Races to watch: DA, state rep
By Don Munsch
Published:
Saturday, February 27, 2010 11:46 AM CST
Campaigns are coming to an end and the March Primary is Tuesday for Democratic and Republican candidates in local, state and national races.
Two races of special interest — and some special drama — are those involving the Fort Bend County District Attorney and State Representative District 27.
In the district attorney’s race, incumbent John Healey faces challenges Nina Schaefer and Richard Raymond in the GOP Primary.
In the District 27 House of Representatives Race, incumbent Dora Olivo faces Ron Reynolds in the Democratic Primary.
The district attorney’s race had some public debates, including one in Katy and one in Richmond, that had candidates sparring, doling out criticisms and exchanging accusations.
Healey has served as district attorney for 17 years and has been a prosecutor for 28 years in the county.
He was appointed in 1992 — he was an assistant prosecutor for nearly full year previous to that — and has been elected four times.
He is a member of Sacred Heart Church in Richmond and is a member of the Knights of Columbus, Exchange Club of Fort Bend, Fort Bend Children’s Advocacy Center Advisory Council and Fort Bend Women’s Center Council of Resources, according to his Web site.
He also is a life member of the Fort Bend County Fair Association.
Schaefer has been a defense attorney, an associate judge in Sugar Land and a presiding judge and municipal judge in Stafford.
She has been involved in several community organizations, including Fort Bend County Fair Association, Richmond Lions Club and Fort Bend Lions Club, Fort Bend Women’s Center and Texana Center, according to her Web site.
She has served on the board of trustees and mentor committee at First United Methodist Church in Missouri City.
Raymond is an attorney who is licensed to practice in the United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit and United States Tax Courts, according to his Web site.
He has a background as a CPA and in business administration.
He belongs to the Exchange Club of Sugar Land and is a member of Holy Cross Church in Sugar Land.
Olivo, D-Rosenberg, an attorney and former school teacher, has served in the House since 1997.
Reynolds is a Missouri City attorney who has been selected as one of Houston’s top civil rights attorneys by H Texas Magazine.
Olivo defeated Reynolds in the 2008 Democratic primary and went on to defeat Republican challenger Steve Host in the 2008 general election.
Olivo said on her web site that education, childcare, economic development, mental health, senior citizen issues and workforce and job-training are some of her top issues.
Olivo was an early advocate for equal representation in Fort Bend and helped conduct voter registration efforts in Fort Bend County as well.
Reynolds also has had to grapple with a sanction by the Texas Bar in 2005. He said at a Democratic candidates forum earlier this month that what he did it was a mistake by a young lawyer.....
Get the full piece: http://www.fbherald.com/articles/2010/02/27/news/doc4b894aaf2f204312888454.txt
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Chron: Carreon & Aitsebaomo Take On Machine Bob...
What's on county judge's opponents' minds?
February 25, 2010 12:47 pm Election News wrote:
By ZEN T.C. ZHENG
HOUSTON CHRONICLE
Fresno electrician Rodrigo Carreon and Meadows Place optometrist A. Philip Aitsebaomo are the two Democrats eyeing GOP County Judge Bob Hebert’s seat in the March 2 primary.
A community activist who has been in numerous races for public offices in the county over the years, Carreon has frequently publicly voiced his concerns about his infrastructure- and resource-poor east-end community and won a legal battle – without an attorney - against the Fort Bend County Central Appraisal District over appraised value of his property.
Aitsebaomo was born in Nigeria. He studied optometry and received his doctoral degrees in America and has lived in Meadows Place for 23 years.
I asked both candidates why they are running for the county’s top job. Here is what they told me.
Carreon
Carreon
Carreon said he is running for county judge for the second time to ensure “fairness and justice for all” in the county and to protect taxpayers and property owners from government abuses.
“We need to save homes, businesses and public areas being affected by county and state policies,” he said.
He said he wants to prevent county property tax rate from rising, push for road renovation and make public water and utilities available for communities without them.
Infrastructure improvement would boost local economy and help reduce home foreclosures in the county, he said...
Get the full story at: http://www.ultimatefortbend.com/2010/02/whats-county-judges-opponents-minds#comment-1347
February 25, 2010 12:47 pm Election News wrote:
By ZEN T.C. ZHENG
HOUSTON CHRONICLE
Fresno electrician Rodrigo Carreon and Meadows Place optometrist A. Philip Aitsebaomo are the two Democrats eyeing GOP County Judge Bob Hebert’s seat in the March 2 primary.
A community activist who has been in numerous races for public offices in the county over the years, Carreon has frequently publicly voiced his concerns about his infrastructure- and resource-poor east-end community and won a legal battle – without an attorney - against the Fort Bend County Central Appraisal District over appraised value of his property.
Aitsebaomo was born in Nigeria. He studied optometry and received his doctoral degrees in America and has lived in Meadows Place for 23 years.
I asked both candidates why they are running for the county’s top job. Here is what they told me.
Carreon
Carreon
Carreon said he is running for county judge for the second time to ensure “fairness and justice for all” in the county and to protect taxpayers and property owners from government abuses.
“We need to save homes, businesses and public areas being affected by county and state policies,” he said.
He said he wants to prevent county property tax rate from rising, push for road renovation and make public water and utilities available for communities without them.
Infrastructure improvement would boost local economy and help reduce home foreclosures in the county, he said...
Get the full story at: http://www.ultimatefortbend.com/2010/02/whats-county-judges-opponents-minds#comment-1347
Friday, February 19, 2010
FB Sun: District Attorneys Race Interviews!
Follow this link:
http://www.hcnonline.com/articles/2010/02/19/fort_bend_sun/news/sws-fbc_das_office.txt
Richard Raymond
...The biggest challenge facing our District Attorney's office is the image of selective prosecution and severe ethical violations. Our DA's office has become a politically motivated office, wasting millions on witch hunts and political prosecutions, all while turning down valid cases from innocent crime victims.
Meeting this challenge will require new leadership. As District Attorney, I will make sure justice is blind, criminals are put behind bars where they belong and the truly innocent will be exonerated. My office will retain well trained assistant D.A.’s who will quickly respond to crime victims and act on behalf of taxpayers with the highest level of ethics and professionalism...
http://www.hcnonline.com/articles/2010/02/19/fort_bend_sun/news/sws-fbc_das_office.txt
Richard Raymond
...The biggest challenge facing our District Attorney's office is the image of selective prosecution and severe ethical violations. Our DA's office has become a politically motivated office, wasting millions on witch hunts and political prosecutions, all while turning down valid cases from innocent crime victims.
Meeting this challenge will require new leadership. As District Attorney, I will make sure justice is blind, criminals are put behind bars where they belong and the truly innocent will be exonerated. My office will retain well trained assistant D.A.’s who will quickly respond to crime victims and act on behalf of taxpayers with the highest level of ethics and professionalism...
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
FBN: Reynolds Fined $10,500 By The Texas Ethics Commission!--just in--
...Reynolds also addressed the $10,500 fine levied against him by the Texas Ethics Commission, saying he will pay the fine as soon as he has the lump sum, which his treasurer told him was required.
The fines result from the failure to file two reports. Reynolds failed to file in July of 2008 his semi-annual report, the first report due after the primaries. That failure resulted in an initial $500 fine then an additional $100 per day until the maximum $10,000 was reached. That report was filed last month.
The additional $500 resulted from Reynolds’s failure to file another semi-annual report in January of 2009.
According to the Texas ethics Commission, the account has been sent to the Attorney General’s Office for collection. Reynolds said he was unaware of that.
Source:
http://www.fortbendnow.com/2010/02/17/44040
The fines result from the failure to file two reports. Reynolds failed to file in July of 2008 his semi-annual report, the first report due after the primaries. That failure resulted in an initial $500 fine then an additional $100 per day until the maximum $10,000 was reached. That report was filed last month.
The additional $500 resulted from Reynolds’s failure to file another semi-annual report in January of 2009.
According to the Texas ethics Commission, the account has been sent to the Attorney General’s Office for collection. Reynolds said he was unaware of that.
Source:
http://www.fortbendnow.com/2010/02/17/44040
Friday, February 12, 2010
FBN: Last Debate Before Early Voting Took Place Thursday--click link for coverage below--
http://www.fortbendnow.com/2010/02/12/43921
...This week we feature the Raymond family...
Related: http://www.ethics.state.tx.us/sworncomp/2007/270333.pdf
http://www.fbherald.com/articles/2009/04/18/opinion/letters/doc49ea1fb5e31e4913673040.txt
http://www.fortbendnow.com/2009/05/16/37907
http://www.justicenotpolitics.com/
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
FBN: Final District Attorney's Debate Will Be This Thursday!
DA Candidates To Face Off At Thursday Forum
February 9th, 2010 | by FortBendNow Staff | Published in News
The West Fort Bend County Republican Women’s Club will host a candidate forum at 6 p.m. Feb. 11 at the Swinging Door Restaurant, 3814 FM 359 in Richmond. The forum will feature the contested Republican Primary races for the offices of Judge County Court at Law No. 2 and Fort Bend County District Attorney...
Candidates for County Court at Law No. 2 Rick Forlano and Jeff McMeans will square off followed by Fort Bend County District Attorney John Healey and his opponents, attorneys Nina Schaefer and Richard Raymond.
Candidates will field questions from a media panel as well as written questions from the audience. Admission is free and the public is invited. A dinner buffet will be available for a nominal charge beginning at 6 p.m. This is the last scheduled forum before early voting begins. For more information contact either Janice Gillen at Janice@gillenpestcontrol.com or Susan Cannata at burgerbizinc@aol.com.
http://www.fortbendnow.com/2010/02/09/43854
http://www.ethics.state.tx.us/sworncomp/2007/270333.pdf
February 9th, 2010 | by FortBendNow Staff | Published in News
The West Fort Bend County Republican Women’s Club will host a candidate forum at 6 p.m. Feb. 11 at the Swinging Door Restaurant, 3814 FM 359 in Richmond. The forum will feature the contested Republican Primary races for the offices of Judge County Court at Law No. 2 and Fort Bend County District Attorney...
Candidates for County Court at Law No. 2 Rick Forlano and Jeff McMeans will square off followed by Fort Bend County District Attorney John Healey and his opponents, attorneys Nina Schaefer and Richard Raymond.
Candidates will field questions from a media panel as well as written questions from the audience. Admission is free and the public is invited. A dinner buffet will be available for a nominal charge beginning at 6 p.m. This is the last scheduled forum before early voting begins. For more information contact either Janice Gillen at Janice@gillenpestcontrol.com or Susan Cannata at burgerbizinc@aol.com.
http://www.fortbendnow.com/2010/02/09/43854
http://www.ethics.state.tx.us/sworncomp/2007/270333.pdf
FBN: More Denials Coming From The Ron Reynolds Campaign!
FBN UPDATE 2-9-10: http://www.fortbendnow.com/2010/02/09/43849
Mr. Reynolds is currently seeking the TX HD 27 seat...
...Reynolds, an attorney with Brown, Brown & Reynolds, P.C., was licensed by the State Bar of Texas in May of 2000. He was sanctioned twice by the bar, and his suspensions were served consecutively. From April 1, 2005 to June 20, 2006, Reynolds was unable to practice law. From June 20, 2006, to June 30, 2009, he was on probation...
Get the full story and background on this at:
http://www.fortbendnow.com/2010/02/09/43842
http://myfortbend.net/news/local/politics/1294-fbw-fbisdwatch-endorses-dora-olivo-against-ron-reynolds-for-tx-hd-27
http://www.texasbar.com/Template.cfm?Section=Member_Directory&Template=/CustomSource/MemberDirectory/Result_form_client.cfm
http://capitolannex.com/2008/01/06/tx-hd-27-olivos-opponent-anything-but-responsive-reliable/
http://www.ethics.state.tx.us/dfs/COH_delinquent.htm (Reynold's on the Ethics Commission Delinquent List, $10,500)
http://dos-centavos.blogspot.com/2008/01/dora-olivo-is-at-least-responsible.html
Mr. Reynolds is currently seeking the TX HD 27 seat...
...Reynolds, an attorney with Brown, Brown & Reynolds, P.C., was licensed by the State Bar of Texas in May of 2000. He was sanctioned twice by the bar, and his suspensions were served consecutively. From April 1, 2005 to June 20, 2006, Reynolds was unable to practice law. From June 20, 2006, to June 30, 2009, he was on probation...
Get the full story and background on this at:
http://www.fortbendnow.com/2010/02/09/43842
http://myfortbend.net/news/local/politics/1294-fbw-fbisdwatch-endorses-dora-olivo-against-ron-reynolds-for-tx-hd-27
http://www.texasbar.com/Template.cfm?Section=Member_Directory&Template=/CustomSource/MemberDirectory/Result_form_client.cfm
http://capitolannex.com/2008/01/06/tx-hd-27-olivos-opponent-anything-but-responsive-reliable/
http://www.ethics.state.tx.us/dfs/COH_delinquent.htm (Reynold's on the Ethics Commission Delinquent List, $10,500)
http://dos-centavos.blogspot.com/2008/01/dora-olivo-is-at-least-responsible.html
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