Finally, an elected official shows some backbone and stands up to a juvenile attempt to muck rake. As a former not so much fan of Harris County DA Lykos, I can say that she’s growing on me. If you’ve paid any attention to the news, you know she’s taken on some tough issues, issues that heretofore have gone unaddressed, and come up with some good solutions to them. In spite of that, or perhaps because of it, her critics launched an all out assault on not just DA Lykos but the entire Harris County District Attorney’s office by using a runaway grand jury headed up by a Wyatt Earp wanna be named Trisha Pollard. Despite the plain fact that the runaway grand jury couldn’t find diddly squat wrong with the actions of the HCDAO, Ms. Pollard issued a weak attempt designed to embarrass the office and in particular ADA Rachel Palmer. It didn’t work, and in fact only serves to remind us that not all grand juries are created equal. Here is the attempt to embarrass the office and ADA Palmer:
185th Grand Jury Statement 1-31-2012
The Wyatt Earp wannbe comes across as bat guano crazy. Seriously, some members were walking back from lunch and were photographed by an “unknown person”? In what “appeared to be a government issued vehicle”? Whoa, did they see black helicopters too? Nothing about this grand jury was secret primarily because Ms. Earp desired so much publicity. Why on earth would “the government” need to send black ops helicopters and cars on a secret mission to photograph the members of the grand jury when IN THE SAME FREAKING LETTER Ms. Earp says that an “investigator” was stationed outside the door of the grand jury? And people take this woman seriously? Goodness. If you weren’t convinced of the bat guano political craziness of this bunch of hooligans this statement should remove all doubt. What in Sam Hill was Judge Susan Brown thinking when she appointed this woman to head up a grand jury?
Now, to the statement from DA Lykos:
Harris County District Attorney Responds to Runaway Grand Jury Statement
I especially like this line
The entanglements of certain participants are well known and documented, as are their relationships with the Old Regime and with my previous and current opponents.
because it is so true. The people leading this bogus witch hunt are blinded by their hatred of DA Lykos, so much so that they didn’t care that they were impugning the entire office. Even Ms. Earp had to finally say that “There was no evidence of a crime,”. None, nada, zip, zilch. Just as I said at the beginning of this witch hunt. No, don’t start with your “but, but, ADA Palmer took the Fifth”. Yes, she did, and she was absolutely right to do so. After this farce of a “report” there is no question that the DA’s office handled this affair properly, that the “whistleblower” and her attorney tried to obfuscate her own culpability, and that, after reading thousands of pages of emails and other evidence, it is abundantly clear that the only reason Ms. Earp wanted to ask ADA Palmer questions was in the hope that she would make a mistake and that they could charge her with something, anything, to make this witch hunt seem legitimate.
It didn’t work. Fools.
Perhaps now that this is over, we can get on with the DA’s race. DA Lykos does have some things to answer for. I don’t know if it means anything to voters or not, but it is clear to me, after talking to a couple dozen ADA’s, that she is not well liked by the rank and file. That is an issue for Judge Anderson only if he can make it one. As well, I’ve talked to two union reps that insist that she did in fact ask them for their endorsement, a claim that DA Lykos is on record as having denied. I’ve talked to the Lykos campaign spokesperson and asked for a response but haven’t received one. Who is telling the truth? Yet another potential issue.
But honestly, after this fiasco by the anti-Lykos crowd, those potential issues seem like small potatoes. Judge Anderson has his work cut out for him. He could still win this race but not with shenanigans like this runaway grand jury.
You know what I want to see come out of this farce of a grand jury investigation? That no judge ever again appoint Trisha “Wyatt Earp” Pollard to a grand jury. Ever again. Never, never ever. Use the jury pool – you know, like the other grand jury investigating the HCDAO. No complaints, no leaks, exactly as it should be.
I’ll quote myself (is that sorta like talking in third person?) and give some advice to the anti-Lykos crowd:
Smearing the office and the good prosecutors that remain, many of whom you worked with, is juvenile. Maybe it is time to grow up and move on.
You are the master and I hope to one day write like you.
Thank you but remember, I’m not involved in the personal stuff, I just follow politics.
” I’m not involved in the personal stuff”
Really? Didn’t you just finish calling someone batsh*t crazy, a whole bunch of people “fools”, and the entire “anti-Lykos” crowd a bunch of juveniles?
Yeah you’re right. nothing personal at all.
Not exactly the same thing, Mr. Pope. I’m confident that you know what I’m talking about. Ms. Pollard made herself a public figure. Personally, I wish I’d never heard of her.
As for the generalizations, if people think I’m talking about them, well, perhaps I am. Or perhaps not.
The DA criticizes the Grand Jury from advising her office about the nature of the investigation?!?!?!?! Isn’t that like the pot calling the kettle black? Everybody knows Grand Juries indict thousands of people every year based on the the word of an ADA (The only party who RUNS the GJ process) who hands the GJ the indictment containing the charges the ADA wants to prosecute. Now Lykos is criticizing that the process was kept in “secret.” WTF?????
Reminds me of the line in Julius Caesar: “Et tu, Brute!”
They called it a “Runaway” Grand Jury only because they didn’t trust the DA’s office—that is quite a political blow to Lykos.
PS author of the article—-don’t underestimate the State’s power to intimidate people. You tease these citizens and ask “where’s the black helicopters?” but that GJ was scared for a reason—someone in power wanted them to be afraid. I wasn’t there so I don’t know but anytime a citizen goes up against the powers that be, the people in power let their presence be known. I’m sure you’ve heard of uniformed police officers packing a courtroom when one of their own is hurt or killed. The members of the GJ were under a tremendous amount of pressure. Mocking them and belittling them?! That’s not professional or classy but I support your right to make your opinion.
I have no dog in this fight–I don’t live in Harris County and whoever the DA is doesn’t matter to me one bit
DA Lykos is not running a popularity contest nor should she.
Pat Lykos’ ADAs act like a bunch of cry babies consumed with anger over not being able to do as they please without restraint.
The timing and personal connections are difficult to overlook as coincidental and sure make Mike Anderson suspect in the whole deal. He had the motive and the means.
One clarification: The judge appoints grand jury commissioners. The commissioners appoint the grand jury.
If any of the current or former members of the Harris County DAO believes this ongoing drama involving the grand jury, the pro or anti Lykos machinations or the Byzantine escapades preceding the present DA’s election have somehow reflected well on the herd of lawyers in Harris County, they are deeply delusional.
As a native Houstonian and disinterested observer, the whole thing looks bad, really bad. I haven’t heard so much whining since I left grade school.
NB: I am not now and never have been a fan or supporter of Pat Lykos.
I think this article and previous ones are more than sufficiently objective in the factual information they present. The subjective opinion I gather is that the writer does not think a grand jury should be a political tool. I emphatically agree with keeping politics out of the justice system. I currently do not have any allegiance to any person aspiring to be elected or reelected as DA, but these kinds of silly shenanigans have a tendency to influence my vote.
Good work.
“I haven’t heard so much whining since I left grade school.”
Bingo! Far from being a personal attack, “juvenile” is about the nicest way you can describe complaints from all these Chuck Rosenthal wannabes. Even when there are grains of truth in their critiques, they’re so overladen with bias borne of personal animosity that it’s impossible to separate the wheat from the chaff.
Great catch, Jolly, on Anderson’s campaign’s role publicizing secret grand jury actions. I suspected when I first read this there might be more to the story, and you’ve demonstrated that.
That said, I disagree Palmer did the right thing by taking the 5th. It was her legal right, but I don’t like prosecutors doing things on the job they’re not willing to be held to account for. It would have been nice if this could have been investigated outside the campaign context, because forensic errors in DWI enforcement were IMO a bigger deal then Lykos and Co. portray it. The truth is somewhere in between the two camps, but this politicized process wasn’t really about finding it.
David – Please remember the legacy of justice in Harris County Texas – it ain’t pretty. Corruption has been rampant for years. The good ol’ boy system among attorneys, prosecutors, judges and county officials has yielded plenty of bad fruit over the years and there remains a high probability that illegal acts and corruption are still taking place in the justice system in Harris County. It is rare that a Grand Jury strikes off and begins to investigate a District Attorney or ADA…..anywhere. However, where there is smoke there is probably fire. Is it any surprise that hard nosed politics raises its ugly head in the middle of this – converesely, it was predictable. Let these people stir the pot in peace – perhaps they will flush out a few more snakes from the DA office, Sheriffs office, Judges chambers, and the Harris County bar association. These people come from a corrupt and tainted system and ANY INVESTIGATION in Harris County of anybody associated with the justice system is WELCOMED.
Gotta disagree, MJ. Witch-hunts are not welcome in my neck of the woods. There is abundant and clear evidence that this grand jury is exactly as I described it.
Legitimate investigations are encouraged and welcomed.
MJ,
Mike Anderson was photographed whispering in the ear of Grand Jury foreman Trisha Pollard at last week’s DA debate.
Mike and wife Devon Anderson have had close ties with Trish Pollard which pre-date this run away GJ and continue today and the 3 are also intertwined politically and socially with Judge Susan Brown who precided over the run away GJ.
There are simply too many connecting dots and fortuitous timing issues to write all this off as a coincidence.
The bottom line is that if the Andersons are so willing to participate in and orchestrate a scheme this incidious to win an election how do you think these 2 will run a prosecutors office?
Winning by all means is not justice.
Maybe Richard Nixon would support Mike and Devil Anderson but this Harris County citizen is casting his ballot for Pat Lykos in the Harris County DA race.