Houston Public Media
Patricia Lim | KUT News
A Texas bill awaiting the governor’s signature could reverse the effects of a court ruling that requires prosecutors to go through a state agency before bringing criminal charges against politicians accused of certain ethics law violations.
The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals – the state's highest criminal court – ruled last September that the Texas Ethics Commission had exclusive jurisdiction over certain campaign ethics and finance laws. The case centered on Robbie Gail Charette, a Washington County politician accused of errors related to campaign finance and political advertising.
In practice, the ruling meant criminal prosecutors had to seek permission from the ethics commission before indicting politicians and lobbyists who ran afoul of these laws.