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Alejandra Salinas has won the Houston At-Large #4 seat being vacated by Letitia Plummer who is running in the Democratic Harris County Judge Primary. She will take office early next month. (Above is picture of Ms. Salinas I took at wildly over-policed Labor Day No Kings march.) 

Ms. Salinas won 59% of the 43,379 votes cast.

​All the endorsements of the two candidates by elected officials, advocacy groups, unions, industry groups as well as months of personal campaigning along with many pieces of mail and digital campaigning, could only muster up 43,379 votes in a city of 2.3 million people.

It's important we take part in electoral politics without getting taken down by systems that can't muster strong participation, and can't protect us from the authoritarian, white supremacist threat we all face. 

Voting will not be enough. The next action is when you organize it. The First Amendment is your permit. The only credential needed is your presence. 

Included in Ms. Salinas' winning coalition were Whitmire political and labor loyalists and insiders, along with many voters who responded to Ms. Salinas saying she would stand up to ICE (Picture below from a campaign mailing), address the subject of HPD working with ICE even if it means disagreeing with Mayor Whitmire, and fight for democracy at the local level against Trump and his crew. (See last item of policy positions.) 

Ms. Salinas' Whitmire-aligned support isn't going anywhere and she will always take their calls. That's fine. One reason she'll take their calls is that they helped her win & she has loyalty to people. I've seen her display the same loyalty to rank and file campaign volunteers. It's a good quality. 

With the decisive rebuke of Mayor Whitmire yesterday, 12/14, at the Harris County Democratic Party Central Executive Committee meeting, we see that we as rank & file Democrats and democracy advocates have the ability to hold our elected employees to account. That win took place without a single dollar contributed to anybody. All grassroots.  

The win was accomplished by calling precinct chairs and asking for support and by laying out the facts of Mayor Whitmire's collaboration with the right. 

I'm not optimistic or pessimistic over what type councilperson Ms. Salinas will be. I'm certain she understands the gravity of the current political situation and that she is a decent person. I know that she works for each of us and we must do the work to hold her accountable. I know that we merit loyalty as much as insiders do.

A really good thing we could do to build on our rank and file John Whitmire win, is to hold Alejandra Salinas and all of Houston City Council accountable. Let's get to that task right away as we fight at every level of government for our freedom. Let's keep building our rank and file, grassroots power.  

Public comment time at Houston City Council is each Tuesday at 2 PM with the exception once each month when it is at 5:30 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. You must register to speak by 3 PM the day before. 

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 are maps of Council districts so you can see who represents you. 

Here is contact information for Mayor Whitmire & Council. 

Mayor Whitmire—713-837-0311 [email protected] 

Democrats: 
At-Large-Letitia Plummer 832-393-3012  [email protected] (Will be Salinas next month.)  
At-Large-Sallie Alcorn 832-393-3017  [email protected]
District B-Tarsha Jackson 832-393-3009  [email protected]
District C-Abbie Kamin 832-393-3004  [email protected]
District D-Carolyn Evans-Shabazz 832-393-3001 [email protected]
District F-Tiffany Thomas 832-393-3002  [email protected]
District H-Mario Castillo 832-393-3002  [email protected]
District I-Joaquin Martinez 832-393-3011 [email protected]
District J-Edward Pollard 832-393-3015  [email protected]
District K-Martha Castex-Tatum 832-393-3016  [email protected]

Republicans: 
At-Large-Julian Ramirez 832-393-3014 [email protected]
At-Large-Willie Davis 832-393-3013 [email protected] 
At-Large-Twila Carter 832-393-3005 [email protected]
District A-Amy Peck 832-393-3010 [email protected]
District E-Fred Flickinger 832-393-3008 [email protected] 
District G-Mary Nan Huffman 832-393-3007 [email protected] ​​

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

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Tomorrow, Saturday, 12/13, is Election Day for Houston City Council At-Large #4. Voting is 7 AM to 7 PM.

If you’ve not already voted for Alejandra Salinas, please do so. If you know people you think you can convince to go vote for Ms. Salinas, give it a try. Any voter in Houston is eligible to vote in this election.

Ms. Salinas has said she will stand up for democracy, stand up to ICE and show independence from Mayor Whitmire when necessary. Her election would give us the opportunity to hold her to these commitments.

​Her opponent is endorsed by right-wing police unions and by many Republicans.

Only 25,903 voted early in this race in a city of 2.3 million people.

All the elected officials, unions, advocacy groups, industry groups and preachers who have endorsed in this race can’t get people out to vote. There have many pieces of mail sent to voters and a number of candidate forums. Both candidates have been on the campaign trail for months.

Our freedom on the line. We must show up for ourselves. Conventional political actors can’t get people to show up for conventional political activities. They likely won’t be of much use when habeas corpus is suspended.

Take some personal autonomous leadership between today and tomorrow and see if you can rustle up some votes for Ms. Salinas.

And as always—The next action is when you organize it. The First Amendment is your permit. The only credential needed is your presence. Voting will not be enough. The work ahead is ours.

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

 







Houston City Council voted yesterday, 12/10, to continue the new practice of holding one Tuesday evening Public Comment session early in the evening rather than at 2 PM.  The time for this session has been moved from 6 PM to 5 PM, but the later-time monthly meetings will proceed. 

Councilmember Mario Castillo proposed the evening meetings earlier this year. Council approved the idea with a trial that ends with the December 16 meeting next week. 

Councilmember Fred Flickinger made a motion to move the meetings to quarterly rather than monthly. That motion failed 9-8. Voting for quarterly evening meetings were Peck, Evans-Shabazz, Flickinger, Thomas, Huffman, Ramirez, Davis and Carter. Voting for the monthly meetings to proceed were Castillo, Pollard, Castex-Tatum, Alcorn, Martinez, Jackson, Kamin, Plummer and Whitmire. 

Mayor Whitmire made the right vote, but then went on to say a disturbing thing. 

Mayor Whitmire said people who offer public comment at Houston City Council should "....swear what you're saying is the truth." You see the Mayor in his comments in the picture above. The full debate on the meeting issue runs from the one hour 28 minute to the one hour 55 minute points of the HTV feed of today's session. Mayor Whitmire's unfortunate comment is at one hour 54 minutes. 

Who is going to determine what the truth is at Houston City Council? John Whitmire? 

Here is what the Houston Chronicle opinion page recently wrote about Mayor Whitmire and the truth:

"Every mayor makes backroom deals, but at some point they have to level with the public. We’re not seeing that with the mayor. Despite having the squinty deadpan style of a straight shooter, Whitmire prevaricates. He waffles, jumbles and obfuscates. Examples abound...It doesn’t build trust to pretend a budget is “balanced” when the city is dipping into its savings account to keep it in the black.  To sign pay deals with first responders without finding a way to pay for the raises. To claim staff cuts won’t affect city services when they likely will...On immigration, he is maddeningly inconsistent.... he rejected President Trump’s plans for a mass deportation program...Then he softened his stance, noting that local officers are required to contact arresting agencies if they encounter a person with a warrant. Then the big reveal: Whitmire openly acknowledging at a conference several weeks ago that HPD is cooperating with ICE. "

Imagine John Whitmire as a judge of who is telling the truth. 

The Mayor and his police union buddies are giving Houstonians all sorts of unhelpful input and about our First Amendment rights at Houston City Council and on the streets. These are just the wrong people to listen to with our freedom under attack. 

Here are some examples of what I'm referencing:

* Last week at Council. Mayor Whitmire told immigration activist Cesar Espinosa "..let us ask the questions" in response to HPD handing over a 15 year old boy with medical concerns to immigration officials. 

* At Council on November 12, Mayor Whitmire brought right-wing police "union" boss Douglas Griffith to tell Houstonians that use of the word "fight" in how we are opposing ICE could be seen as a threat against law enforcement. 

* This past Labor Day, there was an excessive and expensive police presence at a peaceful 50501 march against Trump and ICE that started near the Galleria-area water wall. 

* In August, 2024, Mayor Whitmire failed in an effort to ban protest at the homes of elected officials. We don't need to lose any rights as we confront an authoritarian threat. 
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* Also in August, 2024, Mayor Whitmire absurdly accused pro-Palestine protesters of being paid by Iran. He was unable to backup the assertion. 

* In February, 2024, while in the process of removing recently-installed public safety improvements on Houston Ave., Mayor Whitmire said opponents of his actions were "anti-car activists" dedicated to making it more difficult to get onto I-45. 

With ICE on our streets and our rights on the line, activism outside of establishment politics and protest led by Houstonians are an essential resource in the challenging days ahead. Mayor Whitmire should be on the streets by our side, rather than telling us to watch our words, deploying an army of cops when we protest peacefully and seeking to restrict our First Amendment rights. 

And as always--The next action is when you organize it. The First Amendment is your permit. The only credential needed is your presence. Voting is not going to be enough. The work ahead is ours. 

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

​Today was Week 461 of the John Cornyn Houston Office Protest. 

Today two men in a black sports car stopped the car in the street, yelled at one of our people on the sidewalk for maybe 45 seconds and then one of the men spit at her. Two weeks ago someone threw a giant acorn at us from his car. We've had many things thrown at us. Though the reactions are in fact always strongly positive. 

Regretfully we don't have a picture or video of the incident today. We did get the license plate. In the picture you see Marsha making a police report to an officer while another one of our crew looks on. You see that Marsha's sign says "Antifa Forever." 

We always do a police report when one of us are assaulted. Last year we got a misdemeanor conviction of a man who threw eggs at us from his car. 

The Antifa person is plenty peaceful. The Trumpers spit and throw things at people. I'm convinced that if you wanted to assemble the 10,000 most lawful people in Houston who use turn signals, pay taxes and return library books on time, you'd organize an anti-Trump protest. 

You also see above how we feel about ICE and below our full crew today. 

​Please join us each Tuesday, 11:30-1, 5300 Memorial Dr. It's essential people see others like themselves standing openly and confidently for freedom no matter the aggression of the right. Voting is essential, but it is not going to be enough. 

​There is little reason to trust 2026 elections will be conducted fairly or that there will not be even greater attacks on our civil liberties. ICE is an extermination unit in the making. We are going to have to show up for ourselves in ways that most elected officials will not.

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This past Saturday, I spoke at the quarterly Harris County Democratic Party Clubs & Organizations meeting, and at a fundraiser in Montgomery for Texas Congressional District 8 Democratic primary candidate Laura Jones.

This is all part of my work on the Houston Democracy Project. I'd be glad to speak at your club or org event or meeting. My e-mail is [email protected] 

​Ms. Jones used her fundraiser to give a platform to a number of community advocates including myself. That was both kind and far-sighted of her. We are going need all our allies and all our tools to get through the very difficult days ahead.

Here is an account of the fundraiser from Politics Done Right host Egberto Willies that captures the event well. Above is me speaking in Montgomery, Montgomery County.

Here is the core of what I said in these appearances:

* Voting is not going to be enough to get us out this crisis.
* Conventional politics and protest are both essential. The line between the two is blurring all the time. We saw this in the response to the martial law declaration in South Korea last year. 
* The No Kings Protests are helping build new networks of both rapid response and political organizing.
* Trump’s new national security strategy document is a white supremacist authoritarian plan. Consider reading it so you can speak to it.
* ICE is an extermination unit in the making.
* Democratic voters have a right to demand standards for our elected officials. It was true for Kim Ogg and Shaun Thierry, and it is true for John Whitmire. It’s not a so-called “purity test.” It is our right to have expectations of the people we help elect.
​* Primary candidates come and go. Our need to live freely remains. 
* Opposing authoritarians isn't going to be safe. We are going to have to accept some measure of risk.
* We have a right to a collective identity as active rank and file democracy advocates and Democrats that is independent from candidates and elected officials. We must advocate for ourselves. 
*The next action is when you organize it, the First Amendment is your permit, the only credential needed is your presence.

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

​It's not enough for Mayor Whitmire and his buddies to tell us what words we can use when talking about ICE, the very act of asking questions is apparently a problem as well. 

At Houston City Council Agenda Session on November 12, Houston Police Officer's Union boss Doug Griffith informed Houstonians that use of the word "fight" in how we oppose ICE, could be taken as encouraging violence against law enforcement. (Mr. Griffith could have said this at a public comment session and heard what I imagine would be clear feedback from the public.) 

It is the role of police to protect the Constitution and the First Amendment, rather than tell us what we can say. Of course the police "union" is not the police. It's a right wing attack outfit.

At the Council Public Comment Session on December 2, Mayor Whitmire got into an exchange with immigration advocate Cesar Espinosa. The exchange was about the 15 year old boy held by the federal government for 50 days after he was turned over by HPD. 

Here is an account of the exchange from NPR KUHF.  If you want to see it all, it is from the 1 hour 19 minute point to the 2 hour point of the HTV video of the meeting. 

One thing that really got my attention was a point shown in the picture above when Mayor Whitmire said "Cesar, let us ask the questions." 

No. 

I'm not sure why Mayor Whitmire bothered to make the comment. Most times when you ask them something, they just stare blankly at you. 

We are facing an authoritarian, white supremacist menace from our federal and state governments. ICE is a gang of thugs rampaging through our cites. 

We will use the words we need to use and we will ask the questions we have to ask. 

Below is information on following and interacting with Houston City Council. 

Public comment time at Houston City Council is each Tuesday at 2 PM with the exception once each month when it is at 5:30 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. You must register to speak by 3 PM the day before. 

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 are maps of Council districts so you can see who represents you. 

Here is contact information for Mayor Whitmire & Council. 

Mayor Whitmire—713-837-0311 [email protected] 

Democrats: 
At-Large-Letitia Plummer 832-393-3012  [email protected]
At-Large-Sallie Alcorn 832-393-3017  [email protected]
District B-Tarsha Jackson 832-393-3009  [email protected]
District C-Abbie Kamin 832-393-3004  [email protected]
District D-Carolyn Evans-Shabazz 832-393-3001 [email protected]
District F-Tiffany Thomas 832-393-3002  [email protected]
District H-Mario Castillo 832-393-3002  [email protected]
District I-Joaquin Martinez 832-393-3011 [email protected]
District J-Edward Pollard 832-393-3015  [email protected]
District K-Martha Castex-Tatum 832-393-3016  [email protected]

Republicans: 
At-Large-Julian Ramirez 832-393-3014 [email protected]
At-Large-Willie Davis 832-393-3013 [email protected] 
At-Large-Twila Carter 832-393-3005 [email protected]
District A-Amy Peck 832-393-3010 [email protected]
District E-Fred Flickinger 832-393-3008 [email protected] 
District G-Mary Nan Huffman 832-393-3007 [email protected] ​​

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

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I don't comment often on or think about very much who should run in what Democratic primary. Nobody is getting in or staying out of a race off what I'm saying. Who knows what motives everyone involved really has? 

For example, in the Texas U.S. Senate primary Allred, Talarico and if she gets in Crockett, are essentially running multi-million dollar businesses that want to extract our resources of time and money. They are like pop-up stores just around for Halloween or Christmas. They come and go. You can't get your money back if you've been ripped off because the outfit has folded. 

​Above you see a Halloween pop up store. 

One candidate will advance and the resources amassed by the loser(s) will be gone. The nominee will either win or lose the general election.

It is important to defeat Cornyn, Paxton or Hunt next November.

It's also important that the rank & file have the resources, autonomy and power to hold candidates and electeds fully accountable. We are the main act and it is our rights and freedom on the line.

Candidates come and go. Our need to support one another, have each others back and use our own power always remains.

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

​I'm back from a Thanksgiving trip to Cincinnati to visit friends and family. I hope you had a good holiday or whatever you observe or do not observe. It's good to see your people and good to be back. You can't beat having two places you can call home. 

Above is a picture I took of Cincinnati's famous observatory. 

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"Something I noticed when I spoke at city hall yesterday is that my voice was not the only little shaky voice. Many other neighbors in Houston are also working really hard to be brave for you."

The above was posted today by a Facebook friend who spoke at public comment time at Houston City Council yesterday evening. She spoke about ICE in Houston and HPD working with ICE. You see yesterday's session in the picture.

​There were many excellent speakers last night. Here is the video of the meeting. 

What this Houstonian says is very much what I'm saying with the Houston Democracy Project. The next action is when you organize it. The First Amendment is your permit. The only credential needed is your presence. Voting is not going to be enough. 

Here is an account by Carol Wells who this past August wrote about attending a protest at ICE detention center. It was the 2nd protest she had ever attended. 

Nobody is coming to organize most of us. There are too many of us. The nearly 8 million people who attended the October 18 No Kings protests were in good part self-organized with few resources. 

Mayor Whitmire has made it clear that there literally nothing the state or federal government can do to the City of Houston or to Houstonians, that he will respond to other than by making up stories and gaslighting people. 

Each of us are the leaders in the challenging days ahead. 

​Below is information for following and interacting with Houston City Council: 

Public comment time at Houston City Council is each Tuesday at 2 PM with the exception once each month when it is at 5:30 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. You must register to speak by 3 PM the day before. 

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 are maps of Council districts so you can see who represents you. 

Here is contact information for Mayor Whitmire & Council. 

Mayor Whitmire—713-837-0311 [email protected] 

Democrats: 
At-Large-Letitia Plummer 832-393-3012  [email protected]
At-Large-Sallie Alcorn 832-393-3017  [email protected]
District B-Tarsha Jackson 832-393-3009  [email protected]
District C-Abbie Kamin 832-393-3004  [email protected]
District D-Carolyn Evans-Shabazz 832-393-3001 [email protected]
District F-Tiffany Thomas 832-393-3002  [email protected]
District H-Mario Castillo 832-393-3002  [email protected]
District I-Joaquin Martinez 832-393-3011 [email protected]
District J-Edward Pollard 832-393-3015  [email protected]
District K-Martha Castex-Tatum 832-393-3016  [email protected]

Republicans: 
At-Large-Julian Ramirez 832-393-3014 [email protected]
At-Large-Willie Davis 832-393-3013 [email protected] 
At-Large-Twila Carter 832-393-3005 [email protected]
District A-Amy Peck 832-393-3010 [email protected]
District E-Fred Flickinger 832-393-3008 [email protected] 
District G-Mary Nan Huffman 832-393-3007 [email protected] ​​

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I don’t like most all the bars along Washington Ave. Few are any place a young midwestern punk rocker would go in the 1980’s. (Pearl is someplace I would have gone.) 

(Above is Washington Ave today, 11/16.) 

However, just because you run one of those lousy bars, does not mean Mayor Whitmire should have you in jail for 48 hours for something that most always leads to a citation. 

Mayor Whitmire appears to be establishing a pattern of using aggressive police actions and harsh application of the legal system to punish opponents and people who just get in the way of his plans. 

From the 11/12 Houston Chronicle:

“Bar owners are crying foul over the City of Houston's recent approach to public safety on Washington Avenue, where in May one owner was arrested over a sanitary complaint that typically ends in a written citation….Seyed Ghoreishi of Sidebar, said he's been in the business 25 years and knew and supported the police officers who patrolled the area…..Ghoreishi said his opinion on the city’s enforcement changed when he was arrested in May and charged with failure to comply with local sanitary laws, according to Harris County court records. Ghoreishi said he spent almost 48 hours in jail after he was arrested and accused of having roaches in his bar (an allegation he denies)….About a week later, prosecutors filed to have the charge against Ghoreishi dismissed, citing lack of probable cause…Jonathan Zendeh Del, a Galveston-based criminal defense attorney and a law professor, said Ghoreishi's experience is unusual. Zendeh Del did not represent Ghoreishi in his criminal case, but reviewed the proceedings to offer a legal opinion for the Chronicle….”Typically, if a business is cited for a sanitation concern, the city issues a notice or a fine and the given establishment is given an opportunity to correct the issue," Zendeh Del said. "It is not something that normally results in a person being handcuffed and taken to jail.”…The fact that the charge was dismissed so quickly causes him to question whether the city is using legally-sound criminal enforcement power, Zendeh Del said….Whitmire has made policing along Washington Avenue one of the centerpieces of his mayoral tenure.”

This is not the only time it Mayor Whitmire has seemingly used police to unusually ticket or rustle up an extended time in jail for someone he does not like.

Mayor Whitmire promised over and over that extension of the so-called Civility Ordinance would not lead to a big jump in tickets for homeless people for being out on the street. However, NPR KUHF 88.7 reported that is just what has happened. Citations went up dramatically right away as the ordinance was extended.

From KUHF:

"After city officials expanded the so-called civility ordinance in mid-July, effectively banning homeless people from sidewalks in certain parts of Houston, law enforcement officers also ramped up enforcement of a separate, citywide rule prohibiting more general sidewalk obstructions."

​There were unnecessary arrests when the Pride Crosswalk was removed. From Chron.com:
​
"On Monday, Oct. 21, a number of people flocked to the rainbow crosswalk at Westheimer and Taft, set on stopping the removal of the beloved Montrose road art.... Houston METRO was quick to compl. ...A group of Houstonians learned of the plan and appeared at the intersection before the removal was set to begin, and an impromptu protest broke out. Two hours into the protest, when the construction crew began to work...demonstrators staged a sit-in... Houston Police's Special Response Group eventually arrested activists Michael Edwards, Kristin Donaldson, Peter Bratvedt and Ethan Hale....As of Friday, Oct. 24, those charges have officially been dropped by the DA "

I don't have the link here, but I saw a council meeting after the arrests where Councilmember Abbie Kamin discussed with one of the people arrested, Ethan Hale, how he had been kept in jail for almost 48 hours after. There was no need for that. 

​Mayor Whitmire is a bully with a police force at his command. He's made clear he values order as he narrowly defines it, rather than justice or respectfully listening to opponents. As we move deeper and deeper into the authoritarian and white supremacist Presidency of Donald Trump, it's clear Mayor Whitmire cannot be counted on to protect us or to fight for our rights. He can't be trusted to apply the law fairly. 

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 on Egberto's YouTube channel.​​​​​​