All ten elected Galveston County judges (9 Republican, 1 Democrat) are really mad that Republican County Judge Mark Henry fired Bonnie Quiroga, who had been the Director of Justice Administration.  The judges felt that Quiroga worked for them and all were surprised that Henry suddenly terminated her without even consulting or forewarning them.  District Judge Lonnie Cox issued a sua sponte order that declared the firing illegal and ordered the commissioners to stop interviewing for a replacement.  Commissioners hired an Austin law firm and filed a mandamus action against Cox, who is the "Godfather" of local GOP politics. Attorney Mark Stevens filed a lengthy response for Judge Cox.

Click here to see the entire mandamus response.  Click here to read the interesting allegations contained in the long affidavit of Bonnie Quiroga and the shorter affidavit from Judge Cox. 

One part of Quiroga's affidavit disparages the "Veteran's Court" run by Judge Henry, for which he is paid an extra $15,000 per year.  The affidavit alleges that only four cases have been referred to the court in 2014.  She says litigants are required to salute Judge Henry as he sits on the bench and the name plate on the bench says,"Maj. Mark A. Henry/USAF (Ret.)." I am sure that Judge Henry would point out that this is a new program and helping military veterans caught up in the criminal justice system is a worthwhile effort.

Quiroga also says in her affidavit that County Judge Henry, who is not a lawyer, is also paid another extra $15,000 per year by the county to serve as a magistrate and set bonds for those newly arrested.  Quiroga's affidavit details the $10,000 spent by the county to set up a video system so that those newly arrested can appear before a magistrate via video link.  She says that the county IT Department, at the direction of Judge Henry,"had installed motion activated audio/video equipment in the Galveston County Jail in a manner which would permit the County to monitor conversations between inmates and their attorneys in a room commonly used for consultation between inmates and attorneys, as well as Parole Board Hearings."  It would appear that Ms. Quiroga is setting forth the basis for a "whistle blower" lawsuit, since she says she reported her concerns about these cameras to District Attorney Jack Roady the day before she was fired.

Quiroga's affidavit, which also describes a list of "Democrats" Commissioner Ken Clark allegedly gave Judge Henry to fire when he took office, definitely makes for interesting reading.   

Unfairly, Judge Henry is not really in a position to respond in detail to the affidavit because of the pending litigation.  Henry definitely feels he had ample reasons and the clear authority to fire Quiroga. I assume Henry would characterize most of Quiroga's allegations as the untrue statements of a disgruntled, fired employee. However, had Quiroga been allowed to retire with dignity after her many years of service in a way that did not ruffle the feathers of the judges, none of this dirty linen would have presumably been aired for all to read and the current Republican-on-Republican feuding and costly litigation could have been avoided.

I am writing here about a story that involves nothing but friends and it is perilous for me to say anything about this controversy, but I of course cannot help myself.  I think the world of Bonnie Quiroga and yet I consider Mark Henry a friend.  I respect Judge Cox, but, I know what a political animal he is and I can clearly see that so much of this arises from a feud between Cox and Henry that each says the other provoked.   I can look back now and see the missteps and sources of this controversy and I can even suggest a compromise (if the two sides would even talk to each other). 

Above all, I do know this: the county is now spending a lot of money and time on attorneys.  The county will spend even more on attorneys if it wins the mandamus action (as I predict) but the judges or Quiroga immediately file a lawsuit.  The position of Justice Administration is empty and all of the county's elected leaders are fighting each other.   Our elected judges do not work for county commissioners and there are some things more important than saving a few dollars in the budget (or playing tricks and making it look like you reduced the budget).  Mainstream Republican officials will never be popular with the Tea Party extremists and the typical suburban voter in League City and Friendswood does not care that much about small savings in the county budget.  All voters do want our elected leaders, especially those of the same party, to get along and work together as a team.

The county should pay a modest settlement to Ms. Quiroga (a fraction of what it will spend on legal fees) and create an office of Court Administrator that clearly only works for the judges.  The Director of Justice Administration can report to the County Judge. The duties of the two would be separated by negotiation between Henry and the judges. This would require one extra employee for a county with an annual budget of over $123 million.  Judges Cox and Henry should go on a long trek in the wilderness together to get to know, trust and like each other and Kim Sullivan should be paid her stinking $5,000 extra a year.  Commissioners should regularly spent time in court watching the judges in action and the judges should acknowledge that taxes and expenditures are the responsibilities of the commissioner's court.  Above all, our leaders should replace egos and vendettas with common sense and resolve this mess and just get on with the business of government. This is not really about which side is right or wrong (or a little of both), it is about the effective and common sense operation of government.