HBC MAGAZINE© REPORTS
Is it possible that Democrats could turn Texas blue in 2018? It's still a little early to determine whether Democrats or Republicans will rule Texas in 2018 -- but as you prepare to make a wise voting decision, please keep in mind that no Democrat has won a statewide election in Texas since 1994. Also keep in mind that according to the Republican Party of Texas’ website, the people of Texas have entrusted Republicans with the stewardship of every statewide elected office and majorities in the state senate, state house and on the state board of education. Republicans currently have majorities in 107 Texas counties that contain nearly two-thirds of the state’s population. But could 2018 be “THE YEAR OF NOW” for Texas Democrats? These are a few of the “2018 DEMOCRATIC TRAILBLAZERS” running statewide in Texas who are sure hoping so: Trailblazing Judge Steven Kirkland currently serves as Presiding Judge for the 334th Civil District Court; but he’s running for Justice of the Texas Supreme Court for Place 2 on Tuesday, November 6, 2018 against incumbent Republican Judge Jimmy Blacklock; Trailblazing Judge Maria T. Jackson currently serves as Presiding Judge for the 339th Criminal District Court; but she’s running for Presiding Judge of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals for Place 1 against either Republican Judge David Bridges or the Republican incumbent Presiding Judge Sharon Keller on Tuesday, November 6, 2018 – depending on which candidate wins the Tuesday, March 6, 2018 Republican Party Primary; Trailblazing Attorney Kathy Cheng is a first generation Asian American, who happens to be running for Justice of the Supreme Court for Place 6 against incumbent Republican Judge Jeff Brown on Tuesday, November 6, 2018; Trailblazing Judge Ramona Franklin currently serves as Presiding Judge for the 338th Criminal District Court; but she’s running for Judge of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals for Place 7 against incumbent Republican Judge Barbara Parker Hervey on Tuesday, November 6, 2018, and finally, Trailblazing Judge R.K. Sandill currently serves as Presiding Judge for the 127th Civil District Court; but he’s running for Justice of the Supreme Court for Place 4 against incumbent Republican Judge John Devine on Tuesday, November 6, 2018. Please note that none of the aforementioned Democratic challengers will have to give up their current benches to run for higher office on Tuesday, November 6, 2018, in the General Midterm Election in Texas.
VIEW THIS EDITION OF HBC MAGAZINE©
VIEW THIS EDITION OF HBC MAGAZINE©
Deshaun Watson, James Harden, Michelle Obama, Ellen Degeneres, Governor Greg Abbott, Judge Steven Kirkland, Judge Maria T. Jackson, Judge Ramona Franklin, Attorney Kathy Cheng, Judge R.K. Sandill, Dr. Letitia Plummer, and Attorney Audrie Lawton are the people featured on the cover of this edition of Houston Business Connections Magazine© Ground-Game. This magazine is published by Aubrey R. Taylor Communications. Call (832)212-8735 for more information. All Rights Reserved.
HBC MAGAZINE© REPORTS
Do you believe in second chances? Many people don’t believe in granting second chances – that is, until they’re the one in need of one. Look, sometimes, the jolt a person who appears to be a lost cause needs to get their life on the right track isn’t found on “THE RAILROAD TO PRISON”, nor should it be administered by the “ELECTRONIC SHOCKWAVE SENT THROUGH A HUMAN BEINGS BODY” from the end of a taser’s probes prematurely deployed by a trigger-happy protector of freedom and justice. Nope, in some cases, what some wayward individuals need is a tough, caring, and stern public servant -- a compassionate, yet authoritative figure to show them that someone out there cares about them and the root cause of their troubles. Now, that doesn’t mean that every hardened criminal should get a get-out-of-jail-free-card. But it does indicate that better discernment could possibly be used when determining sentencing options. Such was the case when the path of Judge Maria T. Jackson and Mr. Patrick Moore’s intersected in a Harris County courtroom over 8-years ago. But don’t take our word for it. In the body of this report you will be afforded the opportunity to read the heartwarming words sent to Judge Jackson by Mr. Moore after getting his life on the right track – after being granted a new lease on life by this stern – yet compassionate judge.
AUBREY R. TAYLOR: "Houston Business Connections Magazine© would like to congratulate Mr. Patrick Moore for becoming the "IFBB PRO CHAMPION" and thank District Judge Maria T. Jackson for giving him a chance to get his life on the right track when many others would have perhaps sent him back to prison."
JUDGES LIKE MARIA T. JACKSON ARE A RARITY SAYS AUBREY R. TAYLOR
“The story of Patrick Moore is a clear and compelling example of why every able-bodied Texan should be concerned about the types of judges we place on the bench in the Lone Star State,” says Taylor. “This isn’t about “D’s” and “R’s” before names on the ballot anymore,” he passionately proclaims. “We need people holding gavels who are tough on crime – but what we “DO NOT NEED” are people in positions of authority who are compelled to legislate from the bench; carry out personal agendas; or willing to put their political party affiliation ahead of what’s just and fair.”
A SECOND CHANCE GIVEN BY DEMOCRATIC JUDGE MARIA T. JACKSON TO PATRICK MOORE PAYS OFF BIG-TIME
Here’s a message Judge Maria T. Jackson recently shared with Houston Business Connections Magazine® from Mr. Patrick Moore: “Good afternoon Judge Jackson! I hope you are doing well!! This is Patrick Moore. I was in your courtroom roughly 8 years ago with yet another charge. I had basically been in and out of trouble since the age of 16, living reckless, no regards for the law or my own future which kept landing me in and out of jail. Well, this go-round it landed me in front of you. No plea agreement could be reached with the district attorney, so on the very last setting it ultimately came down to your recommendation as to what my punishment should be. At the time, I was certain I was headed back to jail -- I mean my background screamed: "he'll just get in trouble again." The last time I was in trouble the exact words from Judge Devon Anderson was: "he's going to jail, I'm not giving any probation and have that rock in my neck." And so off I was sent. But that day in front of you, which I'm forever grateful for, something must have fallen on your heart. Because you asked me: "Mr. Moore, are you ready to turn your life around?" I have to admit I was so shocked I couldn't believe it. And I answered "yes." Then you told me "ok I'm going to give you one last chance." And my heart sunk into my chest because I knew that with that I wasn't going to let you down! It was life-changing because a complete stranger took a chance on me to believe in me to become something other than just another inmate, or habitual criminal. And I walked out of your courtroom completely grateful with a mindset that I was going to turn my life around. So with that, fast forward to today, I have accomplished some amazing things. I became a personal trainer and started my business in Tomball, Texas. I'm probably the most successful trainer in Northwest Houston lol! But I didn't stop there! All that energy I used to put into doing the wrong things, I put it into my body and started bodybuilding. And as of last weekend, it all paid off! After 5 years of extremely hard work, I competed in Las Vegas, Nevada at the Mr. USA Championships and won, which earned my professional status in bodybuilding! I was extended a few endorsements as a result of that show and life couldn't be better! I remember telling you the last time I saw you, as you released me from community supervision that I was not going to let you down! And I'm extremely blessed to report back to you that I have kept my promise. I know that “me” landing in front of you 8 years ago was not happenstance, but instead it was God's plan, and you were truly a blessing in my life!! I thank you so much for the decision you made as it has forever changed my life!! God bless you so much and thank you again Judge Jackson!”
MEET JUDGE MARIA T. JACKSON
Judge Maria T. Jackson exemplifies the true essence of what it means to be a “TRAILBLAZER”. She is one of the toughest District Judges in Harris County, Texas -- from either major political party. She’s handed down some of the harshest sentences of any District Judge in the county – but she’s also displayed a measure of compassion as she administers even-handed justice on behalf of the people of our great state. “What I love most about Judge Maria T. Jackson is that she is definitely tough, but she also has a very compassionate and endearing side that tends to go unnoticed sometimes. She’s a judge who believes in giving people a second chance,” says Taylor. “We need more judges from both major political parties in Texas to use their discretion similar to what she’s doing, to help people “GET OFF THE WRONG TRACK” and onto the right one to turn their lives around,” he explains. “Some of these judges in Texas are treating wayward citizens like a number, and simply shuffling them through the oftentimes unfair and biased criminal justice system like slaves being sent off to work the master’s plantation – pigs being sent off to slaughter if you will,” proclaims Taylor. “Being tough on crime is one thing, but a judge using their power to impact people’s lives in a way that compels them to change for the better takes a unique skill set,” he says. “Giving a second chance to men like Mr. Patrick Moore is a gamble – most judges aren’t willing to take the risk. Some judges would have simply written this brother off as a lost cause – or someone who couldn’t be rehabilitated,” Taylor explains. “Sure giving someone a second chance is a risk – but it’s a risk worth taking.”
SHE'S READY RIGHT NOW!
SHE'S READY RIGHT NOW!
Judge Maria T. Jackson has been the presiding Judge of the 339th State District Court in Houston, Harris County, Texas since the election of 2008. Judge Jackson presides over serious felony offenses, which run the gamut from low-level drug offenses to capital murder. She has presided over more than one hundred jury trials and several have been featured on The First 48 Hour national television show. She has appeared on many Houston radio and media outlets like Red, White and Blue Political Show, Magic 102, KCOH, and The Prison Show on FM 90.1. Judge Jackson has taken the lead in implementing sweeping changes for DWI probationers in her court. These changes are so notable that the Harris County Probation Department has followed Judge Jackson’s lead in implementing them countywide.
Education
B.A. Political Science
The University of Texas at Arlington
Doctor of Jurisprudence
Texas A&M School of Law formerly
Texas Wesleyan School of Law
Professional Experience
Judge Maria T. Jackson has served by appointment of the Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice as the presiding Judge in Cameron County, Texas. The United States Secret Service, Department of Homeland Security, the District Attorneys of Alabama, and the National Judicial College selected Judge Jackson as one of twenty-four judges from across the country to receive training at the National Computer Forensics Institute (NCFI). In 2003-2008, Judge Jackson was appointed by the Mayor and City Council as a Fulltime Municipal Court Judge for the City of Houston. During her tenure as a Municipal Court Judge, she also served as a trainer and instructor for the Texas Municipal Courts Education Center. She was a Municipal Bond Attorney and a certified Mediator.
Professional Activities and Memberships
Judge Jackson’s devotion does not stop at public service. She is also a devoted member of her profession and her alma mater Texas A&M University School of Law formerly Texas Wesleyan School of Law. Judge Jackson serves on the Board of District Judges, where she chairs the Security Committee and serves on the Administration of Justice and the Legislative Committee. She serves on the Mental Health Task Force Board. She is currently a member of the State Bar of Texas, Texas State Bar College, Garland R. Walker American Inns of Court, American Bar Association, Houston Lawyers Association, Houston Bar Association, and the Mexican American Bar Association. She serves on the Harris County Bench Bar Pro Bono Awards Committee. She is a fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation and the Houston Bar Foundation. She previously served as past Co-Chair of the Speakers Bureau Committee for the Houston Bar Association and on the Board of Directors for Texas A&M University School of Law.
Community Involvement
When Judge Jackson is not pursuing her passion for the law, she serves her community by volunteering as a mentor for at-risk youth, high school students, law students and young lawyers. She is a lifetime member of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. She is an active member of the Houston Chapter of Links, Inc., where she serves as Chair of the Services to the Youth program. She is a sustaining member of the Harris County Democratic Party. She is a member of the Lakewood Church. She is also a member of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.
Judge Maria T. Jackson’s passion for public service has not gone unnoticed. Her service to the community has led a number of organizations to recognize her. Judge Jackson was named “Best Criminal Court Judge of 2011” by the Houston Press, making her the first African American woman to be given this honor. D-Mars.com Business Journal awarded Judge Jackson the People’s Choice Award for two consecutive years in 2012 and 2013. In 2014, Judge Jackson was named one of the “Top 30 Most Influential Women of Houston.” In 2015, Judge Jackson was recognized again for her judicial service to the community by the Lebanon Times magazine. She was a Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Black Heritage Honoree, a Houston Bar Association-CLE distinguished member, and recognized by Houston’s Influential 40 Under 40. The Houston Sun honored Judge Jackson the “Women of Power and Purpose” award in 2013. In addition to breaking the barriers for minority women in the legal profession, Judge Jackson broke barriers for Houston Municipal judges by being the first judge to be acknowledged by the Mayor’s Spotlight City of Houston employee newspaper. In addition to her accomplishments at the state level, Judge Jackson has been recognized as a “Woman of Now” hall of fame honoree by the U.S. House of Representatives, 18th Congressional District.
TEXAS NEEDS REBRANDING ACCORDING TO TAYLOR
“What Texas needs right now is a rebranding of sorts,” explains Aubrey R. Taylor, publisher of Houston Business Connections Magazine©. “I believe that Texans from all walks of life are tired of the divisiveness, and actually would like to see our elected officials work together across party lines to get things done for the betterment of us all,” he says. “ To achieve this, we Texans don’t need to be TEXAS-TWO-STEPPIN’ into voting booths and blindly casting ballots for Republicans or Democrats anymore anyways…GOD FEARING PEOPLE who are unafraid to wield their power in a compassionate manner is what we need going forward!” According to Taylor, this is perhaps the single most compelling reason why “ALL” Texans need to elect “FIRM, YET COMPASSIONATE FELLOW TEXANS” into positions of authority at all levels in the upcoming “2018 MIDTERM ELECTION”. He says, electing compassionate candidates who truly understand their power, and have the courage to put their God-given discernment to work when carrying out the duties they’ve been duly elected to perform while handling the people’s business is imperative.
2018 TO BE BRANDED AS “THE YEAR OF NOW” BY HBC MAGAZINE©
Some judges literally hold the power of life and death in their hands. Yet, oftentimes, these “SERVANTS OF GOD ALMIGHTY” are the least known candidates on the ballot in any given election cycle -- but this needs to change – and it needs to change quickly. Especially since in a few short years, no Texan will be able to vote a straight-party-ticket. This means, that every candidate on the ballot in Texas (including judges) must build their own individual name (I.D.) identification beyond their political party base – and they must also develop a platform that lends itself to providing Texans with a strong and very compelling reason for them to navigate their way down the ballot to cast a vote for their candidacy. So just in case you haven’t already heard, effective on September 1, 2020, the practice of voting a straight-ticket will no longer be allowed in the Lone Star State. “To be sure, nobody knows exactly what’s going to happen in 2020 when straight-ticket voting is no longer an option – and yes, that’s when President Donald Trump will be up for re-election,” says Taylor. “President Trump is a story for another day. And so is House Bill 25 – both are game-changers, but neither should be our primary focus at this time. Our attention should be focused on “THE HERE AND NOW”, and on two very important election dates – which happen to be: Tuesday, March 6, 2018, and Tuesday, November 6, 2018,” he says. “Tuesday, March 6, 2018, is the date when our two major political parties in Texas will be electing their nominees who will appear on Tuesday, November 6, 2018, General Midterm Election ballot. And in case you’re wondering, nearly every race will be contested in 2018 in the Lone Star State – SO LET’S FOCUS OUR UNDIVIDED ATTENTION ON “THE HERE AND NOW”.
LET’S WORK TOGETHER TO ELECT FAIR AND IMPARTIAL JUDGES IN TEXAS
On Tuesday, November 6, 2018, Judge Maria T. Jackson will seek to have her name written in the annals of Texas history by becoming the first African American woman to serve on the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals for Place 1. “The time has come for “ALL” Texans to put divisiveness aside and come together to do something truly special in the Lone Star State,” says Taylor. “Judge Maria T. Jackson is duly-qualified, fair, firm, and compassionate,” he explains. “I’m not “FOR” or “AGAINST” either major political party in Texas – I simply want “All” Texans to be treated fairly in the eyes of the law,” he explains. “Judge Maria T. Jackson is the only candidate in the race for Presiding Judge for the Court of Criminal Appeals for Place 1 (at this time) who has reached out to us, and assured us that she values the vote of every Texan without respect to their ethnicity, gender, political party affiliation, or socio-economic – we’re hopeful others will soon follow,” he says. “But for now, it’s our prayer that every open-minded voter in the Lone Star State will strongly consider candidates like Judge Maria T. Jackson, and the countless others who respect us, and are committed to serving our great state with blindfold justice that’s administered fairly, unbiased, and without prejudice.”
DONATE TO JUDGE MARIA T. JACKSON’S CAMPAIGN
If you are reading this report and would like to help Judge Maria T. Jackson win on Tuesday, November 6, 2018, you can mail her a generous donation to JUDGE MARIA T. JACKSON CAMPAIGN at P.O. Box 627, Houston, Texas 77001. You can also email her at maria.jckson@gmail.com, or call her at (832)582-1197 today!
Aubrey R. Taylor, the president, and CEO of Aubrey R. Taylor Communications is the publisher of Houston Business Connections Magazine©. Taylor has more than 26-years of experience in marketing branding, public relations and political consulting. He’s publicly promoted Republican and Democratic candidates in statewide elections and in local municipalities throughout the Lone Star State. He’s also publicly promoted (through his publications) such corporations and institutions as Shell Oil, The City of Houston, Texas Southern University, Prairie View A&M University, Chevron, Waste Management, Nationwide Insurance, Momentum Jaguar/BMW, State Farm Insurance, and Allstate Insurance to name a few. A visionary in his own right, Taylor has also helped many incumbent Democrats and Republicans to hold onto their seats amidst stiff challenges from political rivals -- but he’s also played strategic roles in developing strategies to help his clients unseat more than a few incumbents as well. His private group of “nonpartisan” HBC Magazine© Readers has assisted him with picking the best candidates to recommend in “PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS” and “MIDTERM ELECTIONS” on a regular basis. In case you don’t remember, back in the Tuesday, November 8, 2016 “PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION” his “nonpartisan” group of Houston Business Connections Magazine© Readers made “RECOMMENDATIONS” in sixty-seven (67) races on the ballot in Harris County, Texas. The Houston Chronicle (EDITORIAL BOARD) made endorsements in the same sixty-seven (67) races.
ENDORSEMENTS MATTER
The Houston Chronicle’s (EDITORIAL BOARD) posted a record of: (38 ENDORSEMENT WINS AND 29 ENDORSEMENT LOSSES) while the “nonpartisan” group of Houston Business Connections Magazine© Readers posted a record of: (51 ENDORSEMENT WINS AND 16 ENDORSEMENT LOSSES). So, who would you rather have as your media partner?
NEED A MEDIA PARTNER?
If you are a candidate running for public office in the Tuesday, March 6, 2018, Democratic Party Primary, or Republican Party Primary and need a strategy, branding, or marketing assistance, please call (832)212-8735, or (281)788-3033 today!
AUBREY R. TAYLOR COMMUNICATIONS
957 NASA PARKWAY #251
HOUSTON, TEXAS 77058-3039
PHONE: (832)212-8735
CELL: (281)788-3033
