- Prominent Democrat donors were among those who chipped in $40,316 for Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo’s engagement Party
- Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis was the guest of a Democrat megadonor at her Hawaiian vacation home and went on a trip paid for by the Government of Qatar
- Harris County Commissioner Lesley Briones received numerous event tickets, including from three Harris County vendors
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and two Democrat Harris County Commissioners were the beneficiaries of lavish gifts last year, as reflected in personal financial disclosures filed with the Harris County Clerk’s office.
Hidalgo’s personal financial disclosure reflects that she and her husband, David James, received $40,316 from five couples last year to defray the costs of an engagement party.
The engagement party was featured on the society pages of the Houston Chronicle. In a social media post on November 9, 2024, Hidalgo posted a video of the party, which featured “signature drinks” entitled “The Judge” and “The Nerd.”
Businessman Michael Zilkha and his wife, Nina, contributed $9,772 towards the cost of the party venue. Tricon Energy President and CEO Ignacio “Nacho” Torres and his wife, Isabel Lombana, contributed $9,772 for half of the event’s catering costs.
Prominent Democratic fundraiser Carrin Patman and her husband, Jim Derrick, contributed $9,772 for the other half of the event’s catering costs. Patman served as Ambassador to Iceland during the Biden administration and is a former Harris County Metropolitan Transit Authority Chair.
Attorney Neal Manne and his wife, Nancy McGregor, donated $1,000 towards the costs of the engagement party. Manne is a Partner at the Susman Godfrey law firm, which President Trump has identified as “spearhead[ing] efforts to weaponize the American legal system and degrade the quality of American elections.”
Manne and his law firm represented Hidalgo and other Harris County Democrats on a pro-bono basis in election contests arising out of the 2022 Harris County elections, which were marred by gross mismanagement by the now-defunct Harris County Election Administrator’s office. Manne was also a key player in the O’Donnell vs. Harris County lawsuit, which challenged the constitutionality of Harris County’s misdemeanor bail system.
During the 2024 election cycle, Manne donated $50,000 to the far-left First Tuesday PAC, which other trial lawyers and George Soros bankrolled to wage a multi-million dollar effort to “Stop MAGA Republicans.”
Austin trial lawyer Jeff Edwards and his wife, Allison, donated $10,000 for the cost of event staff, invitations, and logo design. Hidalgo’s husband, David James, is employed by Edwards’ law firm.
Democrat Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis reported receiving gifts in the form of lodging at vacation homes owned by prominent Democrat donors. Ellis was a guest at a Kailua Kona, Hawaii home owned by Karla Jurvetson, a California physician who has become one of the most prominent Democratic donors in America in recent years. Ellis estimated the value of Jurvetson’s hospitality to be $4,900.
Ellis also reported staying at a Galveston home owned by Houston attorney Amber Mostyn, with an estimated value of the gift of $1,000.
Last month, the website Current Revolt reported that Mostyn – a wealthy white liberal – once celebrated Black History Month by taking African-American employees out to lunch at a soul food restaurant and then posting pictures of the employees along with pictures of fried chicken and collard greens on the Mostyn Law Firm’s social media accounts.
Ellis’ personal financial disclosure also reflected two trips that were accepted under the honorarium exemption. One trip, funded by the State of Qatar, was for Ellis to participate in the 2024 Doha Forum. The flight and lodging for the trip had an estimated value of $14,000. Ellis also participated in “cultural and trade related meetings” sponsored by the Indo American Chamber of Commerce, with flight and lodging expenses valued at $5,000.
Democrat Harris County Commissioner Lesley Briones received numerous event tickets for herself and her family.
Briones’ personal financial disclosure shows that the Harris County Sports and Convention Corporation gifted Briones and members of her family with tickets to an Ivan Cornejo concert at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, two separate Disney on Ice performances, and a Rolling Stones Concert. The Houston Texans also gifted Briones and her family with tickets to a Houston Texans football game.
Three county vendors also gave gifts to Briones and her husband.
LJA Engineering gave Briones and her husband tickets to a Def Leppard concert at Minute Maid Park and BinkleyBarfield | DCCM gave Briones and her husband tickets to a Chris Stapleton concert at Minute Maid Park. Briones also reported receiving tickets to a University of Texas football game for her and her husband and hotel accommodations from B2Z Engineering.
Democrat Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee, who is currently running to fill the vacancy in Congressional District 18, reported receiving tickets to two Houston Texans games from the Harris County Sports and Convention Corporation.
Republican Harris County Commissioner Tom Ramsey and Democrat Harris County Commissioner Adrian Garcia did not report receiving any gifts on their most recent personal financial disclosures.
Conservatives in Harris County expressed dismay at the gifts received by these Democrat elected officials.
“While Progressives on Commissioners Court tax hardworking residents out of their homes—with a more than 15% property tax rate increase in just one year—they are doing just fine, living a life of luxury paid for by the donors keeping them in power. Pay raises for themselves, pay raises for their staff, pay raises for everyone in county government except what residents want most—fair compensation for our law enforcement to help keep our community safe,” said Alexandra del Moral Mealer.
Hidalgo and Ellis have voiced opposition to a proposal to increase Harris County law enforcement salaries to bring them in line with salaries offered by the Houston Police Department.
On Thursday, Harris County Commissioners Court rejected an effort by Hidalgo to have taxpayers foot a $23,300 bill to have four staff members accompany her on an economic development trip to Paris. Hidalgo and Ellis voted in favor of the taxpayer-funded travel, with Ramsey, Briones, and Garicia voting against.
