Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Okay, we just laid out some of the backstory for
the reason for this call by Governor Greg Aaba joining
us Now's Andy khn Houston Crime Stoppers Andy, Mary Christmas
Eve to you. Thanks for the time.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
How are you hey? Doing great? Looking forward to twenty
twenty seven?
Speaker 1 (00:13):
At twenty seven, we're gonna skip over twenty six.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
I'm an eternal optimist. What can I say? All right?
Speaker 1 (00:21):
Love it so, Greg Abbott calling for this week the
creation of this chief state prosecutor. First of all, give
me your thoughts on his reasoning. I just kind of
laid out the backstory there of this Michael Naji character
is one example of somebody who should be prosecuted to
do is not give me your thoughts on that, Andy.
And then also, what does it take to create a
position like this From the legislative.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
Standpoint, Yeah, Bob, it reminds me very much of the
bail reform legislation that we previously had gotten pasted it
and that was a direct result of Harris Canty judges
granting pr bonds, get out of jail free cards, or
extremely low bonds for defend is charged with a violent crime.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
So we passed bills specifically.
Speaker 3 (01:04):
Basically, Harris County was ground zero for that.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Now you've got a situation involving Travis County.
Speaker 3 (01:11):
It's been an ongoing a battle basically between those who
want to enforce law and order in the Travis County
district attorney district attorney who apparently takes a little bit
more of a different approach by not charging people who
commit some serious, serious violent crimes on that. So, what's
(01:31):
going to happen specifically now since the governor has called
for a special prosecutor, a statewide prosecutor, is you have
to wait.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
For a legislative session. And the question is.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
In twenty twenty seven, when the next session actually begins,
you'll get a bill and it's going to be fascinating.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
You see, you're gonna again.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
My position is I have no harm, I see zero
downside and.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
Bringing an issue like this up, There's never been an
issue too hot for debate.
Speaker 3 (02:06):
That's a direct quote from Stephen Hopkins, the Rhode Island
delegates to the Constitutional Convention, who was seeking when we
were seeking a declaration of independence. So next legislative session
will kind of become ground zero for any attempts for
the governor to have a statewide special prosecutor.
Speaker 1 (02:28):
Okay, now, Andy, tell me the difference between a position
like this, a statewide special prosecutor and the attorney general.
Doesn't the attorney general get to oversee or have a
say in prosecutions or collaborations with prosecutors and counties, et cetera.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
Yeah, they do their specific offenses that the Attorney general
basically has jurisdiction over. Interesting enough, in twenty twenty three,
we actually did pass a bill called House Bill seventeen,
which basically allows for the removal of district attorneys.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
For failure to prosecute.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
So let's to kind of take what's already in effect
and add a different layer to that.
Speaker 1 (03:14):
Okay, Yeah, which is really important to note, like I said,
because I know that's going to be a hotly contested
battle by the way, for attorney general. But this particular position,
it would have to be created, and that's in that
next session in twenty twenty seven. And do you feel
like there would be enough support for that. I don't
know exactly what the makeup of the legislature is in
the state. What do you think the likelihood is that
(03:36):
there would be enough support to make this position happen.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
Well, if it's kind of like the bail reform bills
that we've been passing, I'm pretty sure there would be
enough to support it. If it becomes an issue where you.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
Have to change the constitution to pass the.
Speaker 3 (03:51):
Legislation that the governor is trying to get past, that's
a different story because that you don't need a simple
majority for that. You'd have to get at two thirds
of the elected officials in the House and the Senate
to agree, and then it would go to the Texas voters,
very similar to what Texas voters just voted on a
(04:12):
couple of months ago, called Prop three, which allows judges
discretion not to grant bonds of defendants charge with certain
violent crimes. But I've plowed the governor for putting it
out there.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
There's like I said, bring.
Speaker 3 (04:25):
It on, let's debate it, let's talk about it, and
let's see what happens.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
Well, I applaud him for just calling it what it is.
His line in that tweet yesterday of that post on Monday,
I should say, is progressive Das are literally leading to
the murder of Texans. That is not ambiguous. It is
not an exaggeration either. When these individuals, like the ones
featured in the story, are not being prosecuted and they're
going out there and threatening to kill. It is only
(04:50):
a matter of time killed.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
Yeah, Bob.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
When we did the bailor Foreign legislation, we documented over
two hundred and twenty people that were murdered by defendants
released on a PR bond or multiple selony bonds.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
So it's real.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
It is absolutely that, and kudos to the governor for
doing this and hopefully will in degenerate the support needed.
I can't wait for twenty seven either. As you pointed out,
Andy conn Houston Crime Stoppers, thanks so much for the
time again, have a blessed
Speaker 2 (05:16):
Holiday, you bet saying to you guys,
Okay, we just laid out some of the backstory for
the reason for this call by Governor Greg Aaba joining
us Now's Andy khn Houston Crime Stoppers Andy, Mary Christmas
Eve to you. Thanks for the time.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
How are you hey? Doing great? Looking forward to twenty
twenty seven?
Speaker 1 (00:13):
At twenty seven, we're gonna skip over twenty six.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
I'm an eternal optimist. What can I say? All right?
Speaker 1 (00:21):
Love it so, Greg Abbott calling for this week the
creation of this chief state prosecutor. First of all, give
me your thoughts on his reasoning. I just kind of
laid out the backstory there of this Michael Naji character
is one example of somebody who should be prosecuted to
do is not give me your thoughts on that, Andy.
And then also, what does it take to create a
position like this From the legislative.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
Standpoint, Yeah, Bob, it reminds me very much of the
bail reform legislation that we previously had gotten pasted it
and that was a direct result of Harris Canty judges
granting pr bonds, get out of jail free cards, or
extremely low bonds for defend is charged with a violent crime.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
So we passed bills specifically.
Speaker 3 (01:04):
Basically, Harris County was ground zero for that.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Now you've got a situation involving Travis County.
Speaker 3 (01:11):
It's been an ongoing a battle basically between those who
want to enforce law and order in the Travis County
district attorney district attorney who apparently takes a little bit
more of a different approach by not charging people who
commit some serious, serious violent crimes on that. So, what's
(01:31):
going to happen specifically now since the governor has called
for a special prosecutor, a statewide prosecutor, is you have
to wait.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
For a legislative session. And the question is.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
In twenty twenty seven, when the next session actually begins,
you'll get a bill and it's going to be fascinating.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
You see, you're gonna again.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
My position is I have no harm, I see zero
downside and.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
Bringing an issue like this up, There's never been an
issue too hot for debate.
Speaker 3 (02:06):
That's a direct quote from Stephen Hopkins, the Rhode Island
delegates to the Constitutional Convention, who was seeking when we
were seeking a declaration of independence. So next legislative session
will kind of become ground zero for any attempts for
the governor to have a statewide special prosecutor.
Speaker 1 (02:28):
Okay, now, Andy, tell me the difference between a position
like this, a statewide special prosecutor and the attorney general.
Doesn't the attorney general get to oversee or have a
say in prosecutions or collaborations with prosecutors and counties, et cetera.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
Yeah, they do their specific offenses that the Attorney general
basically has jurisdiction over. Interesting enough, in twenty twenty three,
we actually did pass a bill called House Bill seventeen,
which basically allows for the removal of district attorneys.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
For failure to prosecute.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
So let's to kind of take what's already in effect
and add a different layer to that.
Speaker 1 (03:14):
Okay, Yeah, which is really important to note, like I said,
because I know that's going to be a hotly contested
battle by the way, for attorney general. But this particular position,
it would have to be created, and that's in that
next session in twenty twenty seven. And do you feel
like there would be enough support for that. I don't
know exactly what the makeup of the legislature is in
the state. What do you think the likelihood is that
(03:36):
there would be enough support to make this position happen.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
Well, if it's kind of like the bail reform bills
that we've been passing, I'm pretty sure there would be
enough to support it. If it becomes an issue where you.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
Have to change the constitution to pass the.
Speaker 3 (03:51):
Legislation that the governor is trying to get past, that's
a different story because that you don't need a simple
majority for that. You'd have to get at two thirds
of the elected officials in the House and the Senate
to agree, and then it would go to the Texas voters,
very similar to what Texas voters just voted on a
(04:12):
couple of months ago, called Prop three, which allows judges
discretion not to grant bonds of defendants charge with certain
violent crimes. But I've plowed the governor for putting it
out there.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
There's like I said, bring.
Speaker 3 (04:25):
It on, let's debate it, let's talk about it, and
let's see what happens.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
Well, I applaud him for just calling it what it is.
His line in that tweet yesterday of that post on Monday,
I should say, is progressive Das are literally leading to
the murder of Texans. That is not ambiguous. It is
not an exaggeration either. When these individuals, like the ones
featured in the story, are not being prosecuted and they're
going out there and threatening to kill. It is only
(04:50):
a matter of time killed.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
Yeah, Bob.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
When we did the bailor Foreign legislation, we documented over
two hundred and twenty people that were murdered by defendants
released on a PR bond or multiple selony bonds.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
So it's real.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
It is absolutely that, and kudos to the governor for
doing this and hopefully will in degenerate the support needed.
I can't wait for twenty seven either. As you pointed out,
Andy conn Houston Crime Stoppers, thanks so much for the
time again, have a blessed
Speaker 2 (05:16):
Holiday, you bet saying to you guys,
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