Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector will step down

[sonias]

:bounce::bounce::bounce:

houston chronicle 12/05/08
Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector will step down

Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector Paul Bettencourt has resigned, abruptly ending his second term a month before being sworn in for a third.

Bettencourt, who was elected to his third term last month, turned in a letter of resignation to Harris County Judge Ed Emmett on Thursday, Emmett spokesman Joe Stinebaker said late Friday.

Attempts to reach Bettencourt Friday night were unsuccessful, but he e-mailed a statement to the Houston Chronicle, saying he had received an offer during the Thanksgiving holiday "of a private business venture that I intend to pursue."

"I have spoken with Judge Emmett and told him of my intention to tender my resignation before Christmas. I want to give the Court time to address the vacancy and ensure an orderly transition," Bettencourt wrote.

He said he would issue a fuller statement next week.

Holy shit and it's not even Christmas yet!
:bounce::bounce::bounce:

Sonia

[PDittie]

1. That miseable bastard

A month after he is re-elected in a bitter campaign over Diane Trauman (who was glowingly endorsed by the Chronicle)? Late on a Friday night?

We're not rid of him completely; he's going to eventually run for something statewide. He's the sorriest Republican there is now that we have exorcised Tom DeLay.

[sonias]

8. Well we still have to pursue the night crawler

You're right you are not rid of him until is political career has been stamped on enough to kill it permanently.

And I'm sure that the investigation into his actions especially in this last election cycle are not over. No matter if he still holds the office, he was the responsible person in charge.

The white-out caper on provisional ballots alone needs a criminal investigation.

Sonia

[tbyg52]

9. White out? On a BALLOT? I had not heard that. (Excuse - I'm not in Harris County.)

You just don't DO that! White out on a ballot or on a contract (which a real estate agent tried to do to me once....!)?????? No, *no*, NO!

[sonias]

10. You missed a big post-election story

houston chronicle 11/12/08
Tally may alter 2 Harris judge race outcomes
(snip)
Provisional votes
The vote-counting work lurched forward when county voter registrar Paul Bettencourt delivered his reports on about 7,000 so-called provisional ballots that were cast by people not listed on the Election Day voter rolls.

Some of those residents had been omitted from registration records by mistake and under federal law were allowed to vote after swearing on special forms that they were registered. Their votes will added to the totals if their registrations are confirmed.

But Republican Jim Harding, a retired Houston business executive who chairs the ballot board of about 35 people, said the counting process was delayed by faulty work by Bettencourt's staff.

The problems included hundreds of voter forms whose information the registrar's staff masked with white correction fluid and then altered with new information, Harding said.

Outcome of the races didn't change, but the white-out was a big deal that I hope his shitty work is fully investigated when he leaves office. Let's hope the shredders aren't going full bore at this office right now. :grr:


Sonia

[tbyg52]

11. Oh good grief. Sure makes you wonder what *else* was going on.... nt

[hobbit709]

2. "of a private business venture that I intend to pursue."

Is that the new phrase for "spending more time with my family"-which is code for "I'm about to get my ass indicted"

[Paladin]

3. He's Probably Going To Be A Toilet For Dan Patrick......

[tbyg52]

4. It's *gotta* be something juicy - I can't see any other explanation.

I can't wait! :woohoo:

[sonias]

6. Me too

I hope there is an indictment following his ass!

:bounce:


Sonia

[merci_me]

5. Annie's List working the midnight shift

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Robert E. Jones

December 6, 2008 (12:35am) [phone]



ANNIE’S LIST STATEMENT ON THE RESIGNATION OF HARRIS

COUNTY TAX ASSESSOR-COLLECTOR PAUL BETTENCOURT



JUDGE ED EMMETT AND THE HARRIS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT SHOULD

APPOINT DR. DIANE TRAUTMAN TO FILL VACANCY LEFT BY SUDDEN RESIGNATION





(Austin) – In the middle of the night it has been confirmed by the Houston Chronicle that Paul Bettencourt intends to vacate his seat effective December 10th and that the Harris County Commissioners Court will now need to appoint an interim successor to fill his term.



“We strongly encourage Judge Emmett and the Commissioners Court to appoint Dr. Diane Trautman to fill this unexpected vacancy. She is an extremely accomplished woman who, after being a candidate for the position for over a year, understands the Tax Assessor-Collectors office and has a clear vision of how to move this office forward while removing the air of partisanship that has undermined it in the past” said Annie’s List Political Director Robert E. Jones.



“With over 24 years experience as a teacher, administrator and college professor, Dr. Diane Trautman has demonstrated she has the experience and a track record of ethical leadership to run the Tax Assessor-Collectors office as a service organization that puts people over politics.”





Excerpts from the October 26, 2008 Houston Chronicle

Endorsement of Dr. Diane Trautman

“Diane Trautman will clear the air of partisanship while offering able administration of the office's core duties. We recommend a vote for Trautman as Harris County tax assessor/collector.”

“Trautman vows to run ‘a service organization, not a political organization.’ She pledges to return "servant leadership" to the office.”

“She appears to be an informed, experienced outsider capable of changing the troublingly politicized milieu inside the tax assessor/collector's office. The Chronicle urges a vote for Diane Trautman.”

###

[sonias]

7. I totally agree

She won almost half the vote, and she is more than qualified. And the suspicious side of me even thinks that she really would have won the election if Bettencourt hadn't purged and failed to register eligible, legal voters than he knew would vote for a Democrat.


Sonia

[art3]

12. pressure emmett

shoudl we pressure emmett on this. people are pissed.

[sonias]

13. It certainly can't hurt

Contact him and your individual Harris County Commissioner and tell them you want the best qualified candidate for the job and the people think it should be Diane.

http://www.co.harris.tx.us/hc_phone_dir/
Elected Officials,
Departments & Courts
County Judge Ed Emmett
http://www.judgeemmett.org/contact_CJO.asp
Full Name : Hon. Ed Emmett
Title :County Judge
County Judge's Office
Address :1001 Preston, Suite 911
Houston, TX 77002
Phone Number: 713-755-4000
E-mail Address :[e-mail]


Pct. 1 Comm. El Franco Lee
http://www.co.harris.tx.us/comm_lee/


Pct. 2 Comm. Sylvia R. Garcia
http://www.co.harris.tx.us/comm_garcia/


Pct. 3 Comm. Steve Radack
http://www.pct3.hctx.net/


Pct. 4 Comm. Jerry Eversole
http://www.hcp4.net/

Sonia

[sonias]

14. Bettencourt or no, Dems press forward with voter suit

Houston Chronicle 12/10/08
Bettencourt or no, Dems press forward with voter suit
By ALAN BERNSTEIN Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle
Dec. 10, 2008, 10:57PM

The presidential election is in the history books and Harris County voter registrar Paul Bettencourt is quitting, but the Texas Democratic Party is expanding its lawsuit claiming the county illegally has blocked thousands of residents from registering to vote.

"Mr. Bettencourt's late-night resignation announcement is his attempt to avoid bringing to light the inner workings of his office over the past several years and still does not ensure that the problems surrounding Harris County voter registration will be resolved," the state party said Wednesday in a statement distributed by Houston lawyer Chad Dunn.

Republican Bettencourt, the tax assessor-collector, said it was ridiculous to suggest he and his staff purposely foiled voter registrations or that his resignation was triggered by the lawsuit.

Bettencourt acknowledged last Friday night that he had given a resignation letter to County Judge Ed Emmett the day before — a month after both Republicans won their elections. Emmett and the four county commissioners will pick Bettencourt's replacement.

Run and hide Bette-boy. It ain't over till it's over. :grr:


Sonia

[sonias]

15. More trouble for Bettencourt

Houston Chronicle 12/11/08
Candidate's suit claims voting problems cost him race
(snip)
Pierre was among four challengers who lost, each of whom have unusual first or last names.

But his lawsuit focuses instead on Harris County voting controversies being aired in a separate federal lawsuit brought against the county by the Texas Democratic Party.

Both suits now allege that outgoing Tax Assessor-Collector Paul Bettencourt, a Republican who also serves as voter registrar, rejected legitimate voter registration applications.

Pierre's lawsuit also cites a non-partisan ballots board's rejection of about 5,800 ballots cast by voters who, according to records from Bettencourt's office and other agencies, had not been properly registered. The ballot board chairman said some of the ballots, after being processed by Bettencourt's staff, had information obscured by correction fluid.

"Had all persons who cast a vote in this race been allowed to have their vote counted; it would have changed the outcome of the election by providing Pierre with more votes than Joseph "Tad" Halbach," the suit said. "Moreover, various irregularities make it impossible to ascertain the true outcome of the election."

:wow:

Sonia

[sonias]

16. Lone Star Project piles on Bettencourt

Lone Star Project
[phone] - Fax [phone]
December 11, 2008
Contact: Matt Angle
On the web at LoneStarProject.net

Bettencourt's Sudden Resignation Raises Serious Questions
Controversial county officer should explain under-the-table job offer,late night resignation and election misconduct

Paul Bettencourt:
Watch the KHOU Story on the Bettencourt Lawsuit

Less than six weeks after asking Harris County voters for another four-year term as Tax Assessor Collector, Republican Paul Bettencourt is bailing out on them – perhaps to avoid answering legal questions about pending litigation charging him with illegal partisan activity. Bettencourt’s resignation comes just one day after a federal court was asked to schedule a deposition to require him to testify under oath about his involvement in alleged partisan efforts to avoid counting thousands of provisional ballots cast during the November General Election.

In a press statement made very late Friday, December 5th, Bettencourt made no mention of the pending legal complaint, but instead said he was leaving office to accept a lucrative offer from the private sector. (Houston Chronicle, December 6, 2008) He refused, however, to identify his new employer and failed to comment on the terms of the offer, stating that providing the name of his new employer would violate conflict of interest statutes.

Using some very "creative" logic, Bettencourt rationalized that identifying his new employer now would create a conflict of interest, but that it was okay to meet with and negotiate an employment agreement with the employer while he was a county officeholder in the midst of an election campaign. Bettencourt's backroom deal deserves even more scrutiny after ABC13's Miya Shay speculated that Bettencourt will, "be fighting people's property tax hikes for a fee." ABC13 Political Blog

Funny to hear Bettencourt trying to defend his "effective voter registration effort" in Harris on the video.

Much, much more coming out. We're going to get you Bettencourt!
:bounce::bounce::bounce:

Sonia