[Press Conference: “Opposition to Texas Senate Bills 1750 & 1933”]
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WE'RE HERE TO ANNOUNCE TODAY THAT HARRIS COUNTY WILL BE SUING THE STATE OF TEXAS OVER SENATE BILL 1750, WHICH ABOLISHES OUR ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR OFFICE AND SENATE BILL 1933, WHICH ALLOWS THE STATE TO EXERT CONTROL OVER TWO ELECTED OFFICIALS IN HARRIS COUNTY.OUR CLERK AND OUR TEXAS SUCCESS COLLECTOR IT ELECTION ADMINISTRATIVE SYSTEM IS SOMETHING THAT THE LAW ALLOWS HERE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
UM, MORE THAN HALF OF THE COUNTIES IN THE STATE USE IT, AND NINE OF THE 10 LARGEST COUNTIES USE IT.
AND WHAT IT DOES IS IT COMBINES THE VOTER REGISTRATION DUTIES AND THE ELECTION ADMINISTRATOR DUTIES INTO AN OFFICE THAT IS INTENDED TO BE NONPARTISAN.
THIS IS THE FOLKS IN THIS OFFICE.
THEY CAN'T RUN FOR OFFICE, THEY CAN'T ENDORSE CANDIDATES, THEY CAN'T GIVE MONEY IN CANDIDATE TO CANDIDATES, AND THE GOAL IS TO PROFESSIONALIZE THE OFFICE AND MAKE IT, UH, NONPARTISAN.
BUT WHAT WE SEE WITH SENATE BILL 1750 IS IT BLOWS THAT UP IN HARRIS COUNTY ONLYS SENATE BILL 1750 ABOLISHES, ONLY ONE ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR OFFICE IN THE ENTIRE STATE OF TEXAS, THE HARRIS COUNTY ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR'S OFFICE.
AND THIS IS GOING TO UNDO YEARS OF WORK THAT THE COUNTY HAS UNDERTAKEN TO SET UP THAT OFFICE TO BUILD UP THE WORKFORCE.
IT'S GOING TO CONFUSE THINGS FOR COUNTY EMPLOYEES, AND IT'S GONNA THROW OUR PROCESSES INTO CHAOS JUST A FEW MONTHS BEFORE A MAJOR ELECTION FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
UH, THE COUNTY OF COURSE RECRUITED CLIFF TATUM TO COME FROM OUT OF STATE TO BRING HIS FAMILY DOWN TO HARRIS COUNTY, TO THE STATE THAT WE LOVE, UH, TO, TO SET UP, UH, THE NEXT STAGE OF THIS OFFICE.
BUT THIS BILL 1750 ABOLISHES HIS POSITION NOW UNDER SENATE BILL 1750.
THE DUTIES OF RUNNING ELECTIONS ARE SENT TO THE COUNTY CLERK, AND THE DUTIES OF RUNNING VOTER REGISTRATION ARE SENT TO THE TAX SUCCESSOR COLLECTOR.
BUT THERE'S ANOTHER BILL THAT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT THAT I HAVEN'T HEARD MANY FOLKS IN THE MEDIA TALK ABOUT, AND THAT'S SENATE BILL 1933.
THIS IS A BILL THAT ALLOWS THE STATE TO SWOOP IN AND EXERT CONTROL OVER TWO, ONLY TWO ELECTED OFFICIALS.
IN THIS BIG STATE THAT WE LIVE IN, ONLY TWO ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE IMPACTED BY THIS, BOTH BLACK WOMEN, AND THAT IS HARRIS COUNTY CLERK AND THE HARRIS COUNTY TAX ASSESSOR COLLECTOR.
THIS WILL ALLOW THE STATE OF TEXAS TO COME IN AND MICROMANAGE THEM, LOOK OVER THEIR SHOULDER WHILE THEY'RE TRYING TO CONDUCT ELECTIONS, AND IT'LL ALLOW THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO DICTATE THEIR POLICIES AND PROCEDURES INSTEAD OF THEM BEING ABLE TO DECIDE WHAT'S BEST FOR ELECTIONS AND VOTER REGISTRATION IN THEIR COUNTY.
EVEN MORE HARMFUL, SOMETHING THAT I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYBODY MENTION, BUT IT'S INCREDIBLY HARMFUL AND INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.
UNDER SENATE BILL 1933, THE SECRETARY OF STATE IS ABLE TO INITIATE LAWSUITS TO REMOVE ONLY TWO ELECTED OFFICIALS FROM OFFICE IN THE ENTIRE STATE OF TEXAS, AND THAT'S THE HARRIS COUNTY CLERK AND THE HARRIS COUNTY TAX ASSESSOR COLLECTOR.
WE LIVE IN A BIG STATE WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE.
WE HAVE A LOT OF ELECTED OFFICIALS, A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE VOTED INTO OFFICE TO SERVE THEIR COMMUNITY.
YET THESE BILLS TARGET THREE BLACK ELECTED OFFICIALS IN HARRIS COUNTY, THE ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR, THE COUNTY CLERK, AND THE TAX ASSESSOR COLLECTOR.
AND I'VE SEEN SOME FOLKS LIKE SENATOR AB BETTENCOURT AND REPRESENTATIVE BRISCOE KAIN SAY THIS IS ABOUT GIVING POWER TO BLACK WOMEN.
UH, THIS IS ABOUT EMPOWERING THESE FOLKS.
BRISCOE KAIN SAT FROM THE FLOOR WHEN HE WAS DISCUSSING ONE OF THOSE ELECTED OFFICIALS.
THIS IS EXACTLY WHY THE REPUBLICAN PARTY HASN'T BEEN ABLE TO WIN THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF BLACK PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY.
THEY SHAKE YOUR HAND WITH ONE HAND AND THEY STAB YOU IN THE BACK WITH THE OTHER BECAUSE JUST MINUTES AFTER REPRESENTATIVE KANE SET THOSE REMARKS, HE WENT AND VOTED IN A FAVOR OF SB 1933, WHICH WOULD EXPEDITE THE PROCESS FOR THOSE VERY TWO BLACK WOMEN TO BE REMOVED FROM OFFICE.
UH, WE'RE SUING THE STATE OF TEXAS TO PROTECT HARRIS COUNTY TO PROTECT HARRIS COUNTY RESIDENTS TO PROTECT OUR PUBLIC OFFICIALS AND TO STOP THE STATE FROM TARGETING US.
THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION IS CLEAR.
THE LEGISLATOR CAN'T PASS LAWS THAT TARGET ONE SPECIFIC CITY OR ONE SPECIFIC COUNTY, AND THAT CONSTITUTIONAL BAN MAKES A WHOLE LOT OF SENSE.
WE DON'T WANT OUR LAWMAKERS GOING TO AUSTIN, TAKING THEIR PERSONAL VENDETTAS WITH THEM AND PASSING LAWS THAT TARGET LOCAL GOVERNMENTS INSTEAD OF DOING WHAT'S IN THE BEST INTEREST OF TEXANS.
AND WE DON'T WANT A LAWMAKER FROM OLDHAM COUNTY TRAVELING OUT TO AUSTIN TO PASS A LAW THAT ONLY IMPACTS HARRIS COUNTY, BUT DOES IT IMPACT HIS CONSTITUENTS SO THAT HE CAN THROW RED MEAT TO HIS BASE FOR POLITICAL POINTS? NOW, AS FAR AS WHAT'S NEXT, WE'RE GONNA APPROACH THIS ON PARALLEL TRACKS.
WE PLAN TO FILE OUR LAWSUIT, UH, IN SHORT ORDER ONCE THE GOVERNOR SIGNS, UH, THESE LAWS INTO EFFECT.
BUT THESE LAWS ALSO REQUIRE THAT FOR THE NEXT ELECTION THAT WE RUN, AS IT STANDS TODAY UNTIL A JUDGE RULES OUR ELECTION MUST BE RUN BY THE HARRIS COUNTY CLERK.
SO ON PARALLEL TRACK WITH US FILING THIS LAWSUIT AT THE COUNTY, WE'RE
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GONNA START THE PROCESS OF TALKING ABOUT WHAT THAT TRANSITION LOOKS LIKE AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO ENSURE THAT OUR HARRIS COUNTY CLERK, TANISHA HUDSPETH, IS PROPERLY EMPOWERED TO RUN THAT ELECTION.BUT I WANNA BE CLEAR, THERE WAS AN AMENDMENT THAT WAS PUT ON SB 1750 THAT WOULD'VE DELAYED THE PASSAGE OF THAT LAW UNTIL AFTER THE NEXT ELECTION.
AND THE REASON THAT WAS GIVEN WAS THIS IS ABOUT ENSURING THAT OUR HARRIS COUNTY CLERK, TANISHA HUS, PUT THE VERY PERSON WHO THESE REPUBLICANS CLAIM THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO SUPPORT, THAT SHE HAD ENOUGH TIME AND SHE WASN'T FORCED INTO A MAJOR TRANSITION WITH ONLY A COUPLE OF MONTHS BEFORE AN ELECTION.
THAT AMENDMENT, OF COURSE, WAS VOTED DOWN BY A REPUBLICAN LED TEXAS HOUSE IN CLOSING.
THIS FIGHT IS MUCH BIGGER THAN THESE TWO LAWS.
SB 1933 IS IMPORTANT, BUT IT'S BIGGER THAN THIS.
WE'VE SEEN AN ALL OUT ATTACK ON LOCAL CONTROL FROM EVERY MAJOR ELECTED OFFICIAL IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, AIMED AT THE INCREASINGLY DIVERSE COUNTIES WITH INCREASINGLY DIVERSE LEADERSHIP.
REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS IN AUSTIN ARE PUSHING BILLS THAT BLOCK MAYORS FROM MAKING DECISIONS THAT BEST SUIT THE NEEDS OF THEIR CONSTITUENTS.
THEY'RE PUSHING BILLS THAT PAVE THE WAY TO REMOVE LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS LIKE PROSECUTORS, JUDGES, AND OF COURSE, OUR TAX ASSESSOR COLLECTOR AND OUR CLERK FROM OFFICE.
AND THEY'RE PUSHING BILLS TO MAKE IT HARDER TO VOTE IN THIS STATE.
WE'RE FILING THIS LAWSUIT TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITIES, TO PROTECT OUR PUBLIC SERVANTS, AND TO PROTECT EACH AND EVERY RESIDENT THAT LIVED IN HARRIS COUNTY AND CAST THEIR BALLOT FOR FOLKS WHO LOOK DIFFERENTLY AND THINK DIFFERENTLY THAN THE PEOPLE IN AUSTIN.
NEXT UP, WE'RE GONNA HEAR FROM OUR COUNTY JUDGE.
THEN AFTER THAT, WE'LL HEAR FROM OUR MAYOR AND OUR COUNTY COMMISSIONER FOR PRECINCT ONE.
THANK YOU COUNTY ATTORNEY MENIFEE AND AND TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR JOINING ME.
THIS IS, UH, VERY IMPORTANT, UM, ISSUE.
AND, AND, AND BEFORE I ADDRESS IT, I I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT TODAY MARKS ONE YEAR SINCE AN ARMED GUNMAN TOOK THE LIVES OF 21 CHILDREN AND, UH, ROB ELEMENTARY IN UVALDE.
AND OF COURSE, INSTEAD OF FOCUSING ON SCHOOL SAFETY, UH, INSTEAD OF FOCUSING ON CHANGING THE POLICIES THAT LED, UH, TO THESE DEATHS, THE STATE LEGISLATURE HAS BEEN FOCUSED INSTEAD ON POLITICAL AGGRESSION.
I KNOW THAT OUR CHILDREN DESERVE BETTER AND, UH, IN HARRIS COUNTY.
TAKE THE TIME TO REMEMBER THOSE CHILDREN, TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PAIN THAT THEIR FAMILIES CONTINUE TO FEEL AND TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE FACT THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE PUSHING FOR MEANINGFUL REFORM.
I'M PLEASED TO STAND UNITED WITH OUR COUNTY AND CITY LEADERS TO CALL OUT WHAT STATE LEGISLATORS ARE DOING BOLD FACED ABUSE OF POWER AND BLATANT POLITICAL AGGRESSION.
THE LEGISLATURE YESTERDAY PASSED ONE BILL AND IS JUST ONE STEP FROM PASSING A SECOND BILL THAT TAKES AWAY THE RIGHTS OF HARRIS COUNTY RESIDENTS AND ONLY HARRIS COUNTY RESIDENTS.
THEY REMOVE FROM THE MOST POPULOUS COUNTY IN OUR STATE HOME TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND 33 SMALLER CITIES.
THE RIGHTS AFFORDED THE OTHER 253 COUNTIES IN THE STATE OF TEXAS FIRST, AND ESPECIALLY IN THE CONTEXT OF TODAY'S ANNIVERSARY, WE CALL BS.
WE CALL BS ON THE EXCUSES THAT LEGISLATORS ARE USING TO REMOVE THE RIGHTS OF OUR CONSTITUENTS.
THESE BILLS ARE NOT ABOUT ELECTION REFORM.
THEY'RE NOT ABOUT IMPROVING VOTERS' EXPERIENCE.
THEY'RE ENTIRELY ABOUT SUPPRESSING VOTERS' VOICES.
THE REASONING BEHIND THESE BILLS IS NOTHING BUT A CYNICAL TRADE.
IT'S A SHOW THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO PUT ON, AND I WANNA GO THROUGH EACH POINT THEY'RE RAISING BECAUSE I DON'T WANT THERE TO BE A SHADOW OF A DOUBT THAT THIS IS A POLITICAL MANEUVER.
FIRST OF ALL, THE GENTLEMAN THERE, THEY'RE MALIGNING AS A SCAPEGOAT IN ALL OF THIS.
CLIFF TATUM IS AN UTMOST PROFESSIONAL, A NATIONAL LEVEL ELECTIONS LEADER.
HE IS AN ATTORNEY WHO HAS BEEN A PUBLIC SERVANT HIS WHOLE CAREER.
HE HAS WORKED IN ELECTIONS FOR 16 YEARS.
HE HAS LED ELECTIONS IN THE STATE OF GEORGIA AND IN WASHINGTON DC HE SO WELL KNOWS THE RULES THAT HE WAS GENERAL COUNSEL AT THE UNITED STATES ELECTIONS ASSISTANCE COMMISSION.
THE ISSUE THEY HOPE TO FIX IS SUPPOSED ISSUES WITH THE HARRIS COUNTY ELECTIONS, BUT WE KNOW THAT CLAIMS OF PAPER BALLOT SHORTAGES IN THE LAST ELECTION WERE GREATLY EXAGGERATED.
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NOT TO MENTION WE WEREN'T THE ONLY COUNTY WHO EXPERIENCED ISSUES.FOR EXAMPLE, EIGHT POLLING PLACES OUT OF 42 TOTAL ELECTIONS IN BELL COUNTY IN CENTRAL TEXAS OPENED A FULL HOUR LATE ON ELECTION DAY.
I DON'T SEE THEM TAKING OVER THE ELECTIONS IN BELL COUNTY.
IN HARRIS COUNTY, WE HAD ONLY 20 OF ALMOST 800 POLLING LOCATIONS HAVE ISSUES WITH PAPER BALLOT.
AND AT ALL TIMES, VOTER COULD SIMPLY GO DOWN THE STREET AND VOTE AT THE POLLING LOCATION OF HIS OR HER CHOICE.
THE IDEA THAT NO COUNTY IS ENCOUNTERING THE SAME KINDS OF ISSUES IS PURELY FALSE.
THEY ARE JUST NOT BEING MICROSCOPE THE WAY WE ARE.
THERE'S NEVER A PERFECT ELECTION.
IT'S A HUGE LOGISTICAL UNDERTAKING.
AND WE HAVE NOT HAD A SINGLE COURT RULE THAT A SINGLE VOTER WAS DISENFRANCHISED IN HARRIS COUNTY.
OF COURSE, THE LEGISLATURE DOESN'T CARE ABOUT THE FACT THEY'RE ONLY TARGETING HARRIS COUNTY ON THIS BECAUSE THEY WANT TO CONTROL WHO WE ELECT.
NINE OUT OF THE 10 LARGEST COUNTIES IN THE STATE OF TEXAS HAVE AN ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR, BUT THEY WANT TO ELIMINATE OURS.
THAT CLAIM THAT THEY'RE IN A CRUSADE ABOUT GIVING BACK POWER TO BLACK WOMEN IN THE STATE IS ABSOLUTELY FALSE.
IN REALITY, IT'S ABOUT TAKING AWAY THEIR POWER.
AS WE WERE DISCUSSING, IT'S ABOUT GIVING THEM THE POWER TO BE REMOVED BY THE STATE.
I WANT OUR DIVERSE COMMUNITIES TO KNOW THAT THIS IS HAPPENING.
I WANT THE COUNTY THAT IS ONE OF THE MOST DIVERSE IN THE STATE TO KNOW THAT THERE ARE LEGISLATORS WHO TOOK AN OATH TO REPRESENT THEM THAT ARE THERE TAKING AWAY THEIR RIGHTS SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY DON'T LIKE WHO THEY VOTE FOR.
WE ALL KNOW THAT HARRIS COUNTY VOTERS DON'T MARCH TO THE GOVERNOR'S BEAT.
THEIR CANDIDATES DON'T WIN HERE.
AND FOR THAT REASON, THEY'VE DECIDED THAT THEY WANT TO NOT ONLY ABOLISH OUR ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR, BUT THEY WANT THE ABILITY TO REMOVE TWO BLACK WOMEN ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO WOULD THEN RUN ELECTIONS.
AND THEY WANT THE ABILITY TO OVERSEE EVERY DECISION THAT IS MADE IN HARRIS COUNTY ELECTIONS.
IMAGINE IF SOMETHING LIKE THAT WAS DONE TO ANOTHER COUNTY OR WAS DONE TO THE STATE OF TEXAS.
THEY'RE TAKING AWAY THE POWER OF 4.7 MILLION VOTERS IN THIS COMMUNITY.
AND THEY'RE PUTTING A WOMAN WHO WAS 30 YEARS A REPUBLICAN STATE SENATOR, THE NOW APPOINTED SECRETARY OF STATE, SINGLE HANDEDLY AUTHORIZED TO BE ABLE TO MICROMANAGE THE ELECTIONS IN HARRIS COUNTY AND ELIMINATE OUR POSITIONS OF POWER IN RUNNING ELECTIONS.
SO ACROSS THE STATE AND IN HARRIS COUNTY, IAS COUNTY JUDGE, WANT EVERYBODY TO KNOW THE FIGHT IS JUST BEGINNING.
WE ARE GONNA CONTINUE WORKING ON THE ISSUES WE WORK ON, WHETHER IT'S CONTINUING TO REDUCE HOMELESSNESS, CONTINUING TO REDUCE CRIME, CONTINUING TO FIGHT FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION, WORKING TOGETHER AS ELECTED LEADERS WHEN THERE'S AN EMERGENCY FIGHTING FOR WHAT'S BEST FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS AND THESE FOLKS IN THE STATE THAT THINK THAT THEY CAN CHANGE THE RULES OF THE GAME SO THAT THEY WIN EVERY TIME, OR THEIR CANDIDATES WIN EVERY TIME ARE SORELY MISTAKEN BECAUSE THEY MAY NOT RECOGNIZE THESE DIVERSE COMMUNITIES THEY'RE HARMING.
BUT THIS COUNTY HAS BEEN AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE A FORCE TO RECKON WITH.
AND THE PEOPLE THAT CALL HARRIS COUNTY HOME WILL NOT STAND FOR BEING DISENFRANCHISED.
LET ME REPEAT MY REMARKS IN SPANISH VERY BRIEFLY AND THEN I'LL, I'LL PASS THE MIC ON TO, TO THE MAYOR.
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REFORM ELECTORAL WASHINGTON PERMITTING.[00:21:00]
I WILL NOW PASS IT ON TO MAYOR TURNER.THANK YOU, UH, JUDGE, UH, ALGO AND, AND COUNTY ATTORNEY, UH, KRISTIN MENIFEE.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING US, UH, TOGETHER ON THIS IMPORTANT SUBJECT, UH, TO COMMISSIONER RODNEY ELLIS AND TO THE CITY ATTORNEY URA MICHELLE.
LOOK, UM, LEMME JUST START FROM THE VERY, FROM THE VERY TOP TO SAY THIS IS, UM, ON THIS MATTER.
THE CITY AND THE COUNTY ARE WALKING IN LOCKSTEP WITH ONE ANOTHER.
THE ATTACKS ON THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY ARE WRONG.
THEY'RE UNDEMOCRATIC AND CERTAINLY WE'LL HAVE A CHILLING EFFECT ON OUR ABILITY AS A COMMUNITY TO DO WHAT IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE PEOPLE IN OUR REGION.
AND WE'LL LIMIT OUR ABILITY TO MAKE LOCAL DECISIONS.
THERE WILL BE ADVERSE CONSEQUENCES FROM THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE PASSING SUPER PREEMPTION BILLS DURING AWAY WITH THE ELECTION ADMINISTRATOR OFFICE AND INTERFERING WITH OUR ELECTIONS.
TODAY WE ARE GATHERED AS CITY AND COUNTY LEADERS TO DISCUSS THE DANGEROUS IMPLICATIONS OF SENATE BILL 1750 BY SENATOR PAUL BENNETT COURT, UH, WHICH PASSED ON THE HOUSE FLOOR YESTERDAY, UH, WITH ALONG PARTY LINES.
AND EVERY SINGLE AMENDMENT FOUND BY DEMOCRATS WAS TURNED DOWN.
UH, I AGREE WITH, UH, THE COUNTY JUDGE, UH, COUNTY JUDGE MENIFEE, THAT YOU CANNOT READ SENATE BILL 1750 WITHOUT ALSO READING, UH, SENATE BILL 1933.
THEY GO HAND IN HAND IF SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR.
ALL THESE CHANGES WILL BECOME EFFECTIVE BY SEPTEMBER ONE OF THIS YEAR, LEAVING ROUGHLY TWO MONTHS FOR THE COUNTY TO MAKE THE NECESSARY ADJUSTMENTS BEFORE THIS YEAR'S MAYORAL ELECTION.
AND I WANT PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, THAT THE CHANGES THAT ARE BEING FORCED ON THE COUNTY WILL HAVE A DIRECT IMPACT ON THIS YEAR'S MAYOR'S ELECTION.
I'M TERM LIMITED, CAN'T RUN AGAIN FOR MAYOR.
UH, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT VOTERS DON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEMS CASTING THEIR BALLOT IN THIS UPCOMING ELECTION WITH VOTING STARTING, UH, LET'S SAY LIKE IN OCTOBER, EARLY VOTING, SENDING OUT, UH, MAIL APPLICATIONS SO PEOPLE CAN VOTE EARLY WITH THIS BILL TAKING EFFECT ON SEPTEMBER ONE, LITERALLY IN THE FOLLOWING MONTH, ELECTIONS VOTING IN HOUSTON MAYOR'S RACE AND IN EVERY CITY COUNCIL POSITION WILL START.
AND AS WE KNOW, VOTING IS THE CORNERSTONE OF OUR DEMOCRACY.
AND FOR YEARS NOW, CERTAIN GROUPS OF PEOPLE AND GOVERNMENTAL LEADERS HAVE BEEN CHALLENGING THE RIGHT, THE ACCESS AND NOW THE OVERSIGHT OF THE VOTING PROCESS DUE TO SOME ONGOING SEARCH FOR SO-CALLED PERSONS WHO WERE DENIED THE ABILITY TO EXERCISE THEIR RIGHT TO VOTE IN HARRIS COUNTY BECAUSE THEY DID NOT HAVE A PAPER BALLOT.
I'VE YET TO SEE ONE PERSON IDENTIFIED, AND LAN HAS BEEN SAID, I'VE YET TO SEE ONE COURT RULING THAT SPEAKS TO THEIR COMPLAINT.
DURING THE LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION, WE HAD TO ENDURE THE RECKONING OF SENATE BILL ONE, WHICH LIMITED DROP BOXES IN THE STATE'S LARGEST COUNTY TO ONLY ONE.
AND OTHER SUPPRESSION TACTICS LIKE BANNING DRIVE THROUGH VOTING, ELIMINATING THE 24 HOUR VOTING, CHANGING VOTING POLL LOCATIONS DUE TO INADEQUATE A DA ACCESSIBILITY AND SOME OF THE MOST RESTRICTIVE VOTER ID LAWS
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AND REQUIREMENTS IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY.AND SEVERAL OTHER MEASURES TO ROLL BACK ACCESS TO THE POLL, TO THE VOTE.
AND NOW WE FIND OURSELVES RIGHT BACK HERE AT THE END OF THE 88TH LEGISLATIVE SESSION WITH SENATE BILL 1750 AND SENATE BILL 1933, A DIRECT ATTACK ON THE STATE'S LARGEST COUNTY HARRIS COUNTY, WITH AN ATTEMPT TO ABOLISH ALL POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE COUNTY ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR OF A COUNTY WITH A POPULATION OF MORE THAN 3.5 MILLION PEOPLE AND TRANSFER SUCH SUCH RESPONSIBILITIES TO THE COUNTY TAX ASSESSOR, COLLECTOR AND COUNTY CLERK JUST MONTHS BEFORE THE MAYOR OF THE ELECTION.
UH, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT NOT NEXT YEAR, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THIS YEAR SPECIFICALLY THE COUNTY TAX ASSESSOR COLLECTOR SHALL SERVE AS THE VOTER REGISTRAR AND THE DUTIES AND FUNCTIONS OF THE COUNTY CLERK THAT WERE PERFORMED BY THE ADMINISTRATOR REVERT TO THE COUNTY CLERK.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, SENATE BILL 1750 ONLY PERTAINS TO HARRIS COUNTY INSTEAD OF OUR OVERALL REFORM, UH, TO ALL COUNTIES IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
IT SEEMS LIKE TAKING AWAY LOCAL CONTROL JUST HAPPENS IN THE LARGEST COUNTY IN THE STATE, AND ONE OF THE MOST DIVERSE, IF NOT THE DIVERSE.
THESE CONTINUED ATTACKS ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT ARE STRIPPING OUR AUTHORITY AND MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR LOCAL LEADERS TO BE RESPONSIBLE TO OUR RESIDENTS ON ISSUES THAT MATTER, ESPECIALLY VOTING.
I REMEMBER IN 2022, THE TEXAS SECRETARY OF STATE ISSUED A STATEMENT VIA EMAIL TO THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS HOUSTON, WHO WERE PREPARING TO REGISTER OVER 3000 PEOPLE AT THEIR NATURALIZATION CEREMONY THAT MONTH, WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE STATE WAS EXPERIENCING A PAPER SHORTAGE AND COULDN'T PRODUCE THE VOTER REGISTRATION FORMS. BUT AFTER I JOINED DR.
ANNIE BENEFIELD AT THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS TO MAKE THIS ISSUE PUBLIC, SUDDENLY THE PAPER WAS FOUND AND THE FORMS WERE SENT.
THERE WAS NO LEGISLATION FILED OR PASSED TO REVAMP THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S OFFICE.
BUT IN SENATE BILL 1933, THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S OFFICE WILL HAVE THE POWER TO REMOVE LOCAL OFFICIALS IN HARRIS COUNTY.
BUT ALL OF THESE ISSUES COULD EASILY BE RESOLVED IN HARRIS COUNTY AND THE ENTIRE STATE IF TEXAS JOINS THE MORE THAN 40 OTHER STATES WHO HAVE PASSED ONLINE VOTING REGISTRATION SENATE BILL 1750 AND SENATE BILL 1933 CREATE MORE PROBLEMS THAN THEY ALLEGEDLY SOLVED.
AND I HAVE TALKED WITH, UH, CITY ATTORNEY AND URA MICHELLE, IN ADDITION TO THE LAWSUIT BEING FILED BY THE COUNTY.
WE THINK WHAT IS HAPPENING AS A RESULT OF THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION AND THESE TWO SENATE BILLS THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE NEEDS TO STEP IN AND THEY NEED TO STEP IN SOON WITH THE MAYOR'S ELECTION RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER.
AND WE WILL ASK THEM TO DO THAT.
COMPLAINING ABOUT A PAPER SHORTAGE AND FAILING TO PROVE EVEN ONE PERSON WAS DENIED THEIR VOTE BECAUSE OF IT IS A CLEAR EXAMPLE OF WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THIS STATE.
WITH THE LARGEST COUNTY IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
THIS IS AN ATTEMPT TO CONTROL THE OUTCOME AND OF ELECTION AND ABRIDGE PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO VOTE.
AND QUITE FRANKLY, FOR ALL OF US, REGARDLESS OF WHERE YOU STAND, THIS IS A DEFINING MOMENT.
AND HARRIS COUNTY, THE CITY OF HOUSTON, AND NO ONE ELSE SHOULD SIT ON THE SIDELINE AND ALLOW THIS TO TAKE PLACE.
WE ALL HAVE A VESTED INTEREST IN MAKING SURE THAT OUR DEMOCRACY CONTINUES TO STAND AND WE NEED TO FIGHT FOR IT.
AND THAT IS WHAT WE INTEND TO DO.
THANK YOU, UH, MR. COUNTY ATTORNEY FOR HAVING A VISION TO PULL THIS TOGETHER.
THANK YOU JUDGE HIDALGO, WE NEEDED YOU HERE.
MAYOR, UH, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
AND ARTURO MICHELLE, MR. CITY ATTORNEY.
TEXAS HAS ALWAYS HAD A RATHER IGNOBLE HISTORY AS IT RELATES TO VOTING RIGHTS ACT TO VOTING PARTICIPATION IN GENERAL.
TWO DAYS AGO, WE WITNESSED A HIT JOB ON THE BIGGEST BLUE COUNTY IN TEXAS, A COUNTY BIGGER THAN 25 STATES.
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WE HAD A HIT JOB ON US BECAUSE IT'S A DEMOCRATIC COUNTY.ONCE AGAIN, A HYPERPARTISAN HARRIS COUNTY OBSESSED AUSTIN REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP IS ATTACKING OUR FUNDAMENTAL VOTING RIGHTS, SUBVERTING OUR ELECTIONS, AND UNDERMINING LOCAL CONTROL.
THESE BILLS TAKE US BACK TO THE FORTIES AND FIFTIES.
I'M THE PERSON ON COMMISSIONER'S COURT THAT SUGGESTED WE CONSIDER COMBINING THE OFFICE THAT HANDLES VOTER REGISTRATION AND RUNS BY ELECTIONS.
I WANNA POINT OUT IT WAS NOT A NEW IDEA.
A PREVIOUS REPUBLICAN COUNTY JUDGE, JUDGE ALGO, THE ONE THAT YOU REPLACED, CALLED FOR THAT AS WELL.
MANY OF OUR FRIENDS ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE OF THE AISLE WHEN WE IN THE LEGISLATURE, MAYOR TURNER, WERE FOR IT BEFORE THEY WERE AGAINST IT.
THIS IS ALL APART OF THE BIG LIE SHOWING THAT YOU ARE A DISCIPLE OF FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP.
THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT.
THEY ARE, THESE TWO BILLS ARE A DISGRACE TO OUR DEMOCRACY.
I WANT TO THANK THOSE OF YOU IN THE PRESS FOR COVERING THE STORY, AND I WANT TO CHALLENGE YOU TO DO MORE LOOK AT OUR RECORD IN HARRIS COUNTY AND GO BACK AND LOOK AT PREVIOUS RECORDS, INCLUDING THE RECORD OF SENATOR PAUL BENTON COURT WHEN HE WAS THE TAX ASSESSOR.
WHAT WERE THE STATISTICS ON MAKING VOTER REGISTRATION AVAILABLE TO PEOPLE WHEN HE WAS IN? I CALLED FOR IT.
IT WAS A RESPONSIBLE PUBLIC POLICY.
THE ONLY REASON THE TWO OFFICES WERE EVER DIVIDED WAS WHEN TEXAS CREATED A POLL TAX.
SOMEBODY HAD THE BRIGHT IDEA, WELL, IT'S LOGICAL TO HAVE THE PERSON COLLECTING THE POLL TAX REGISTER PEOPLE TO VOTE, OR REALLY IT WAS AN ATTEMPT TO DENY THEM THE ABILITY TO VOTE.
I WANNA CHALLENGE FOLKS OUT THERE WHO ARE WATCHING THIS NEWS BROADCAST.
THE ONLY THING YOU CAN DO IS REGISTER.
AND IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO DO THAT AND VOTE.
AUSTIN LEADERSHIP IS TAKING POWERFUL PEOPLE AND PUSHING OUR DEMOCRACY TO THE BRINK WITH SENATE BILL 1750 AND SENATE BILL 1933 AND THERE WERE A HOST OF OTHERS LEGISLATION STILL IN SESSION, DAMAGE CAN CONTINUE TO BE DONE.
I HAVE HUNG AROUND THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE SINCE 1975 AS AN INTERN ON BILL HOBBY STAFF WHEN HE WAS LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR MARY.
YOU WERE PACKING UP TO GO TO HARVARD AND WHEN YOU CAME BACK, YOU WENT TO THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE TWO YEARS AHEAD OF ME.
WE BOTH SERVED THERE 26 YEARS.
I LEFT A LITTLE AFTER YOU DID.
THE ATMOSPHERE AT THE CAPITOL IS TOXIC, NEVER BEFORE.
AT LEAST SINCE I HAVE WATCHED IT, HAVE PEOPLE BEEN SO UNHAPPY.
EVEN PEOPLE WHO ARE VOTING FOR SOME OF THESE BILLS ARE UNHAPPY IS WRONG AND THEY KNOW IT'S WRONG.
I WANT TO THANK THOSE LEGISLATORS WHO STOOD UP AFTER LONG TEDIOUS DAYS AND RAISED POINTS OF ORDER, MADE ARGUMENTS, AND I WANNA THANK THOSE WHO WANTED TO SPEAK OUT, BUT WERE AFRAID BECAUSE MAYBE SOME OTHER BILL THAT THEY WERE PUSHING WOULD NOT GO THROUGH A PROCESS.
I KNOW HOW LONELY IT CAN BE TO BE OUT ON A LIMB.
I'VE DONE IT A GOOD PART OF MY POLITICAL LIFE.
IN CLOSING, I WANNA SAY I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THAT EVERYBODY HAS SAID MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE.
WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE MAKES THE CASE FOR FEDERAL VOTING RIGHTS PROTECTION IN THIS STATE AND IN THIS COUNTRY.
WE'VE JUST FOUGHT FOR TOO LONG.
WE HAVE SUFFERED SO MUCH THAT WE'VE COME SO FAR AND IT'S A TRAVESTY FOR US TO GO BACK TO THE WAY THINGS USED TO BE.
WITH THAT, WE'LL OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS.
DO YOU WANNA CLARIFY SORT OF THE LEGAL GROUNDS FOR THE LAWSUIT THAT YOU'RE PLANNING ON FILING? SURE.
THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION HAS A PROHIBITION ON LOCAL LAWS WITH THE IDEA BEING THAT WE SEND OUR LAWMAKERS TO AUSTIN TO MAKE LAWS THAT IMPACT THE ENTIRE STATE, RIGHT? IT'S GOOD PUBLIC POLICY.
UM, BUT YOU DON'T WANT FOLKS GOING OUT THERE PASSING LAWS THAT ARE AIMED AT A CERTAIN CONSTITUENCY.
FOR EXAMPLE, YOU DON'T WANT SOMEONE FROM OLDHAM COUNTY PASSING A LAW THAT ONLY IMPACTS GALVESTON COUNTY.
THAT PERSON WASN'T ELECTED OUTTA GALVESTON COUNTY.
THEY HAVE NO INTEREST IN, IN BENEFITING THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN GALVESTON COUNTY.
BUT ALSO WHEN PEOPLE PASS LOCAL LAWS, THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO PUSH THEIR PERSONAL VENDETTAS, RIGHT? AND SO THE TEXT CONSTITUTION IS CLEAR THAT YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO TARGET LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND MAKE A LAW APPLY TO ONLY ONE LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
UH, WE HAVE NO REASON TO DO SO.
SO THAT'S THE LEGAL RUNS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE CHALLENGING ON.
[00:35:03]
CAN YOU COMMENT ON, UH, 1933, HOW THERE WAS LIKE THAT LAST MINUTE CHANGE WHERE INITIALLY IT WAS GONNA BE APPLIED TO A LOT MORE COUNTIES AND THAT THE LAST MINUTE THEY MADE THAT CHANGE TO BRACKET, IT'S IN HARRIS COUNTY.CAN YOU KIND OF COMMENT ON THAT? WAS THAT LIKE SOMETHING THAT YOU SAW COMING OR ANY THOUGHTS ON HOW NO, I I I THINK WE WERE ALL COMPLETELY BLINDSIDED AND I JUST THINK IT SPEAKS TO THE DOUBLESPEAK OF PEOPLE LIKE BRISCOE KANE WHO PURPORT TO BE FRIENDS OF VAN HARRIS BENNETT AND TANISHA HUDSPETH.
UM, YOU KNOW, YOU GO UP THERE AND YOU SAY, I'M ABOLISHING THIS OFFICE, UM, TO EMPOWER THESE TWO PEOPLE, AND THEN YOU HAVE A BUDDY PUTTING AN AMENDMENT OUT AND YOU VOTE IN SUPPORT OF THAT AMENDMENT THAT STABS THEM IN THE BACK.
IT WAS A COMPLETE SURPRISE TO ME.
I'M SURE IT WAS A SURPRISE TO THE FOLKS UP HERE, BUT IT JUST KIND OF DRIVES FROM THE POINT THAT IF THIS WERE REALLY ABOUT MAKING ELECTIONS BETTER, THEN WE WOULD BE STRIVING TO MAKE ELECTIONS BETTER IN THE ENTIRE STATE OF TEXAS.
EVERY JURISDICTION IN THE STATE OF TEXAS HAS ELECTION ISSUES THAT POP UP FROM TIME TO TIME.
BUT THE MESSAGE TO US WAS VERY CLEAR WITH THAT AMENDMENT, WHICH CAME ON THE LAST, AT, AT THE VERY LAST MINUTE.
THIS ISN'T ABOUT MAKING ELECTIONS BETTER, IT'S ABOUT TARGETING HARRIS COUNTY.
SIR, IS THERE ANY PRECEDENT FOR THIS TYPE OF LAWSUIT AND HOW CONFIDENT ARE YOU THAT YOU'RE WINNING COURT IS? THERE'S BEEN A BUNCH OF THESE CASES THAT HAVE BEEN FILED.
UM, AS FAR AS HOW CONFIDENT WE ARE, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN NEVER TELL WHAT THE COURTS, SO WE'LL SEE HOW IT SHAKES OUT IN COURT.
UM, I FEEL GOOD THAT THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION SAYS WHAT IT SAYS.
UM, BUT YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN YOU'RE IN FRONT OF A JUDGE.
SO YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA DO THIS BECAUSE, UH, I DON'T JUST FILE LAWSUITS RIGHT? WHEN WE'RE A HUNDRED PERCENT POSITIVE, WE'RE GONNA WIN.
I WAS ELECTED, UH, TO, TO FIGHT THIS EXACT THING.
PEOPLE DIDN'T, DIDN'T JUST ELECT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL.
THEY DIDN'T JUST ELECT THE GOVERNOR.
THEY ELECTED A COUNTY JUDGE, A MAYOR, A COUNTY ATTORNEY.
SO MY ROLE IN THIS IS ENSURING THAT WE HAVE OUR DAY IN COURT AND THAT WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN, UH, TO PUSH BACK ON THESE BILLS.
IF, IF THE COURTS, ALL OF WHOM ALL OF THESE JUDGES ARE ELECTED, IF, IF THEY DECIDE, UH, A DIFFERENT OUTCOME THAT'S ON THEM.
BUT MY JOB IS TO FILE A LAWSUIT AND GO IN A FIGHT, AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I'M GOING TO DO.
THERE WERE SOME TALK EARLIER ABOUT PREPARING FOR A POSSIBLE TRANSITION TO BACK TO THE COUNTY CLERK AND ASSESSOR COLLECTOR IN CASE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A DELAY IN LEGAL MATTER OR THIS LAWSUIT IS NOT CHOICE.
YOU MAY ASK QUESTION FOR JUDGE ALL, BUT CAN YOU TALK A BIT ABOUT JUST THE PREPARATION FOR THAT TRANSITION, IF, IF THAT SHOULDN'T HAVE TO HAPPEN AND HOW FAR OUT YOU BEGIN THAT PROCESS? YEAH, LOOK, IT'S, IT, IT WOULD UNDOUBTEDLY CREATE ISSUES.
AND WHAT THEY WANT TO DO IS, IS SO CHAOS IN OUR ELECTIONS.
THEY ALREADY HAVE PASSED LAWS IN PREVIOUS YEARS THAT MAKE IT HARDER FOR HARRIS COUNTY TO RUN ELECTIONS AND THEN, AND THEY WANNA MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE TO VOTE.
SO IS IT GOING TO BE A CHALLENGE TO BRING THOSE OFFICES, UH, APART AGAIN, THE ELECTIONS OFFICE APART? OF COURSE, WE'VE WORKED OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS FOR THE ELECTIONS OFFICE TO WORK AS A DIVISION, AS AN ELECTIONS DIVISION.
UH, IN THE PAST THERE WERE FOLKS WHO WORKED ON OTHER ISSUES AND THEN PART-TIME WOULD TAKE ON ELECTIONS AT EITHER OFFICE, AND THAT DIDN'T WORK.
IN THE PAST, THERE WAS A LIST THAT THE TAX ASSESSOR KEPT OF VOTERS, AND THERE WAS A LIST THAT THE COUNTY CLERK KEPT OF VOTERS AND THEY WERE TWO DIFFERENT LISTS.
SO IT OPENS US UP FOR THE LIST TO BE DIFFERENT AS THEY USED TO BE.
AND FOR THEM TO SAY THAT THERE'S A DIFFERENCE, AND FOR THEM TO SAY THAT FOR THAT REASON, THEY MUST FIRE, UH, REMOVE THE TAX ASSESSOR AND REMOVE THE COUNTY CLERK.
SO WE ARE GOING TO WORK TO FIGHT THIS, UH, IN THE ABSENCE OF A VICTORY, WE'RE GOING TO WORK TO MAKE THINGS AS SMOOTH AS POSSIBLE FOR THE RESIDENTS OF OUR COUNTY.
AND I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, MR. TATUM, WHO AS WAS MENTIONED, MOVED HIS FAMILY HERE TO SERVE THE PEOPLE OF HARRIS COUNTY.
HE IS, BUT THE LAST EXAMPLE IN A LONG LINE OF ELECTIONS PROFESSIONALS THAT HAVE BEEN MALIGNED AND ATTACKED BY THE FAR RIGHT TO BE MADE SCAPEGOATS.
AND, UM, WE'RE GONNA BE WORKING VERY HARD TO SUPPORT THE ELECTION'S OFFICE.
I, FOR ONE, WILL BE SUPPORTIVE OF MAKING SURE THAT THEY HAVE THE FUNDING THEY NEED, THE ADEQUATE FUNDING WE'VE BEEN GIVING THEM, UM, AND TO SEE IF THERE'S A WAY TO TO TO, TO KEEP THAT CONTINUITY.
I WILL ALSO ADD, UH, I DID, I DID, UH, WE CONNECTED WITH THE WHITE HOUSE ABOUT THE NEED FOR FEDERAL INTERVENTION.
AND SO THAT ASK HAS BEEN MADE.
UH, I HOPE THEY'LL JUMP IN, WE'RE AWAITING A RESPONSE.
BUT, BUT I DO THINK THERE, THIS IS VERY TRANSPARENTLY ABOUT SUPPRESSION AND IT VERY TRANSPARENTLY HARMS THE INTEGRITY OF OUR ELECTION SYSTEM IN HARRIS COUNTY.
SO ARE YOU WAITING FOR THE OUTCOME OF THIS LEGAL CASE UNTIL YOU START THE PREPARING FOR A POSSIBLE TRANSITION BACK TO THE CLERK AND ASSESSOR COLLECTION? THE CONVERSATIONS ARE STARTING NOW.
OBVIOUSLY YOU HAVE TO HOPE FOR THE BEST, BUT PREPARE FOR THE WORST.
SO THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE ONGOING.
THE TIMING ON THE LAWSUIT WILL OBVIOUSLY BE UP TO THE COURTS AND THE COUNTY ATTORNEYS, SO I DON'T WANNA COMMENT ON THAT.
UM, BUT THE INTENT IS TO IS TO MAKE IT HARDER FOR PEOPLE TO VOTE, TO TAKE AUTHORITY AWAY FROM THE ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT PEOPLE ELECTED IN.
[00:40:01]
UM, AND SO WE'RE GONNA WORK AS HARD AS WE CAN TO KEEP THEM FROM ATTAINING THAT AIM.BUT, UH, IT'S, IT'S A VERY, VERY CYNICAL, VERY, VERY CLEAR, UH, POLITICAL MOVE.
AND, AND IT'S VERY, VERY CLEARLY AN ATTEMPT TO HARM THE CONSTITUENTS OF HARRIS COUNTY, THEIR OWN CONSTITUENTS, REALLY MANY TIMES THEIR OWN CONSTITUENTS.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD, MR. COUNTY ATTORNEY? YEAH, SURE.
THE ONLY THING I'LL ADD IS, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE WAS A VERY EASY SOLUTION TO THIS TIGHT TIMELINE WE'RE UNDER, AND THAT WOULD'VE BEEN AN AMENDMENT THAT SET THE BILL TO GO INTO EFFECT AFTER THE CANVAS PERIOD CLOSED FOR THESE ELECTIONS.
BUT THAT JUST GOES TO SHOW THE TYPE OF PEOPLE WE HAVE IN, IN THE TEXAS LEGISLATOR ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE, THEY COULDN'T EVEN FEIGN ENOUGH RESPECT FOR OUR COUNTY CLERK TO PUT AN AMENDMENT IN PLACE THAT WOULD'VE ALLOWED HER A GREATER TIMELINE SO THAT SHE'S NOT UNDER THE WIRE TRYING TO RUN OUR ELECTIONS.
AND THAT'S BECAUSE IT'S NOT ABOUT HELPING HER.
IT'S NOT ABOUT HELPING OUR COUNTY.
IT'S ABOUT DEMONIZING, UH, LOCAL ELECTIONS AND LOCAL OFFICIALS AND IT'S ABOUT DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO JAM US UP, PUT CHAOS IN OUR PROCESSES, UH, SO THAT IF THERE'S SOME ERROR OR EVEN A MINOR ERROR, THEY CAN BLOW IT UP, SENSATIONALIZE IT, AND PASS MORE RESTRICTIVE VOTING LAWS.
AND IT'S INTERESTING THAT THE LEGISLATURE DIDN'T SEND ANY, SO IT MEANS THAT ASSUMING WE HAVE TO SPEND MONEY TO DO THIS, AND I'M SURE WE WILL, I'LL PUT SOMETHING ON THE AGENDA.
UM, BECAUSE THE CITY'S ELECTIONS ARE COMING UP SOON, IT'S GONNA COST A LOT OF MONEY.
WE'RE LUCKY WE HAVE FEDERAL MONEY AND IF IT'S ELIGIBLE TO TAKE SOME OF THAT FEDERAL MONEY, WE'LL DO IT IT, BUT IT WILL TAKE AWAY FROM MONEY THAT WILL GO INTO FLOOD CONTROL THAT WILL GROW IN HELPING US DEAL WITH CRIME, A HOST OF OTHER ISSUES.
BUT TO THE EXTENT IT COSTS MONEY TO DO THIS ON A RUSH BASIS, WE WILL DO.
IT ALSO MIGHT POINT OUT PART OF WHY WE ENDED UP IN THIS POSITION WAS BECAUSE THE FIRST PERSON WE APPOINTED, UH, TO HANDLE THE ELECTIONS AS THE CLERK, CHRIS HOLLINS, HAD SOME VERY CREATIVE IDEAS.
AND WE PUT AN UNPRECEDENTED AMOUNT OF MONEY, FEDERAL MONEY, UH, INTO DOING THAT TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO VOTE.
SO WE'VE GONE FROM ALL OF THE PRESS COVERAGE AROUND THE GLOBE, NOT JUST HERE AROUND THE GLOBE, TALKING ABOUT HOW MUCH HARRIS COUNTY DID TO MAKE IT EASY FOR PEOPLE TO VOTE.
AND THEN PEOPLE GOT MAD IN AUSTIN REPUBLICANS 'CAUSE THEY DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO VOTE.
UM, SOME REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS HAVE SAID THAT, UH, THEY CRITICIZE HARRIS COUNTY SAYING THAT THE COUNTY OFFICIALS DIDN'T COME TO THE CAPITOL, DIDN'T PARTICIPATE IN THE PUBLIC HEARINGS ON THESE BILLS.
UM, HOW WOULD YOU RESPOND? I, I'LL TAKE THAT ONE.
SINCE MY NAME WAS CALLED OUT, UH, I SPOKE TO ONE OF OUR POINT, PEOPLE WON'T CALL HIS NAME OUT, BUT YOU CAN PROBABLY FIGURE IT OUT, HIGH RANKING DEMOCRAT AT MIDNIGHT.
CLIFF TATUM WAS PREPARED TO GO, AND I SAID, DO YOU WANT HIM TO GO? HIS BEST GUESS WAS IT WOULD MAKE IT WORSE.
I WAS NEVER ASKED TO GO, LOOK, I'D NEVER BEEN SHY BY GIVING MY DAMN OPINION.
IF YOU KNOW ME, IT WOULDN'T BOTHER ME AT ALL.
THEY WERE CLEARLY AWARE OF THE COUNTY'S POSITION AND THE MAJORITY POSITION ON COMMISSIONER'S COURT.
SO ANYBODY WHO SAYS THEY VOTED FOR IT BECAUSE SOMEBODY DIDN'T SHOW UP, THEY JUST LYING.
I DON'T HAVE A MORE POLITE WAY OF SAYING THAT CAN, AND, AND LET ME ADD SOMETHING AND, AND OF COURSE THAT'S THE TREND COMMISSIONER IS THE, IS THE LYING.
BUT IF, IF WE HAD SHOWED UP, IF I HAD SHOWED UP AND I WENT TO THANK LAWMAKERS AND I HEARD FROM A COUPLE OF FOLKS, SHE'S, SHE'S OVER THERE, UM, TRYING TO GET PEOPLE UPSET, YOU KNOW, IF IT WOULD'VE BEEN OUR FAULT THAT OUR COUNTY IS BEING STRIPPED OF RIGHTS THAT OTHER COUNTIES HAVE, WHETHER WE HAD GONE OR WHETHER WE HAD NOT GONE JUST AS FIRST THIS IS ABOUT THE ELECTION WAS STOLEN, AND THEN IT'S ABOUT A MADE UP AUDIT, AND THEN IT'S ABOUT BALLOT PAPER SHORTAGES, BUT THEY CAN'T FIND PROOF IN THE COURTS FOR THAT.
AND THEN IT'S ABOUT GIVING POWER TO WOMEN ELECTED OFFICIALS, BUT ACTUALLY THEY WANT THEM REMOVED.
AND THEN IT'S ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR, BUT NINE OTHER COUNTIES HAVE ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATORS, THEY CAN'T EVEN GET THEIR STORY STRAIGHT.
SO IF, IF ALL OF US HAD SHOWED UP A MONTH AGO, YOU WOULD BE ASKING, THE LEGISLATORS IS SAYING THAT THEY PASSED THIS BECAUSE YOU'RE BEING TOO COMBATIVE.
AND THAT'S THE FEEDBACK I RECEIVED WHEN I VISITED THE CAPITOL MERELY TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE LEGISLATOR THAT WAS LEGISLATORS THAT WERE FIGHTING FOR US, IS YOU'RE BEING TOO COMBATIVE, YOU'RE ROCKING THE BOAT, AND NOW THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO PASS THE BILLS.
UM, SO THIS IS PART OF A STRATEGY.
I MEAN, THAT THAT'S, IT'S NOT THE BEGINNING.
IT'S NOT THE THE LAST THING, HECK, MY ELECTION IS STILL BEING CONTESTED IN THE COURTS.
THAT CHALLENGE WAS FILED ON JANUARY 6TH, THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE, THE CAPITAL INSURRECTION.
SO, YOU KNOW, PART OF WHAT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THE PEOPLE OF HARRIS COUNTY HERE AND THOSE ACROSS TEXAS AND THOSE ACROSS THE NATION IS NOT THE
[00:45:01]
EXCUSES, THE LIES THAT THE OTHER SIDE IS TELLING.THERE IS NO REASON TO GIVE AIRTIME EQUAL WEIGHT TO THE EXCUSES AND THE LIES THAT THEY'RE MAKING.
THEY ARE TAKING OVER ELECTIONS IN THE LARGEST COUNTY IN TEXAS, THE THIRD LARGEST COUNTY IN THE NATION BECAUSE IT DOES NOT MARCH TO THE GOVERNOR'S ORDERS BECAUSE IT DOESN'T VOTE FOR THE GOVERNOR'S CANDIDATES.
THIS ONE DID GO BY THE WAY THIS ELECTED FISHER.
YEAH, I, I I WENT OUT THERE AND, AND YOU KNOW, AN IMPORTANT POINT HERE IS RECENTLY, UH, UH, OUR LOCAL PAPER, UH, DEBUNKED, UH, SO-CALLED HEAT MAP THAT SHOWED THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF AREAS, UH, THAT RAN OUTTA PAPER ON ELECTION DAY, UH, WERE IN REPUBLICAN LEANING AREAS.
AND, AND AFTER THE PAPER DEBUNKED IT, YOU SAW REPUBLICAN LEGISLATORS WA ME WAVING THAT EXACT SAME MAP AROUND AS EVIDENCE OF THE BILLS THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO PUSH.
UM, LOOK, I WENT OUT THERE, I MET WITH SOME FOLKS, UM, THERE ARE FOLKS IN THAT BUILDING WHO I RESPECT, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF DEEPLY UNSERIOUS PEOPLE.
AND MY GUESS IS THEY'RE THE ONES WHO ARE SAYING THAT.