- Democrat Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee has used his office to engage in lawfare against President Trump and his administration
- Menefee is currently running to fill the vacancy in Congressional District 18 and has made opposition to President Trump a bedrock of his campaign
- Personal injury trial lawyers are among the most notable financial backers of Menefee’s Congressional race
Democrat Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee is continuing his taxpayer-funded lawfare against the Trump administration, this time signing on to a brief in a lawsuit filed by California Governor Gavin Newsom challenging an order by President Trump to send National Guard troops and the U.S. Marines to Los Angeles.
The brief, filed in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, argues that the Trump administration “usurped the constitutional role of California law enforcement” by deploying troops to Los Angeles.
The Harris County Attorney’s Office announced Menefee’s involvement in the amicus brief in a press release that characterized President Trump’s use of military forces to enhance public safety in some Democrat-run jurisdictions as “an authoritarian power grab.”
“Houston, like other major cities across the country, is fully capable of handling our public safety needs without federal troops patrolling our streets. This dangerous overreach by the Trump administration is not just about Los Angeles – it’s a test case to see how far this president can go in federalizing local law enforcement. First it was DC, now it’s Los Angeles, and tomorrow it could be Houston or any other city that stands up to this administration,” said Menefee.
“Federalizing the National Guard or deploying military troops domestically should be a last resort, reserved for extreme emergencies like catastrophic disasters. What we’re seeing now is not leadership, it’s an authoritarian power grab. Local governments must stand together to defend our communities and our constitutional system of government.”
Earlier this year, Democrats on the Harris County Commissioners Court granted Menefee broad authority to sue President Trump and his administration.
Menefee is currently running for Congress in Congressional District 18 to fill the vacancy created by the death of Congressman Sylvester Turner. Although the Texas Constitution contains a “resign to run” provision, Menefee has been able to continue serving as Harris County Attorney as a holdover because Democrats on the Harris County Commissioners Court have refused to appoint a replacement County Attorney.
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and County Commissioners Rodney Ellis and Lesley Briones are among the many Democrat elected officials who have endorsed Menefee for Congress.
Opposition to President Trump has been a key focus of Menefee’s congressional campaign. In an August 1 Facebook post, Menefee described the new Texas Congressional redistricting plan supported by President Trump as a “racist power grab.”
Menefee has also embraced being described as a “radical” for his left-wing political views.
“Free speech is under attack. Donald Trump wants to silence anyone who speaks out against him. Trump called me a “radical” because I keep beating him in court, and I’m running for Congress to do it again. If standing up for health care, voting rights, and abortion access makes me radical – then I’m proud to be radical as hell,” said Menefee in a Facebook post on September 19.
Personal injury trial lawyers who have opposed President Trump are among the most notable financial backers of Menefee’s Congressional race.
The American Association for Justice PAC, which represents the interests of personal injury trial lawyers nationwide, donated $5,000 to Menefee’s Congressional campaign in June. The American Association for Justice, which has also donated to prominent Democrats, including Jasmine Crockett and Hakeem Jeffries, has been a significant financial supporter of Eric Holder’s National Democratic Redistricting Committee. Holder’s organization has been at the forefront of opposing Republican-led redistricting efforts in Texas and other states.
Adam Loewy, an Austin-based personal injury lawyer who also donated to Jasmine Crockett and the Texas Democratic Party earlier this year, gave $3,500 to support Menefee’s Congressional aspirations. Loewy has begun donating to some Republican politicians in an effort to influence Republican Primary elections.
Jim Perdue, a past President of the Texas Trial Lawyers Association, donated $2,500 to Menefee’s Congressional race. Perdue’s law firm, Perdue & Kidd, donated $100,000 to the First Tuesday PAC during the 2024 election cycle. The Texas Voice has previously reported how the First Tuesday PAC, which was funded by George Soros and personal injury trial lawyers, waged a multi-million dollar effort encouraging voters to “Stop MAGA Republicans” and “Vote for Every Democrat.”
