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Breaking news from KHOU in Houston, Texas: Harris County Criminal Court Judge Donald Jackson has been indicted on a charge of misdemeanor official oppression. Sources close to the investigation tell 11 News that Jackson allegedly told a female defendant things would go better for her in court if she submitted to his sexual advances.
KHOU will have more on the story at 5pm and 6pm; if you're in the Houston area, be sure to watch. We'll update more as the story develops... 4:07pm Update:The following is a statement from Harris County Democratic Party Chairman Gerry Birnberg:
Today's indictment of Harris County Criminal Court Judge Don Jackson is another shocking and disappointing example of the citizens of Harris County being terribly let down by another Republican official in a county controlled by Republican officeholders.
Last year Harris County voters removed 23 incumbent Republicans from the bench and replace them with 23 new Democratic judges, sending a message that they are tired of the way Republican judges had been running things at the courthouse for too many years now. Republican corruption, incompetence, and lack of integrity have marred county government for too long now. The indictment of Don Jackson is just one more example of that kind of taint, as he follows in the footsteps of Chuck Rosenthal, Tommy Thomas, Jerry Eversole, and other Republican officeholders who have betrayed the public trust.
Democrats remain committed to changing all that and to improving our local judicial system by offering superbly qualified candidates of the highest ethical standards, who are dedicated to the fair and even-handed administration of justice for all who enter their courtrooms, without soliciting favors - financial, sexual, or otherwise - from folks who appear before them.
Harris County residents deserve more and better than what the indictment of Don Jackson alleges he provided. |
