Saturday, January 2, 2021

Corruption, Lawlessness, Mobster Styled Tactics Must Be Denounced and Uprooted to Restore Confidence in Local Elections


Newly Elected Councilwoman Tarsha Jackson (far left) appears to be an "ILLEGITIMATE" sitting District B council member. Why? Well, according to Sec. 43.130 of the Texas Local Government Code, “A resident of an area annexed for limited purposes is not eligible to be a candidate for or to be elected to a municipal office.” Why is she an "ILLEGITIMATE" sitting District B council member? Well, it's pretty cut and dry -- if you ask me. At the time that she signed up to run for office she used her home address which is 922 Sawgrass Ridge Lane in Houston, Texas. The only problem with the address she used is that it resides inside of an annexed portion of the City of Houston -- which by law, means that at the time that she ran for office way back in the 2019 citywide general election she wasn't even eligible to run for the District B council position. But don't take my word for it, another Black female candidate by the name of Michelle Bonton found herself to be facing the same issue as Tarsha Jackson -- but was treated very differently. In the case of Michelle Bonton, because of a timing issue, her name appeared on the ballot -- but her votes didn't count. However, in the case of Tarsha Jackson, City of Houston officials either looked the other way, or simply didn't care. And don't tell me about the whole, "the city isn't responsible for researching residency issues," crap. Why? Well, someone cared enough about Sec. 43.130 of the Texas Local Government Code, to have Michelle Bonton declared ineligible, but what about Tarsha Jackson? Anyways, I know that it isn't much of a consolation to Renee Jefferson Smith (far right above) and Cynthia Bailey (above center) in the grand scheme of things -- but they both got robbed if you ask me. And so did the residents of Houston City Council District B. And my heart goes out to Robin J. Anderson, Prince E.W. Bryant II, Broderick F. Butler, Alvin D. Byrd, Karisma D. Gillam, Alice Kirkmon, Karen “KKC” Kossie-Chernyshev, Kenneth Perkins, Alyson Quintana, Ben White, Jr., and Huey German-Wilson -- who all got cheated out of having a legitimate shot to win the Houston City Council District B race back on Tuesday, November 5, 2019, in Houston, Texas.

Corruption, Lawlessness, Mobster-Styled Tactics Must Be Denounced and Uprooted to Restore Confidence in Local Elections


AUBREY R. TAYLOR REPORTS


I am not sure that I’ve ever seen a more blatant and clear-cut case of local officials using double-standards and turning a blind-eye to clear and evident lawlessness. I mean, it’s right there before us, how Michelle Bonton (a political outsider) was treated back in 2019, and Tarsha Jackson ( a political insider) was treated in 2019, is night and day -- if you ask me. In case you don’t know, back in 2019, Michelle Bonton was notified by city officials that she lived in an area of Harris County, Texas that was annexed for limited purposes by Houston. What did this mean? Well, it meant that by living inside an annexed portion of the City of Houston she was ineligible to run for a municipal office. Why? Well, according to Sec. 43.130 of the Texas Local Government Code, “A resident of an area annexed for limited purposes is not eligible to be a candidate for or to be elected to a municipal office.” So, in case you’re wondering, the City obeyed and applied the law correctly whereas Michelle Bonton’s eligibility to run for the Houston City Council At-Large Position #5, office back in the 2019 citywide general election. However, what you might not know is that while the City declared Michelle Bonton (an African American woman) ineligible, they either missed, looked over, turned a blind-eye, or straight-up decided that Sec. 43.130 of the Texas Local Government Code would not be applied whereas Tarsha Jackson was concerned. Yes, you heard me right. The City declared one Black woman ineligible because she lived in an annexed area of Houston, Texas, and may have turned a blind-eye to the case of another Black woman who was a political insider. Nope, I’m not making this stuff up, you are hearing me correctly, the City declared one Black woman ineligible, who happened to be a political outsider back in the 2019 citywide general election, and in the same election back in 2019, another Black woman who happened to be a political insider was declared eligible. Sounds crazy right? Sounds criminal right? Sounds like a double-standard right? Sounds like something out of the movies right? Sounds kind of gangsta right? Well, I’ve already told you that some of the most hardened-criminals in all of Harris County, Texas could be sitting in elected positions. 


WIDESPREAD CORRUPTION


A little over two weeks ago, a so-called Harris County Election Security Task Force made up of the Harris County Precinct 1 Constable's Office (Democrat), the Harris County District Attorney's Office (Democrat), the County Attorney's Office (Democrat) and the County Clerk's Office (Democrat), released a report detailing how the task force said it "received approximately 20 allegations of wrongdoing that needed to be elevated to the level of a formal investigation." However, this Democratic investigating body publicly stated, "Despite claims, our thorough investigations found no proof of any election tampering, ballot harvesting, voter suppression, intimidation or any other type of foul play that might have impacted the legitimate cast or count of a ballot," the report stated. Now, I’m going to stop well-short of calling the entire report a total sham. I’m also at this point, not going to call the entire Harris County Election Task Force thing a total fraud that was created to cover up ‘alleged wrongdoing’ by local officials. Nor am I going to produce clear and present evidence of the fact that the corruption in Harris County, Texas runs much deeper than anyone knows. Yes, I said that!!! But don’t take my word for it, a citizen reporter by the name of Colleen M. Vera did a much better job at laying things with her two year investigation into “ABSENTEE BALLOT HARVESTING” in Harris County, Texas than anyone I know. I mean, she laid the whole thing out, and nobody (NOT ONE LOCAL DEMOCRATIC) came out to publicly address the widespread corruption alleged by Colleen M. Vera in her report. And now, we have a Harris County Election Task Force telling taxpayers that there’s nothing to see here -- that there’s nothing corrupt going on in Harris County, Texas. Look, I don’t know what type of cases that task force reviewed, but I can tell you with full-assurance that we can not allow for local public officials and politicians to police themselves. 


STRAIGHT CRIMINALS


Make no mistake about it, Tarsha Jackson, the woman who is now sitting on Houston City Council as the District B councilwoman, should have been “DECLARED INELIGIBLE” right along with MIchelle Bonton back in the 2019 citywide general election. Why was one Black woman declared ineligible and the other not declared ineligible? Well, when you are dealing with lawless people anything goes -- I guess. And from what I can see, this crime is going to go unpunished. From the looks of things, Mayor Sylvester Turner, and all of the sitting council members are just going to take the “COWARDLY APPROACH” and just look the other way on this criminal activity. Yes, unfortunately the people who can do something about this blatant breach of the law appear to be going to simply look the other way on this. Man, it’s a sad day for the City of Houston, when the taxpaying citizens are relegated to being represented by a bunch of cowards and criminals. Make no mistake about it, from all of the documents I have reviewed, Councilwoman Tarsha Jackson was not eligible to even run as a candidate for Houston City Council District B back in 2019. Nor should she have been in the recent runoff election against Cynthia Bailey who she eventually defeated. Nope, that Saturday, December 12, 2020, runoff election should have been between Renee Jefferson Smith and Cynthia Bailey. And hell, when you look at it, the entire outcome of the election back in 2019 might have turned out a whole lot differently without Tarsha Jackson’s name being present on the ballot. Can you believe this? Man, can you believe that there were at least four candidates running for office with felony convictions that would seem to bar them from doing so based on current laws -- but the only candidate who was singled out was Cynthia Bailey -- there’s something sinister about what we are currently seeing play out in Harris County, Texas. Man, when you look at it, if this type of criminal activity is allowed to continue -- Houston is going to be run by nothing but criminal-minded people with no regard for the law. How can I make this statement? Well, I don’t concern myself too much with people who have paid their debt to society and move on with their lives -- like Cynthia Bailey. Look, there’s a whole bunch of people in high-places out here who are “UNDOCUMENTED CRIMINALS” if you ask me. Meaning, that they’ve been breaking the law for years -- and just haven’t been caught yet. 


A SAD DAY FOR HOUSTON


I am so saddened by what I am seeing play out as it relates to the way Mayor Sylvester Turner, Councilwoman Amy Peck, Councilwoman Abbie Kamin, Councilwoman Carolyn Evans-Shabazz, Councilman Dave Martin, Councilwoman Tiffany Thomas, Councilman Greg Travis, Councilwoman Karla Cisneros, Councilman Robert Gallegos, Councilman Edward Pollard, Councilwoman Martha Castex-Tatum, Councilman MIke Knox, Councilman David Robinson, Councilman Michael Kubosh, Councilwoman Letitia Plummer, and Councilwoman Sallie Alcorn appear to be just sitting by and allowing for this transgression of the law to go unpunished -- or addressed in any sort of way. This is a blatant disregard for the law -- a clear and present demonstration of “ROGUE POLITICIANS dominating “GOOD POLITICIANS” in unimaginable ways. I can’t for the life of me understand what kind of hold the “CORRUPT DEMOCRATIC REGIME” that’s doing dirty deeds could have over all of the good public officials -- where they would just close their eyes to blatant criminal activity like we are currently seeing play out in Harris County, Texas. Yes, I said that!!! And the last time I looked, according to Sec. 43.130 of the Texas Local Government Code, “A resident of an area annexed for limited purposes is not eligible to be a candidate for or to be elected to a municipal office.” That being said, unless the City of Houston has a good explanation for why Councilwoman Tarsha Jackson (a Black woman who happens to be a political insider) is above the law -- something needs to be done about this. I submit today, that Councilwoman Tarsha Jackson should have had her butt “DECLARED INELIGIBLE” right along with Michelle Bonton (a Black woman who happens to be a political outsider) back in the 2019 citywide general election.


AUBREY R. TAYLOR COMMUNICATIONS
957 NASA PARKWAY #251
HOUSTON, TEXAS 77058-3039
PHONE: (832)212-8735
CELL: (281)788-3033



Tarsha Jackson finished first in the race for Houston City Council District B, way back on Tuesday, November 5, 2019. According to Sec. 43.130 of the Texas Local Government Code, “A resident of an area annexed for limited purposes is not eligible to be a candidate for or to be elected to a municipal office.” That being said, unless the City of Houston has a good explanation for why Councilwoman Tarsha Jackson (a Black woman who happens to be a political insider) is above the law -- something needs to be done about this.


Businesswoman Cynthia Bailey ran her race fair and square and finished second in the race for Houston City Council District B, way back on Tuesday, November 5, 2019. 


Community Advocate Renee Jefferson Smith, may have been right all along. She ran her race fair and square and finished third in the race for Houston City Council District B, way back on Tuesday, November 5, 2019. And the saddest part of all, is that while most folks were looking at Cynthia Bailey -- it was Tarsha Jackson that Renee Jefferson Smith's team should have been focused on prior to the election -- and even afterwards. According to Sec. 43.130 of the Texas Local Government Code, Tarsha Jackson wasn't even eligible to run for the Houston City Council District B position in the first place. According to the code, "A resident of an area annexed for limited purposes is not eligible to be a candidate for or to be elected to a municipal office.” That being said, unless the City of Houston has a good explanation for why Councilwoman Tarsha Jackson (a Black woman who happens to be a political insider) is above the law -- something needs to be done about this.

Effect of Annexation on Voting Rights, Eligibility for Office, and Taxing Authority


(a) The qualified voters of an area annexed for limited purposes are entitled to vote in municipal elections regarding the election or recall of members of the governing body of the municipality, the election or recall of the controller, if the office of controller is an elective position of the municipality, and the amendment of the municipal charter. The voters may not vote in any bond election. On or after the 15th day but before the fifth day before the date of the first election held in which the residents of an area annexed for limited purposes are entitled to vote, the municipality shall publish notice in the form of a quarter-page advertisement in a newspaper of general circulation in the municipality notifying the residents that they are eligible to vote in the election and stating the location of all polling places for the residents.

(b) A resident of an area annexed for limited purposes is not eligible to be a candidate for or to be elected to a municipal office.

(c) The municipality may not impose a tax on any property in an area annexed for limited purposes or on any resident of the area for an activity occurring in the area. The municipality may impose reasonable charges, such as building inspection and permit fees, on residents or landowners for actions or procedures performed by the municipality in connection with the limited purposes for which the area is annexed.

Rupesh Koshy is Employed in the Planning & Development Department at the City of Houston

922 Sawgrass Ridge Ln Houston, TX 77073 falls within the limited purpose city limit of Houston through an agreement with Harris County MUD 36. The effective date is 11/13/2002, the Annexation Ordinance number is 2002-1069 and the Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA) Ordinance No. is 2002-1068. The City Secretary’s office will be able to get you copies of both the Ordinances and usually the SPA ordinance will have a portion under the heading “Voting Rights in the City” that explains elections. Unfortunately, we do not have copies of both the Ordinances in the Planning and Development Dept.



This is the residence used by Tarsha Jackson on her application. However, according to section (b) of the Texas Local Government Code a resident of an area annexed for limited purposes is not eligible to be a candidate for or to be elected to a municipal office. However, I'm sure that the City of Houston is going to have a very good reason for why Tarsha Jackson was allowed to run for office when her voter registration card clearly states that the (922 Sawgrass Ridge) address she used on her application has (Houston LPA) on it -- which means that Tarsha Jackson lives in an (LIMITED PURPOSE ANNEXED) portion of the City of Houston. 


Residency Questions Swirled Around Newly-Minted Councilwoman Tarsha Jackson As She Was Being Sworn-in 

AUBREY R. TAYLOR REPORTS© 

Back on Monday, December 21, 2022, Tarsha Jackson officially became the City of Houston’s District B Council Member. Yes, she’s finally being able to take the seat after more than a year. And whether you like Tarsha Jackson or not, you have to admit that’s she’s taken it all in stride. “Today was a great day! I was officially sworn in as a Houston City Council Member. I am so honored and blessed to have the opportunity to serve the residents of District B. And I’m looking forward to working with the great team of council members to do amazing things for our great city,” said Councilwoman Tarsha Jackson via her Facebook page after being sworn in. But will her victory be short lived? I don’t know, but if you ask Gerry Wayne Monroe, “5 Star General” and his co-hosts Demetra Kaye, and Donovan Saadiq, who spent the better part of an hour talking about Councilwoman Tarsha Jackson’s residency on “THE WAR ZONE” last week – Councilwoman Jackson might have an issue. Sure, she put a beat down on Cynthia Bailey to capture her victory back on Saturday, December 12, 2020, in the runoff election. Sure, just as I predicted, the District B runoff election between Tarsha and Cynthia was decided with “ABSENTEE BALLOTS” in this predominantly African American council district. In case you don’t remember, the Harris County Election Administrator mailed out 12,929 “ABSENTEE BALLOTS” for the Saturday, December 12, runoff elections. But get this, only 4,638 of the 12,929 “ABSENTEE BALLOTS” made their way back to the Harris County Election Administrator to be counted. That being said, do you realize that there are still, 8,291 “ABSENTEE BALLOTS” still out there floating around somewhere? Why did so many people decide to not bother to mail their “ABSENTEE BALLOTS” back to the Harris County Election Administrator to be counted? 


Councilwoman Tarsha Jackson (green dress) on stage standing beside Mayor Sylvester Turner and a few other members of Houston City Council at her swearing-in ceremony.


Is Tarsha Jackson Eligible to Serve as the Houston City Council District B Councilwoman?

AUBREY R. TAYLOR REPORTS© 

From what I can see, no person living at the residence used by Tarsha Jackson on her application is supposed to be able to run for Houston City Council, based on my understanding of Sec. 43.130 of the Texas Local Government Code as it is written. How can I say this? Well, according to section (b) of the Texas Local Government Code a resident of an area annexed for limited purposes is not eligible to be a candidate for or to be elected to a municipal office. Again, I'm sure that the City of Houston is going to have a very good reason for why Tarsha Jackson was allowed to run for office when her voter registration card clearly states that the (922 Sawgrass Ridge) address she used on her application has (Houston LPA) on it -- which means that Tarsha Jackson lives in an (LIMITED PURPOSE ANNEXED) portion of the City of Houston -- and should not have been allowed to run. Again, that is, unless there's something that I am missing here.

AUBREY R. TAYLOR COMMUNICATIONS
957 NASA PARKWAY #251
HOUSTON, TEXAS 77058-3039
PHONE: (832)212-8735
CELL: (281)788-3033





































THE BRAINS

I’m the President/CEO of Aubrey R. Taylor Communications, the publisher of Houston Business Connections Newspaper©. In case you don’t know, I have 30-years of experience in marketing, branding, investigative reporting, public relations, opposition research, and political consulting. I’ve assisted in branding Republican and Democratic candidates in statewide elections and local municipalities throughout the State of Texas. Over the years, I’ve also assisted in branding and marketing (through my various publications) such corporations and institutions as Shell Oil, The City of Houston, Texas A&M University, Texas Southern University, Prairie View A&M University, Chevron, Waste Management, Nationwide Insurance, Momentum Jaguar/BMW, Channel 11, Channel 13, State Farm Insurance, and Allstate Insurance to name a few. 

EXPERIENCED REPORTER

I would have you to know that not everyone who has been accused of a crime or enters a guilty plea in connection with a crime is guilty of the crime they're accused of committing. Neither is everyone who goes to trial to fight charges that are leveled against them and get's convicted are guilty. Look, over the years, some very bad things have happened to people of color in our criminal justice system. So to this end, please understand, that during my career, I’ve gone into the Harris County Jail and Texas prisons on numerous occasions (on secret assignments) working in conjunction with the owner of one of the largest locally owned private security, and investigations firms. The man who was funding my investigations back then (who mysteriously died) also was the godfather of one of my sons, and the backer of one of my publications. That being said, I can straight-faced assure you that I’ve seen some of the injustices that are occurring in the Texas penal system up close and personal. While on the inside, I interviewed (face-to-face) some of the hardest criminals you can imagine for my research. I also discovered first-hand that many of the people who should be locked up are walking around free, and not all of those who are locked behind bars are guilty of the crimes that they, in some cases pleaded guilty to – for whatever reason. So, let me assure you that I know a criminal when I see one. And we have a handful of local elected officials who are straight-criminals and must be stopped!!!

PEOPLE OVER POLITICS

Based on my direct observations over the years, I can attest to the fact that our current criminal justice system is more about “HAVE’S AND HAVE NOT’S” to a greater degree than most people realize.  That being said, sure, in some cases, the skin color of the person being accused of a crime plays a role in who gets indicted and eventually convicted of crimes and those who go free. However, at the end of the day, from observing the system from the inside, and out; having money, good legal representation and access to influential people are unfortunately key determining factors when it comes to who will spend the rest of their life walking around with an “X” on their back and who doesn’t. So, to this end, we must endeavor to change our criminal justice system and political landscape by “TAKING POLITICS OUT” of the way our judges are selected in the Lone Star State – that’s very important to me!

AUBREY R. TAYLOR COMMUNICATIONS
957 NASA PARKWAY #251
HOUSTON, TEXAS 77058-3039
PHONE: (832)212-8735
CELL: (281)788-3033