Will Prominent Attorney Influence Council Runoff Race?

On Saturday, December 10, Houston Voters will decide the outcome of the city council at-large position 5 race between incumbent Jolanda Jones and chiropractor Jack Chrstie.

As early voting got underway, some targeted households received a mail piece from the Christie campaign touting an endorsement from prominent Houston attorney Rusty Hardin.

Hardin, the father of a Houston police officer, says he’s endorsing Christie because of “incredibly irresponsible” comments Jones made earlier this year about police. Hardin says Jones “further endangered” officers when she handed out cards advertising her law firm which instructed people to never talk to police.

Those cards triggered an investigation by the city’s Office of Inspector General, because phone numbers for Jones’ private law practice and her taxpayer funded council office were printed on the cards. She was cleared of any wrongdoing, but was chastised in the report for showing poor judgment.

Hardin, who has represented such high profile criminal defendants as former baseball player Roger Clemens, former basketball star Calvin Murphy and former Harris County Commissioner Jerry Eversole, is well respected by many Houstonians.
Considering his son’s occupation as a Houston police officer, it’s not surprising that he would take a stand on this issue.

Jones certainly has many personal and political friends sticking by her.
Congressman Al Green recently hosted a fundraiser for her runoff race and Jones has her own mail piece targeting voters.