| ► Judge Sharolyn Wood of Houston; scofflaw, ethically moribund |
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Judge Sharolyn Wood of Houston; scofflaw, ethically moribund
Judge Sharolyn Wood sits on the 127th District Court in Houston.
Texas Ethics Laws limits the expenditure of campaigns funds to legitimate campaign activities and/or official officeholder duties.
Judge Sharolyn Wood unlawfully converted campaign funds to personal use by paying subscription costs for the Wall Street Journal as set forth below.
Judge Adolph Canales decision from Texas Ethics Commission (ca. 2009)
“The reading of the Wall Street Journal is not necessary to maintaining a law license or fulfilling legal education requirements. In addition, there is no evidence provided by the respondent that the access to the Wall Street Journal primarily furthers the respondent’s duties or activities as an officeholder. Rather, it appears that the subscription primarily furthers personal purposes and is not connected with a senior judge’s duties or activities as an officeholder. Therefore, there is credible evidence that the respondent violated section 253.035(a) of the Election Code in connection with the use of the paper publication of the Wall Street Journal at the respondent’s residence and the online access to the Wall Street Journal.”
It cannot be disputed that Judge Sharolyn Wood knowingly violated Texas Ethics Laws by using campaign funds to pay for a subscription to the Wall Street Journal.
Who did the Wall Street Journal mail the papers too? Maybe that’s a little tough for the investigators at the Texas Ethics Commission to figure out, right? It would damn sure be the first thing I’d investigate. And if they were mailed to the judge’s home, which I’m sure they did, I’d ask the DA to prosecute her even though we know judges are held to a “lower standard of conduct” than we are, right?
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