HOUSTON – It was in early February that KPRC 2 Investigates first exposed potential electioneering by the Houston Independent School District during last year’s controversial bond election.
Now, more parents are coming forward and filing criminal complaints with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office.
“I think what the district did—what Mike Miles did—is wrong, and he should be held accountable for that,” said Marcie Jones while showing us some of the documents she presented while sitting at her family’s table. Jones is one of a handful of parents who provided us with insight as to how they took action.
Another parent we spoke to was Heather Golden.
“I have what I turned into the District Attorney’s office,” said Golden, who, like Jones found herself filing a criminal complaint for the very first time.
We were able to identify nine parents who went through the formal process of compiling a sworn complaint and turning it into the DA’s office with the intent of an investigation being launched into HISD. We reported on one of the first complaints filed back in late February.
The parents providing evidence of links and screen snapshots tied to the rollout of HISD’s massive $4-billion-dollar bond that was voted down overwhelmingly last November.
KPRC 2 Investigates uncovered a key action item buried in HISD’s budget. A year ago, the district allocated $2 million for what they said at the time was the cost “related to putting the plan together and hiring a consulting group to support”. Legal experts we spoke with took issue to the action.
“That support word, that’s a big problem,” said former U.S. Attorney Ryan Patrick.
ALSO READ: Houston ISD approved $2M to campaign for the massive failed bond. Was it legal?
We also found videos the district posted on social media tied to the bond election. At the end of the highly produced videos, HISD prominently proclaimed in capital letters, “RENEW HISD”. State Senator Mayes Middleton called it “electioneering” during our initial set of reports.
“It seems pretty clear to me that they were advocating for the bond,” Senator Middleton added.
As we noted, the Texas Election Code says advocating for or against a political measure where taxpayers dollars are being used is not allowed and that an offender can be charged with a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail and/or up to a $4,000 fine.
Weeks after District Attorney Sean Teare made it clear to us that his office requires an affidavit by the individual making a complaint, parents began compiling their complaints and securing a notary to make their submission official.
Parents told us the numerous examples they provided to the DA’s office were pretty clear cut. However, the process from beginning to end was long and tedious.
Now, parents are leaning on Teare and his team for accountability.
“I think it was lot of work to do this. I think its maybe a little bit too much work that people have to kind of jump through hoops, but now that I have done it, I feel glad, I feel hopeful that there might be a resolution from it,” said Jones.
We asked to the DA’s office to confirm the number of complaints they have received, as well as the concerns expressed to us by some parents regarding no contact from prosecutors or investigators after filing their complaint weeks ago.
“The Harris County District Attorney’s Office has received at least two affidavits from citizens alleging criminal conduct in connection with an election. By law, we are required to investigate these complaints. We do not discuss details about open investigations,” a spokesperson for the DA’s office told us in an email.
We also reached to HISD for comment on the complaints. They have yet to respond.
