A New First Assistant

Okay, I'm going to admit to the title of this being somewhat misleading (although accurate).

You can rest assured that Harris County still has the same First Assistant (at least in title) and that Jim Leitner's huevos are still resting comfortably in Pat Lykos' purse.

However, the Galveston County District Attorney's Office apparently has a new First Assistant . . .

Donna Goode.

One of the increasingly cliched statements I keep hearing on this blog is "Pat Lykos vowed to create the best District Attorney's Office in the Nation, and she has . . . just in another county." Both Galveston and Montgomery County have reaped the incredible benefit of dedicated public servants who have joined them when the Gang Who Couldn't Shoot Straight became too unbearable to work for.

I think it is worth pointing out that Donna Goode more than had her retirement points in and could very easily have settled into a well deserved retirement, but she didn't.

There is something special about prosecutors -- especially career ones. Lykos, Leitner, Bridgwater, and the rest of the Branch Davidians may have been successful in running Donna out of Harris County, but nothing they did could take the prosecutor out of her.

The situation that Bridgwater created (and Lykos condoned) with Donna has now proven itself to be a clear definition of winners and losers in Harris County. I'll let you decide for yourself who is who.

Right now, I'm too busy applauding Galveston County and Donna Goode.

On a side note, speaking of huevos and who has them (and who doesn't), major kudos to George Weissfisch for his speech at Baby Prosecutor's school today. George, a former Harris County prosecutor spoke at the semi-annual seminar hosted by the Texas District and County Attorney's Association. His topic was prosecuting DWI offenses in Texas, and his audience was the entirety of rookie prosecutors in the state.

If Roger Bridgwater didn't like Donna Goode disagreeing with him during a Tuesday morning Show and Tell meeting with an audience of about 25, he probably nearly imploded with George blasting the new Pre-Trial Diversion policy and Bridgwater himself to a room filled with hundreds of prosecutors from across the State.

Don't you just know that Bridgwater was wishing he could rehire George for the sole purpose of firing him? Doesn't it suck when your bullying power isn't there any more, Roger?

My message to George is simple: You rock, dude.

I'm glad that you took the opportunity to call out a bad administration and let them know that what they were doing is wrong.

And reminding them that the First Amendment is still alive and well.

So, this evening, if you're around a beverage of an alcoholic nature, raise your glass and have a toast.

Here's to Donna and to George.

I'm glad there are some people out there that can still remember what being a prosecutor is all about.