Local politics

Yesterday Harris County had the Republican runoff election for DA. Pat Lykos, a former police officer and judge, defeated Kelly Siegler and will now face democrat and former police chief Clarence (C.O.) Bradford in the general election. I don't know much about Lykos and will support Bradford but am so happy that Siegler was defeated. I really couldn't stand her and her theatrics in court. There is an earlier entry about her in this blog. Also, Siegler's husband was one of the people who had sent Rosenthal some of the offensive emails that led to his resignation. I hope we never have to see her again.
Another truly obnoxious Republican woman was defeated in the runoff for Tom Delay's old seat. Shelly Sekula Gibbs was defeated by Pete Olson who will now face Nick Lampson in the general election. I don't live in this district but have contributed to the Lampson campaign and will contribute more later. The Democrats need to retain control of Congressional District 22 after so many years under Delay.
For more about Lampson or to contribute see www.lampson.com

More bad Republicans

More trouble for the District Attorney's office. I heard on the news this morning that Kelly Siegler refused to put a black man on the jury, not because he was black and a member of the NAACP but in her words: "He's a member of Lakewood Church. And we have had a running agreement — my partner Luci Davidson and I have, since we started — that people who go to Lakewood are screwballs and nuts," Siegler told the judge. "I'm very familiar with that church. We try our hardest not to put anybody who goes to Lakewood regularly on any jury, ... That's one reason that scared me about the man."
Siegler is one of the Republican candidates running for Harris County District Attorney. The current DA, Chuck Rosenthal is being investigated by Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott after racist, off-color jokes, and pornographic videos were found on his work computer. The biggest issue being investigated however is his use of Harris County computers for campaign related activities.

This picture of Siegler was taken during the trial of Susan Wright. Siegler had the bed and bloody mattress brought into the courtroom and tied prosecutor Paul Doyle to the bed. She then straddled him to demonstrate how Wright could have bound and stabbed her husband 200 times. She won the case.