been approved by voters and the candidates find themselves an election away from becoming the person in charge of carrying out its promise. U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee and state Sen. John Whitmire both endorsed the proposition to require Houston to leave the Houston-Galveston Area Council if the regional planning body fails to offer it proportional voting power. It was approved overwhelmingly Nov. 7, but in a Wednesday forum hosted by Transportation Advocacy Group – Houston, both Jackson Lee and Whitmire said the path laid by the proposition will be difficult for the city to navigate......“As it’s presently conducted, it is not the best pathway forward, but I will not rush to judgment before I assess how we can come together and have those monies distributed to ensure we’re unified as a region,” Jackson Lee told dozens of elected officials and transportation advocates.....Whitmire joked about the proposition’s promise to make the regional council more fair to Houston and argued that during upcoming negotiations the city needs to ensure it is being fair to governments in the surrounding region, as well." 

If Rep. Jackson Lee and Senator Whitmire had these reservations about Proposition B, why did they both endorse it?     

Maybe they both envy Prop. B's ability to turn out out a strong vote.

From the Houston Chronicle:

"In the precincts that fall in Texas Senate District 15, the district that Whitmire has represented for decades, the average turnout in the mayor's race was about 17% of registered voters..... In U.S. House District 18, the district that Jackson Lee has long represented, about 15% of registered voters turned out to vote in the mayoral race — lower than the turnout in Harris County as a whole this election cycle."  

More and more, elected officials refuse to follow the directions given them in referendums and propositions. We are seeing this right now in Ohio where the state legislature is doing all it can to negate a clear 57% majority to amend the Ohio constitution to protect abortion rights.

Democracy is under siege across the country. It's exhausting to have to be at odds with the people we elect here in the most diverse city in America over the simple matter of following clear mandates from voters.

Raegardless of who is elected Mayor, it'll be up to each of us to insist that democracy prevail and Prop B is  enacted in good faith by city leaders.       

The Houston Democracy Project works daily to inspire, organize and strengthen pro-democracy coalitions in Houston and Harris County. The Project will continue through 2024 at the least. 

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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Houstonians who care about democracy have a lousy choice in the District G Houston City Council runoff. 

Here is a link to a map of Houston Council districts.    

Incumbent Republican Councilwoman Mary Nan Huffman is being challenged by the malignant Tony Buzbee. 

Ms. Huffman has already made clear she is fine with election denial. And you see above she is endorsed by the anti-democratic extremists of the Texas Republican Party. The current Texas Republican Party platform rejects the legitimacy of President Biden's election. 
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Mr. Buzbee was the lawyer for abhorrent Attorney General Ken Paxton in his recent impeachment trial in the Texas Senate. He's just a really bad guy.

There is no option here for Houstonians who value living in a free society. Both candidates are dangerous extremists with deep connections to anti-democracy elements. There is no public safety without democracy and both Ms. Huffman and Mr. Buzbee are threats to public safety.

Understanding Mr. Buzbee is a terrible source of information, he recently tweeted that the women members of Houston City Council are holding a fundraiser for Ms. Huffman. While I'm certain the prospect of being seated near Mr. Buzbee for the next four years at Houston City Hall is distasteful, there is no solid reason to offer support to someone like Ms. Huffman who would attack our democracy.

Also, one of the Councilwomen part of this fundraiser is Republican Amy Peck. Ms. Peck makes herself out as moderate. But she has not stepped back at all from her fellow Republicans in Harris County, in Texas and in the nation who don't respect election results.

There is nothing wrong with bipartisanship in normal circumstances. But we are not in normal circumstances. Support for democracy is tenuous. As regretful as it to contemplate Mr. Buzbee on Council, it is not the job of people who value freedom to bail out those who do not. The asking price for support of Councilwoman Huffman should be that she makes clear her strong commitment to democracy.      

Business as usual has brought us to this point. We need to protect ourselves. We merit protection from the far right. There is plenty of reason to believe that elected officials and privileged folks will look for safe harbor in an authoritarian storm. We must demand our officials fight for us.       

The Houston Democracy Project works daily to inspire, organize and strengthen pro-democracy coalitions in Houston and Harris County. The Project will continue through 2024 at the least. 

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].​