On November 3 I was out of the election for Houston ISD. It was my intention to simply sit out the runoff. Other than a statement thanking my supporters and answering questions sent to my I didn’t say anything until Kendall’s campaign started altering images to look like he had community support when it was just stock photos. We deserve better than that. After Kendall saw fit to attack/disparage me on the Freedom Matters Action Group video this weekend I’m going to take the time to explain why I didn’t endorse him.
When I first filed for election I had planned on endorsing Kendall if I didn’t make the runoff. As a matter of due diligence I did extensive opposition research on both my opponents. The research revealed very disturbing information on Kendall. During the campaign I sat on the information for a couple of different reasons. First, as is my wont I tried to run a positive campaign with a big-tent philosophy. The party is strong when we welcome all like minded individuals, and weakened by RINO allegations. Second, I didn’t want to release this information because it could have hurt Bridget and Caroline in their campaigns. I also didn’t communicate with Cindy since she is HCRP Chair and appointed Kendall as sergeant-at-arms. I wanted to make sure to do no harm.
I’m aware that some of the opposition research has been released in the runoff. Not by my hand, but I see it following the race. Rather than address it in the manner it was released, here’s an organized review of what I found. Once you see what’s out there hopefully it is clear why I didn’t endorse him.
From the outset let me be clear: I’m not seeking to do harm with this post. If I was intending on causing Kendall or HCRP harm I would have emailed this information to Cindy and given her 10 days to act before going public with this information. I didn’t do so because it’s not my nature to do harm, and I didn’t want to hurt Bridget or Caroline in their races given the high likelihood this could be used as a blunt force attack against all Republican candidates. However, since he didn’t respect my decision to stay out of the runoff and brought me up in the video this weekend I’m going to set the record straight:
I didn’t endorse him because of the weight of the disturbing evidence I found in my opposition research.
Suit Against the City
I’m not going to rehash the allegations of sexual harassment that caused his indefinite suspension from the City. Rather, his claim that he sued the City and won is what’s important to address. He has produced a finding from an unemployment claim that went his way to support his allegation he sued the City and won. However, he did sue the City of Houston regarding the incident in the Southern District of Texas District Court. Don’t take my word for it. Look up the information yourself the cause of action is Civil Action No. 4:16-CV-03100.
In his suit against the City he did not prevail with the Court finding he provided insufficient evidence to substantiate his claim. However, that’s not what’s concerning about his suit against the City. The Court noted, “Baker makes one statement that “females and white workers have their claims of sexual harassment taken serious [sic]”.
HISD is already beset with racial tensions. This type of mentality is not something that will help reduce the racial tensions in the district. Just at troubling, this defeat in the courts shows that he is willing to misrepresent the occurrences surrounding his actions against the City following his termination. If he wanted to say I contested the firing and the unemployment commission found for me, great. That’s what happened. Rather, he is saying he sued the City and won, when his case was dismissed on the City’s Motion to Dismiss. He knows this, but misrepresents what happened. Both the racial elements of his suit and the willingness to misrepresent what happened raised significant concern.
However, that was a long time ago. Everyone deserves a chance to show what happened was a one off, or that the alleged behavior is remote and they have changed their ways. Looking at current happenings raises different areas of concern.
2D Consulting Fraud Judgment
Looking at his 30 day campaign finance report raised suspicions. Specifically he had an inordinate amount of debt incurred to his campaign consulting company. This raised suspicion, so I plugged their name into the Harris County District Court as defendant. It came up with a hit for the company in a fraud case. Again, don’t just take my word for it. Look it up, the case number is: 202026601.
The Court has listed the case type as fraud. After a bench trial the Court found in place of the plaintiffs against all parties including 2D Development LLC. Since 2D Development is a business I went to the Secretary of State and looked up who the directors are, and it shows that James Dunn, his campaign treasurer is a director of 2D Development. So now we have a fraud judgment against the campaign consulting company, and the campaign treasurer who is the de facto campaign manager, as director of the entity with a fraud judgment.
Now, we have both the misrepresentation regarding what happened after his termination by the city as well as using a consulting company with a fraud judgment. That’s now both remote and recent activities showing some level of dishonesty. The altering stock photograph suddenly doesn’t seem nearly as surprising. With both remote and recent questionable judgment it creates more concern. However, that wasn’t enough to keep me from endorsing. The circumstances surrounding his divorce are especially disturbing and why I didn’t endorse him.
Withholding his 19 Month old Daughter and Writ of Attachment Application
People get divorced. It happens. I don’t hold that against anyone, and it should not be fair game for judging a person’s character. However, looking at the court records for the divorce revealed very disturbing information. Again, don’t just take my word for it. Look up the information yourself; the cause number is: 201731542. The divorce has numerous documents. What concerns me is the Counter Petitioner’s Supporting Affidavit. The Court Reporter’s Exhibit List shows pictures as an exhibit, so I went back and looked for an associated file, and found cause number 201731542A. Here’s where things get disturbing. In this case, there is a handwritten affidavit that is slightly different from the typed affidavit in the main divorce action.
This hand written affidavit makes very specific allegations of things that can only be described as temper control issues and constitute domestic abuse. Go read it yourself. The document called Exhibit A is pictures submitted in support of the affidavit. Unfortunately, they suffer from the technological limitations of the court system and are of poor quality. However, even with the poor quality making some of the pictures incomprehensible the ones that can be seen do show photographic evidence of some of what’s alleged in the affidavit. The specific allegations regarding damage to the dwelling are supported by the pictures. I could be more descriptive, but everyone should go and see the pictures for themselves and make their own judgment.
Now, and I want to be clear here, I do not believe the allegations in the typed affidavit that are not present in the written affidavit. The new allegations in the typed allegations are the type that could be proved by photographic evidence (or medical records) and no such evidence is presented. As such, I do not believe the allegations in the typed affidavit that are missing in the written affidavit. They may be true. However, I am only willing to believe allegations supported by evidence.
It’s unfortunate that what the affidavit calls exhibit B is not found. The allegedly recorded call would be very interesting to hear to see if the allegation of verbal abuse is supported. However, I’m prone to believe that some questionable behavior existed since a call was recorded and submitted as evidence to the court. With Exhibit A supporting some of the allegations in the hand written affidavit it seem reasonable that the evidence submitted in Exhibit B lends some more support to the allegations. To me this is credible evidence of domestic abuse.
Endorse or Not Endorse
With both remote and recent evidence of misrepresenting the truth and what is, to me, credible allegations of domestic abuse based on photographic support it was an easy decision not to endorse. As mentioned earlier, I intentionally did not release this information during the campaign. With him holding an appointed position in Harris County Republican Party this is something that could have blown up and hurt every Republican candidate on the ballot.
Again, I wasn’t going to say anything and continue to sit on this information until the election was over. However, after he decided to bring me up in the Freedom Matters Action Group I’m setting the record straight. I’m not a RINO, and not refusing to endorse because of differing views or an attempt to harm him.
As noted at the beginning of this post if I was out to do harm, I would have emailed all of this to Cindy early in the campaign and given her 10 days to act before publicizing the information. My intention never is to do harm, and that’s why I refuse to write hit pieces here even though I’ve been asked to do so. However, I am going to defend my good name. While I don’t like disclosing this information I also believe in setting the record straight, especially in light that I’ve been sitting on this information and not involved in the runoff.
What’s Next?
I neither know nor want to know what’s been going on in the background. I see some of the opposition research has made its way into the public, and so am addressing those points. I have more information and documentation in support of the information, but since it hasn’t made its way into the public I’m not going to expose the information. Again, my intention is to set the record straight on why I didn’t endorse and answer the cry of RINO rather than do harm. I wish he had respected my decision to stay out of the race and not interject me back into the discussion. No one benefits when politics gets ugly.
Now that this information is out everyone who has endorsed Kendall has a decision to make. Will they continue to endorse him, or will they retract their endorsement.
Kelly Knowles says
You forgot to mention that Kendall bought his degrees through diploma mills not accredited in the United States or anywhere. Worst candidate for school board ever. Don’t tell me people didn’t already know all of his dirty laundry when he ran for chairman on the HCRP. Kendall, James Dunn, and Becky can go fly kites together in a lighting storm.
Johnny Bravo says
Hotze only put Kendall Baker on his slate to prove he’s not a racist when in reality he… is.
What would Hotze think about the fact that Baker believes in white privilege in the court? Does that mean he supports Critical Race Theory?
Keep in mind, CRT is a law level course so every time we call anything we disagree with being put out on a reading list for schools, we sound like uneducated idiots.
The only racists on the political scene for the HCRP and HISD are Hotze and Baker. Clowns.
Too bad Greg didn’t release this sooner. Information many insiders already knew but could less about. As long as we appear to support someone who is African American when we actually have intelligent, strong, and bold black candidates that never see the light of day because they aren’t the chosen token ones. Very unfortunate.
It’s 2021 and our Party looks like a senior living center that hasn’t gotten their apple sauce for the day. Keep running idiots and you might start practicing saying the words Governor Beto. Sad.
Carter Love says
I heard Greg and his campaign offered to get a photo with Kendall at the end of election day and he rudely turned them down. That wasn’t very bright.
Greg Degeyter says
This is true. We were at Tracy Gee on election day when this occurred.
Greg Shaw says
Greg, I met you a couple of months ago at LCR (they had meeting to highlight GOP HISD Board candidates). I was impressed with your substantive knowledge of public-school issues (as opposed to the usual platitudes of “freedom, conservative values” I usually hear). As a former HISD special education teacher, I was especially impressed with your knowledge of Special Education. It’s too bad you didn’t make the run-off. I believe that the reasons you give not to endorse the other candidate are reasoned, and do not show the typical reckless malice that one often experiences from a candidate who fails to make a run-off. I am truly heartened by the fact that Republicans are engaging in the public schools. It is not very sexy, and conservatives are often tempted to intellectually flee to a “school-Choice” utopia (build it, run to it and the Marxist will come for it next). The Democratic Socialists have turned our schools into Marxist factories. We have to meet them, and challenge them, there. You did so, and I believe that you will again. Thank you.
Greg Degeyter says
Thank you. Now that things seem to be settling down with the pandemic some we will seek to have our oldest enrolled in the district again at some point next year and that’s a good logical avenue to get more involved.
Best of luck with your event later this week. Sadly, we are unable to get babysitting to attend.
Bob InChampions says
It’s sad that people with a history like that often do end up not being wise enough to realize “My baggage hurts others associated with me.”
I’ve thought about running for political office and my baggage is nothing compared to sexual harassment and domestic abuse.
Let’s hope that good, level-headed people get onto the HISD Board and lead it in a good direction. I don’t care about someone being a Democrat or Republican; I solely care about “Will this person bring forth ideas that help improve that organization and will vote in a way that also helps take the org forward?”
HISD needs a huge influx of tech, fresh blood in leadership, and facilities improvements. But, at the same time, there is no part of Houston ISD that has any business being lower-performing than Aldine, Alief, or any of their neighboring districts.
Dan Lan says
Give it a rest Greg. You would not have won.
You are the worst candidate that I’ve ever been in the room with.
You have assuaged your hurt but it otherwise does no good to anyone; you lost.
Regardless of the other’s imperfections we got rid of the head of the poorly performing HISD.
Greg Degeyter says
I make zero apologies for not endorsing based on moral character. I also make zero apologies for posting this after my name was brought up when I was sitting the runoff out.
All Kendall had to do was leave me out of the discussion and I would have continued to stay quiet despite my level of discomfort with remaining quiet.
As a party we have a distinct decision to make. Are we willing to forget who we are and what we stand for in order to win a token victory?
Lastly, the lack of substance and timing of your comment after the election speaks more than anything you said.