Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, House Speaker Dustin Burrows, and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick announced a push to increase state oversight of local prosecutors they describe as “rogue,” according to reporting by Bethany Blankley at The Center Square. The announcement, made Friday, follows Abbott’s proposal to create a new statewide prosecutor office ahead of legislative hearings this month, The Center Square reported.
What they’re proposing
The Center Square reports the trio want the Legislature to pass laws next year to impose greater state oversight on local prosecutors, citing what they called “a clear pattern of certain local prosecutors releasing repeat offenders back into the community and putting innocent Texans at risk.”
Abbott was quoted saying, “Texans come first. Prosecutors must enforce Texas law and keep violent criminals behind bars. When murder charges are dropped and repeat offenders walk free, innocent Texans pay the price. Texas will hold rogue prosecutors accountable and deliver justice for victims.”
Burrows said, “For far too long, Texans have been left at the mercy of certain local prosecutors’ soft-on-crime policies. When murderers are let off the hook, released on bail through catch-and-release policies, or even have their charges dismissed, public safety is compromised.”
Committee hearing and legislative path
Earlier this year, Burrows established the Texas House Governmental Oversight Select Committee, which The Center Square says will meet on Sept. 30 to hear testimony on the issue. He described the goal as developing bipartisan reforms “to strengthen public safety, hold public officials accountable and ensure political ideology never comes before law and order,” adding it “will be a top priority for the Texas House next session.”
Patrick agreed with taking action, with The Center Square quoting him that the Texas Senate will “take strong action against these rogue prosecutors.”
Example cited: Travis County DA José Garza
The Center Square reports that Abbott, Burrows, and Patrick pointed to Travis County District Attorney José Garza as an example of a “rogue prosecutor,” citing instances of dismissed murder charges, refusals to prosecute violent criminals, and repeat offenders released with no bond. The article does not provide underlying case data.
Rural complaints and an unanswered question
Their announcement followed The Center Square’s prior reporting on complaints from residents in rural counties who say local prosecutors are failing to prosecute a range of crimes, including voter fraud, and are dismissing large numbers of cases. Those residents, according to The Center Square, want the Legislature to address what they call an unanswered question: “What happens when a local district attorney won’t investigate or prosecute cases?”
What The Center Square says about OAG limits
According to The Center Square, under the Texas Constitution the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) is part of the executive branch and is prohibited from prosecuting crimes in a county unless the local district attorney requests the OAG’s involvement or recuses the office. The outlet reports that some rural residents feel they have no recourse when a DA won’t prosecute or dismisses cases.
Border-county Democrats ask for investigations
Former Zapata County Sheriff Raymundo Del Bosque and other Democrats have asked the Republican-led Legislature and the Trump administration’s Department of Justice to investigate what they allege is a systemic pattern of voter fraud in rural border counties, The Center Square reported. “Don’t dismiss these concerns because we’re a small county on the border,” Del Bosque said. “Zapata County needs help. Please don’t ignore Zapata County.”
Democrat Martha Moralas, who ran for Zapata County judge, told The Center Square: “I am a Democrat asking a Republican president [and state Legislature] for help because I refuse to believe that justice has a party. My vote is not supposed to be bought, harvested, manipulated, or silenced, and neither is my right to have the truth heard in court.”
What to watch
The Center Square reports the House Governmental Oversight Select Committee will take testimony on Sept. 30. Abbott has proposed creating a new statewide prosecutor office; the scope, powers, and any bills advancing next session will determine how far state oversight of local prosecutors might go.
