Harris County Democrats have begun to boldly push forward a resolution that could condemn one of their own, District Attorney Kim Ogg, ahead of a nail-biting primary face-off with former prosecutor Sean Teare. Tensions ran high as the party's resolutions committee voted to advance a censure proposal championed by Ogg's detractors, according to a Houston Chronicle report.
Kim Ogg, who’s gunning fiercely to secure a third term against Teare, disparaged the committee's action as the work of "a few partisan extremists," Ogg stated “A narrow vote of 11 to 9 resolution committee insiders does not represent the Democratic voters of Harris County," as per the Houston Chronicle.
The critique from party members casts a stark spotlight on what they perceive as Ogg's misaligned stances on progressive causes, a sentiment echoed loudly by Precinct 0030 chair Kay Shepard, who said, "I think she has switched parties right in front of us," during the committee meeting. This contentious charge is scheduled to be assessed by the steering committee on December 2, as detailed in the Houston Chronicle.
Ogg countered sharply with a "fact check" missive, aiming to directly refute claims laid out by the resolution and asserting her criminal justice reform credentials. According to Click2Houston, Ogg's campaign blasted out, “A misinformation campaign has been spread to discredit the good criminal justice reform work performed by our team at the Harris County District Attorney’s Office under my leadership.”
The Democrats' resolution is, as of now, in the early stages, but the intensity of sentiment on both sides suggests a broader rift within the party lines as the primaries heat up. Ogg's allies have sought to defend her record and rallied against party intervention in the primaries. Special prosecutor, C.O. Bradford, connected to the District Attorney's office, told the Houston Chronicle, "Let the voters decide. That's what the Democratic primary should be about." However, with over 100 Zoom participants in what's typically a sparsely attended meeting, it's clear this internal feud has garnered an unusual level of interest and may just have real electoral impacts.
