©
The following is being
reprinted with permission of Ed Wendt. We MUST as a city DEMAND our rights. Too many in positions of power in HOUSTON, are trying to deny them. They break the city ordinances
DAILY.. and the current Mayor has NEVER even pretended to observe policy.
Whatever the outcome of Mr. Wendt's suit ...HOUSNITCH hopes he prevails in his fight
against cancer.
To: HOUSNITCH
Ed Wendt Waits for Transplant in Fight for Life
AWARD-WINNNG JOURNALIST SUES BONEY AND BROWN OVER POLITICAL ARREST
Award-winning Houston journalist Ed Wendt has filed suit in state district court over his arrest while at City Hall in 1997 taking photographs and investigating a payment from a city bond Pac to a company owned by Mayor Pro Tem Jew Don Boney.
Wendt was cleared by a jury on January 14, 1999 of a criminal trespass charged filed by Mayor Lee Brown's HPD bodyguard. He says he filed the suit "as a principle to send a message that the First Amendment cannot be abused by any politician or governmental body."
He is news editor of The Houston Forward Times.
The suit accuses Boney and Brown of conspiring to have Wendt arrested because of negative reports he published about the two.
Wendt won the Houston Press Club's1998 Print Journalist of the Year for an investigative series he did on the city's affirmative
action program. The series documented insider dealings in the program and contracts given to firms owned by elected officials and politically connected individuals.
City Attorney Anthony Hall says the city will pay for legal costs to defend the defendants.
The suit also named Brown's bodyguard and another Houston police officer as co-defendants.
Wendt's attorney is Houston lawyer Jared Woodfill.
"I look forward to proving my case," says Wendt.
"I think that the depositions of parties involved in my arrest, as well as from others, will show that my investigative reporting was getting too close for comfort," he charged. "I think when certain parties are under oath, and must swear to tell the truth about the facts surrounding the corruption that I was investigating, the public will know just why they wanted me silenced at City Hall."
"They couldn't silence Forward Times and didn't expect I would challenge my arrest. They were wrong, wrong, wrong."
"The presses of Forward Times continue to roll and the First Amendment, while wounded, is alive and well in Houston, Texas as we move into the millennium," said Wendt
"What happened to me was something one would expect in Nazi Germany and the former USSR. That kind of behavior cannot be tolerated in our democracy."
The lawsuit seeks unspecified actual and punitive damages for false arrest. It also is seeking damages for assault and battery because the police allegedly threw Wendt against a wall, in view of a security camera, during the incident. It additionally is asking for damages for malicious prosecution, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and unreasonable search and seizure.
The journalist's tape recorder and notes were confiscated during his arrest.
The tape was erased.
Woodfill says the arrest "was a payback by Mayor Brown and Councilman Boney against Mr. Wendt for the articles he wrote.
"When a reporter is arrested for the content of his speech, it shows First Amendment rights are not being protected," said Woodfill, a prominent Houston civil attorney.
Boney told The Houston Chronicle that he "had nothing to do with the arrest." He labeled allegations in the lawsuit as being "frivolous and completely unjustified."
Woodfill says he will build a strong circumstantial case that Boney and Brown played a role in the arrest.
Wendt, at the time of his arrest, was suffering from hepatitis C. He claims jail officials denied him of medical care during the 13 hours he spent in jail and purposely delayed his release.
The hepatitis C has developed into liver cancer and Wendt is at the top of the list for a transplant. He says he stopped taking his chemotherapy during the trial "so I could be alert enough to testify in my own defense."
A county criminal court jury took only 40 minutes to find Wendt "not guilty" of criminal trespass. Wendt was hospitalized shortly after the trial over complications from the liver cancer.
"I filed this lawsuit to make sure that in future the First Amendment is not violated in Houston," Wendt stated. "I look forward to a full recovery from liver cancer when I get the transplant and will dedicate my life to reporting about the killer virus and our country's medical crisis."
"I know, first hand, how the uninsured and poor are given substandard health care in the United States and that should be a top priority for our country, as it is for other civilized nations in the world."
"Hepatitis C is a crisis that newspapers and broadcasters must make a priority,
and our elected officials need to address the crisis now."
"Instead of arresting reporters investigating political corruption," Wendt concluded, "I pray our city officials will open up government and address the real problems affecting the city."
-30-
EDITOR'S NOTE: Attorney Jared Woodfill can be reached at 713-973-1414.
Did all you local reader's see that Fiasco of the NEW Criminal Justice Center report on Channel 13 news last evening? Seems like it is a fire trap, (was just officially open yesterday!!!!) and how it has design flaws & wiring problems?....IF Housnitch remembers correctly the Mayor & Commissioner El Franco Lee just got finished touting PGAL & Franco Lee's company's involvement in it's construction as credence & proof that they are the most qualified to work on the Hotel deal coming up.....Yea rite...did ya'll hear the reporter say that 2 judges were involved in the design of this project but both were deceased now so no one would probably ever be held responsible for the screw ups in this building...WHY ARE WE GOING TO FAULT JUDGES ANYWAY???? THEY AREN'T ARCHITECTS ....WHAT HAPPENED TO HOLDING PGAL RESPONSIBLE ??????? CEO Jack Linville is very much alive....but oh yeah!...The Mayor's daughter works for that firm & after all Mr. Linville is the Mayor's campaign treasurer...Sheesh....where did we get off thinking that this man would EVER be held responsible for ANYTHING???????
Keep a close watch reader's.....the Mayor has decided to FAST TRACK the HOTEL DEAL .....and create a nonprofit to oversee it's construction....by doing so...they don't have to abide by the bid process ,so the Mayor can hand out the Contracts to whoever he has to pay back at the moment insider's say it's to be GILBANE & PGAL....of course you can bet El Franco will have his cut in this pot too!!!!
This publication is dedicated & maintained by those of us who really care about this city. We are many---(and growing stronger with more people joining our ranks everyday). We are the nameless, faceless city, county, state & federal workers who are sick of the good ole boy system here in Houston, Texas--We were born on 7-30-1999. We are---married & single-male & female, maintenance worker to Deputy Directors. We are the faceless civil servants who year after year do our job. We are the one's who see the hard earned tax $$s of the citizens in this area used & abused and given away to enrich a few greedy people with each new administration. Our hobbies include: Watching our backs---as we try to bring you the truth of what is happening in Houston, and getting the REAL information out to the public. This publication is our collective voice.
THE ONLY THING NECESSARY FOR EVIL TO TRIUMPH IS FOR GOOD MEN & WOMEN TO DO NOTHING....ONE BRAVE MAN OR WOMAN MAKES A MAJORITY
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Doug Bernard is a Chief Engineer...works for our female STOOGE, Hilda Garza Scott. We have never been able to figure out exactly what he engineers, but he does run a lot of errands for her. Nice pay for an errand boy. He's been spotted recently checking the memory on the fax machines here at P. W. & E.....some say he's looking to find HOUSNITCH's # on them....trying to catch City employees using City equipment NOT for City Business. HEY ! DOUG!....HERE'S SOMEBODY YOU NEED TO BE CHECKING ON.....
Now WE know Yvette was just following STOOGE SHOWRI'S orders when she TYPED these documents up on the CITY'S COMPUTER.....and she was just following that STOOGE'S orders when she left the CITY telephone numbers to be contacted at for conducting the STOOGE'S PERSONAL BUSINESS, and we know she was also following the STOOGE's orders when she used the City's fax to send the following:
We understand all about our bosses telling us what to do. (and also what THEY do after telling us what to do) We also understand about how the 3 STOOGES operate. We know Yvette was only following orders when she notarized this for the STOOGE....
but DOUG...is it fair for the BOSSES to NOT OBEY policy, and even order us NOT to do so with them??? IS THE CITY POLICY ONLY FOR A SELECT FEW EMPLOYEES? Could we get a clarification on this? This announcement that STOOGE SHOWRI sent out on the 8th says that the resources provided to us are not to be used for PRIVATE or NON-OFFICIAL use
Isn't that what the STOOGE did himself?... Hey Doug...how
about this one? This one was on SHOWRI's Computer also: 
This was a letter to Lutfi Hassan, you know.....the consultant who was given all the ROCIP coverage for the Contractors. He's the guy who went with the Mayor on his trip to China, yeah...they even took Lutfi's son. We hear he also went on the trip to Africa. Businessmen...running the City's business, setting policy, deciding who gets promoted....who gets what contract.....Boy, We're world class now!....THIRD WORLD THAT IS!!!!!!!
Could we get a SPECIFIC LISTING of just WHICH employees of the CITY have to follow policy????? (oh, just for the record...we got these documents in our P.O. Box) LOL --- Laugh Out Loud
Wednesday update on this article: We hear Doug was moved OUT of Hilda's office into
Also, Housnitch was witness to a verry nice luxury car pulling up to City Hall Annex right before the Christmas break....She knew something was up when the delivery person asked how many people were in the Mayor's office... and began taking out Christmas wrapped boxes from the car, but it took until now to find out what was going on.....(even a cigarette break outside a building can render a snitch something to report about..) We have found out the luxury car belonged to none other that LUTFI HASSAN....YES the very gentlemen that SHOWRI is thanking for his promotion....seems UNCLE LUTFI gave very lavish gifts of GOLD FLATWARE tonot only the Mayor's Secretary, but also MR. Al Haines, Mr. Don Hollingsworth...a rather large package to the Mayor (which we still don't know what was in his box) ...and so far Council members Chris Bell & Carroll Robinson have been identified as receiving a set also. Council member Parker did not return HOUSNITCH's call concerning this matter nor did Ms. Carol Alvarado in the Mayor's office. Councilmember Bell was angry that HOUSNITCH would focus on poor Mr. Hassan's gift when he says BFI sent candles & candle holders, Coastal Financial sent smoked turkey's, Central Parking (that's the vote council members walked out on) sent very elaborate fruit baskets...etc etc etc. Well, elected OFFICIALS may not have a policy for accepting gifts , except for having to declare them....but City employees do....Then again it is an executive order for City Employees NOT TO ACCEPT gifts from contractors who do business with the city, and of course as the Mayor reminded HOUSNITCH on Sept 7, 1999 he can WAIVE an executive order....Can we see the memorandum on the waiver for these gifts Mayor? Just for the record...Council members Tatro & Todd informed HOUSNITCH that they did NOT receive a gift from Uncle Lutfi!
WORD on the street is, that The MAYOR has already decided that GILBANE is to be the PRIME contractor for the HOTEL DEAL & PGAL is to be the SUB...HEAD'S up Council members....here's another INSIDER deal coming your way!!!!...Hey Doug....on that list of Specific people who have to follow City policy...we already know that the MAYOR isn't one of them!...Didn't we also hear that GILBANE president is sponsoring PGAL's , Jack Linville's membership into the most exclusive "HOUSTON COUNTRY CLUB"? Maybe that's one of the advantages having that free office over at 611 Walker allows for.
Let's see...HOUSNITCH has some very recent paper work on Gilbane (aside from the fact that they have that office on the 14th floor rent free):
OK Boys & Girls...this is the 6th change order for this project...it started out as a $2 million dollar project...now because of all the change orders it's up to $5 million...One of the new Council members says he knows all about dealing with change orders....lets see if he catches this one when the RCA is presented to Council...(Housnitch likes this new council member, finally someone with a construction background!). This GILBANE wants to be paid for the project going into more days....we already paid him for some 79 days...now he wants us to pay him for 48 more...QUESTION- WHY DOES THE CITY PAY FOR DELAY TIME?????? THIS DOCUMENT STATES THAT THE GENERAL CONTRACTOR STARTED THE CONTRACT LATE...WELL, WHY? WAS IT THE CITY'S FAULT? WAS IT THE CONTRACTOR'S FAULT? $33,000 DOLLARS HERE...$33,000 THERE...PRETTY SOON YOU GOT A $5 MILLION DOLLAR PROJECT OUT OF A $2 MILLION ONE. Let's look into this before ya'll give them any more money...The Mayor's gonna give em plenty with the Hotel Contract anyway.
This
is the second letter Housnitch
has received concerning this property we too have been worried about that DE-Annexation over off of
Westheimer ...a snitch said
the Mayor's office was trying to end run everything through planning...so
Housnitch asked her council member, Council Member Bruce
Tatro, Dist. A, to look into it....He did....here's the response he received
from Mr. Jerry Wood whom the council member described as the "annexation
guru"...
BUT, what the council member went on to inform us, is that it is perfectly LEGAL for the developer to create his own MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT....the developer buys the water from the city (at a much more reduced rate than you & I....) and then sets it's own rates for it's property owners in the district. The land & homes themselves are NOT DE-ANNEXED...we still collect taxes on these properties it is only the water rate that changes. Now, HOUSNITCH doesn't like the idea, that we pay the highest water rates in the country, and that these very wealthy property owners WON'T...but as Council member says...IT IS LEGAL.
And, to the letter writer, HOW do you contact an anonymous source who sends a letter in the mail? We did investigate this complaint. ALL the facts presented to us by the complainant weren't quite clear. NOW we hope we have all the facts, but we are willing to go back & revisit it again if something else develops. And we will look at these other allegations. HOUSNITCH is dedicated to finding, and exposing wrong doing. EVERYTHING you can do to help us with this in mind, we appreciate....but some form of communication is necessary at times to clarify a situation or allegation when brought to us. We will ask for the agreement you speak of. Again thank you for being diligent. Also...comments we make at times concerning people are made kinda "tongue in cheek", it keeps us from being sued.
"The ultimate test of a man is not where he stands on positions of comfort and convenience but where he stands on positions of challenge and controversy. So on some questions cowardice asks, 'Is a position safe?' Expediency asks, 'Is the position politic?' Vanity asks, 'Is the position popular?' But conscience asks, 'Is the position RIGHT?'" -- Dr. Martin Luther King
HOUSNITCH will be speaking Thursday, January 20th, 2000 at the luncheon for the Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club . The Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club is a chapter of the Grand Order of Pachyderm Clubs. Members and guests of the club meet every Thursday at noon for lunch and a presentation on a wide range of civic and political issues from elected officials, candidates for public office, government agency heads and political activists. Meetings are in the banquet room on the Congress Street side of Kim Son Restaurant (Louisiana @ Congress), with validated parking at the Market Square Garage. Lunch is $8 and is served family style. The club also sponsors political education seminars and promotes citizen involvement in the political process....All right guys.....close to work...enough notice for you to save $8...so WE want to see plenty of smiling friendly faces there!
HOUSNITCH needs $500 for incorporation papers......we also need another $2000.00 for a legal fund.....WE have no intention of just telling you what's going on.....we intend to use legal recourse if we can raise the funds.....unfortunately donations right now are not deductible....but after incorporation they will be.....YOUR money will be spent WISELY....and you will see the results...not only here but in more traditional news outlets also.....Please help us become even more effective..... Housnitch @ P.O. Box 55423, Houston, TX 77255 We know our readers aren't wealthy....but every little bit helps......Thanks guys...
Be well DARLINS...Tell 'em what you think........ya'll know we do.........