Request Assist On How to Effectively Lobby for Accountability for Elected Officials

[gamboolman]

ms gamboolgal and I request help from the Forum members please.

We have posted this same request over on Texas CHL and hope to get some responses there. We will post any responses we get here.

Now that I am retired and have the time, we want to effectively complain to try and influence change in the Houston / Harris County government.

What can we do, and how can we complain / lobby to hold Mayors, District Attorneys and Judges accountable for these types of behaviors, e.g., releasing repeat criminals or setting low Bonds, not charging criminals, etc.,

We have written Mayor Turner multiple times and the responses are the same – “not my fault”, etc.

Please see email and response to/from Mayor Turner for review and reference below.

When we were living and working in New Orleans many years ago, we did the same thing and got the same type of non responses from the New Orleans Mayor, Chamber of Commerce and Police Department.

We are lifetime members of the NRA, Texas State Rife Association and Gun Owners of America and we do contribute monies. But we want to do more to bring about change.

It feels like we are pushing a wet rope....

Thank you for any advice and assistance.

gamboolman...

Text of email to/from Mayor Turner follows:

6-Jan-22

Hello, xxx and xxx.

As we indicated to you back in September, Mayor Turner does not control the judges or the courts, nor does he set bail amounts; these offices and actions are not under his operational authority but that of Harris County, which is a separate entity from the City and one over which we do not have purview.

Best,

Correspondence & Constituent Services Division

Office of Mayor Sylvester Turner | City of Houston

O: (832) 393-1000 | F: (832) 393-1084

From: xxxx
Sent: Tuesday, December 28, 2021 4:21 PM
To: COH - Mayor <mayor@houstontx.gov>
Subject: 302086-O/S 28-Dec-21 Harris County Releasing Criminals Out On Bond - Resulting in Crime and Murders

[Message Came from Outside the City of Houston Mail System]

Mayor Turner,

What is your response to these Criminals in Harris County being let out on Bond and then committing more crimes including Murder?

You are the Mayor. Why do you allow this to go on?

Please advise your position and planned Actions or Inactions to address this.

Excerpt from linked articles:

“A report by Houston’s FOX26 claims over 150 people have been killed by suspects whom Democrat judges have released on bond in Harris County, Texas.”

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2021/12/28/report-150-killed-by-suspects-on-bond-in-harris-county-tx/

https://www.fox26houston.com/news/37-year-old-criminal-free-from-jail-on-5-felony-bonds-accused-of-beating-elderly-man-to-death-during-burglary







Regards, xxxx

 

[toddnjoyce]

@AndiTurner might be able to shed some light.

I will say doing this on your own/as a solo effort is pushing a wet noodle. Organizing and organizations are your best friends.

 

[popper]

Become a poll watcher. Put on your armor and don't let the Dems chase you out.

 

[gamboolman]

toddnjoyce,

I agree about being a Lone Ranger is not a good approach. Besides giving monies to the 3 X organizations we already do, can you suggest any others?

And yes, popper, ms gamboolgal has already worked at Elections helping out and I will be able to also now that I'm retired.

Thank you all for the prompt responses and suggestions.

gamboolman....

 

[candcallen]

A few gallons of blood poured on the DA during a live news conference saying this is the blood of the people you helped murder might be impressive. It should only cost you a MM disturbing the peace charge.

 

[Axxe55]

There is no accountability. There is only kick the can down the road, or kick it into someone else's yard. They are not looking for solutions to the problems, that are part of the problem.

You find candidates to run against them in every election from the school boards and up. Replace them with people that care about the issues. The incumbents have no incentive to change things because they are not affected.

 

[Brains]

Turner's office is correct. These are Harris County judges and a Harris County District Attorney turning career criminals loose. Turner is certainly not a good guy in all this, but the people you're wanting to smack with a clue-by-four work for Harris County. Turner works for the City of Houston.

Start by contacting folks in the County Executive's office that have chains of responsibility to the areas you want to see change. The directories are online: https://www.harriscountytx.gov/Harris-County-A-Z

 

[Hoji]

ms gamboolgal and I request help from the Forum members please.

We have posted this same request over on Texas CHL and hope to get some responses there. We will post any responses we get here.

Now that I am retired and have the time, we want to effectively complain to try and influence change in the Houston / Harris County government.

What can we do, and how can we complain / lobby to hold Mayors, District Attorneys and Judges accountable for these types of behaviors, e.g., releasing repeat criminals or setting low Bonds, not charging criminals, etc.,

We have written Mayor Turner multiple times and the responses are the same – “not my fault”, etc.

Please see email and response to/from Mayor Turner for review and reference below.

When we were living and working in New Orleans many years ago, we did the same thing and got the same type of non responses from the New Orleans Mayor, Chamber of Commerce and Police Department.

We are lifetime members of the NRA, Texas State Rife Association and Gun Owners of America and we do contribute monies. But we want to do more to bring about change.

It feels like we are pushing a wet rope....

Thank you for any advice and assistance.

gamboolman...

Text of email to/from Mayor Turner follows:

6-Jan-22

Hello, xxx and xxx.

As we indicated to you back in September, Mayor Turner does not control the judges or the courts, nor does he set bail amounts; these offices and actions are not under his operational authority but that of Harris County, which is a separate entity from the City and one over which we do not have purview.

Best,

Correspondence & Constituent Services Division

Office of Mayor Sylvester Turner | City of Houston

O: (832) 393-1000 | F: (832) 393-1084

From: xxxx
Sent: Tuesday, December 28, 2021 4:21 PM
To: COH - Mayor <mayor@houstontx.gov>
Subject: 302086-O/S 28-Dec-21 Harris County Releasing Criminals Out On Bond - Resulting in Crime and Murders

[Message Came from Outside the City of Houston Mail System]

Mayor Turner,

What is your response to these Criminals in Harris County being let out on Bond and then committing more crimes including Murder?

You are the Mayor. Why do you allow this to go on?

Please advise your position and planned Actions or Inactions to address this.

Excerpt from linked articles:

“A report by Houston’s FOX26 claims over 150 people have been killed by suspects whom Democrat judges have released on bond in Harris County, Texas.”

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2021/12/28/report-150-killed-by-suspects-on-bond-in-harris-county-tx/

https://www.fox26houston.com/news/37-year-old-criminal-free-from-jail-on-5-felony-bonds-accused-of-beating-elderly-man-to-death-during-burglary







Regards, xxxx

Suitcases full of non sequential $100 bills

 

[baboon]

You can always leave that stupid shit behind by moving someplace that’s not a democratic stronghold.

 

[mroper]

Work to get the DA and those Judges Ousted in the next election. They are the one responsible for it.

 

[Wiliamr]

You are not going to like my answer.
First you have to understand the various layers of local, county , state government and what they have jurisdiction over. Also understand that Judges in general think they are gods and pretty much take exception to anyone who dare criticise them. I have seen Judges go so far as to let staff members contact law enforcement and make life tough on people who the judge takes a dislike to. Be careful here. NEVER threaten any elected official with harm or violence or any form of retribution. That is a sure way to find yourself in a lot of legal problems.

The issue of accountability of these people is very simple: you can only do this by voting. You and your wife are only two votes out of a possible couple million. That means you two have absolutely no power, no chance to effect any changes and affect how any judges, city or county officials do their job. For your two voices, they have about 100 that are telling them to continue on with their programs and procedures. Sorry, but that is the cold hard fact of the matter.

As has been mentioned before, you are most effective mobilizing your neighbors, friends, church congregation (good luck there as most churches are liberal leaning) writing letters to the editor of papers in the area. One issue of writing letters: emails are ok when writing to elected people, BUT an honest to god US Mail letter is worth several times more in impact than the emails and mass generated emails organizations ask members to send. I am not saying do not do them. Rather, send letters to elected people and let them know you are not going to support them in elections or financially. You will find your name is zero lined by the ones you send such letters to, but they are still counted as against a particular issue. Join your County political party of your particular choice. Vote in primaries and go to the caucuses. Get elected as a delegate to state and national conventions. Only in numbers do you have a viable voice.

 

[toddnjoyce]

toddnjoyce,

I agree about being a Lone Ranger is not a good approach. Besides giving monies to the 3 X organizations we already do, can you suggest any others?

And yes, popper, ms gamboolgal has already worked at Elections helping out and I will be able to also now that I'm retired.

Thank you all for the prompt responses and suggestions.

gamboolman....

Unfortunately I don’t, no at your local level. If you’re inclined to support the GOP, look to your county GOP…might be an inroads to other local groups with influence.

Also, I think about these challenges in terms of the three Ts: Time; Talent; Treasure. Where can I contribute one or more of these things so things that I align with get the ball moved.

I give time & talent to a partnership I’m in…I provide services to keep our operating costs affordable; in return, I gain experience that is creditable towards professional licensing. I give treasure to a number of entities that advocate on my behalf for things I want to see happen. Where and to what extent I contribute those things changes routinely.

 

[popper]

Plus the contract airlines (iAero Airlines) that is ferrying all the illegals is owned by Blackstone, buddys of Clintons, Bain, etc. Don't know what private Co owns the bus they ferry the illegals around in. As a private Co. there is no real threat from public investors so they wheel & deal with the gov.

 

[Rhino]

Change is going to have to begin with the people around you. Ultimately, unless there is heart change and understanding, the default setting of the people around you isn't good, thanks, largely to the education system. Start having ALL of your neighbors over for BBQ or dinner. Talk to them, be a friend, challenge the negative things that they believe. Make it a goal to be persuasive in 10 people's lives this year.
If you're a Christian, practice hospitality and share the Gospel.

 

[gamboolman]

Turner's office is correct. These are Harris County judges and a Harris County District Attorney turning career criminals loose. Turner is certainly not a good guy in all this, but the people you're wanting to smack with a clue-by-four work for Harris County. Turner works for the City of Houston.

Start by contacting folks in the County Executive's office that have chains of responsibility to the areas you want to see change. The directories are online: https://www.harriscountytx.gov/Harris-County-A-Z

Thank you Brains

We are engaging as per your suggestion.

Thanks to all for the replies and suggestions.

ms gamboolgal and I have taken them onboard and will do what we can to push the wet rope...

 

[TX oddball]

It feels like we are pushing a wet rope....

Dry rope and a tall tree is more effective. But I digress...

I live in a small city, more of a town, and the demographics are a lot different than Houston. But in the last two years, our community has discovered the extreme importance of voting "down ballot"; that is, to carefully vote for school board positions and city council members. When CRT attempted to infest our town, grassroots, boots-on-the-ground action prevented this, with record turnouts in a non-presidential election.

Here is a screenshot from the Tx Sec. of State site, detailing numbers from the last two election cycles:



Anecdote; the number of voting age persons in Houston, Austin, Dallas, San Antonio, and El Paso is approx. 4.5 million (total population 7 million), a small percentage of the total in the whole state. The tail is not wagging the dog in TX like in Oregon; the leftist Portland Metro area is half of the entire state population.

But as one can see, voter turnout in non presidential elections is less than 10% of both registered and and even less with those of voting age. And typically these type of elections consist of local races for mayor, city council, and especially school board seats. This is where a difference can happen in voting, to increase the turnout of conservative voters to elect conservative school board members, city council seats and mayoral positions. Texas is basically a solid red state when it comes to state and national offices. It is up to local communities to police their own politicians, and the way to do it is to get rid of the local commies out of office.

Registering new Republicans and increased turnout in local elections can make a difference. In Houston, Biden received 55% of the votes vs. Trump's 45%. The difference is not too far apart, and in a non-presidential election cycle, Republicans can take back locally.

 

[gamboolman]

Thank you Tx oddball,

It is all abit overwhelming - but we are retired and have the time. We have taken onboard the comments and suggestions.

When working and living oversea's we did not have the time. Now that I'm retired - we have to engage more than we ever have in our lives - so it's abit uncomfortable - but thats ok.

Thanks to all for the feedback

 

[gamboolman]

You are not going to like my answer.
First you have to understand the various layers of local, county , state government and what they have jurisdiction over. Also understand that Judges in general think they are gods and pretty much take exception to anyone who dare criticise them. I have seen Judges go so far as to let staff members contact law enforcement and make life tough on people who the judge takes a dislike to. Be careful here. NEVER threaten any elected official with harm or violence or any form of retribution. That is a sure way to find yourself in a lot of legal problems.

The issue of accountability of these people is very simple: you can only do this by voting. You and your wife are only two votes out of a possible couple million. That means you two have absolutely no power, no chance to effect any changes and affect how any judges, city or county officials do their job. For your two voices, they have about 100 that are telling them to continue on with their programs and procedures. Sorry, but that is the cold hard fact of the matter.

As has been mentioned before, you are most effective mobilizing your neighbors, friends, church congregation (good luck there as most churches are liberal leaning) writing letters to the editor of papers in the area. One issue of writing letters: emails are ok when writing to elected people, BUT an honest to god US Mail letter is worth several times more in impact than the emails and mass generated emails organizations ask members to send. I am not saying do not do them. Rather, send letters to elected people and let them know you are not going to support them in elections or financially. You will find your name is zero lined by the ones you send such letters to, but they are still counted as against a particular issue. Join your County political party of your particular choice. Vote in primaries and go to the caucuses. Get elected as a delegate to state and national conventions. Only in numbers do you have a viable voice.

Thank you Williamr,

I do like your answer - much appreciated.

It seems frustrating that once these types are elected that the accountability is basically non existent

And to your point about a actual hand wrote letter sent via snail mail - I could not agree more. I have wrote a few but the honest truth is I bang the emails out more often than not.

Thanks for the reminder that the hand wrote letters and following up with a phone call is much more effective

gamboolman...

 

[Wiliamr]

Thank you Williamr,

I do like your answer - much appreciated.

It seems frustrating that once these types are elected that the accountability is basically non existent

And to your point about a actual hand wrote letter sent via snail mail - I could not agree more. I have wrote a few but the honest truth is I bang the emails out more often than not.

Thanks for the reminder that the hand wrote letters and following up with a phone call is much more effective

gamboolman...

Thank you for the kind response. I have been involved in lobbying members of Congress and State reps for nearly 50 years now. I got some very good training in the ins and outs of the thing. Make no mistake the way is tough, but it can be fun too The one thing I did not get into though, is nothing beats actual appintment for visits with the staff and elected officials. You can find them making the rounds of churches, libraries etc so keep a finger on the visitation schedules too. that way you can try to schedule a face to face...