Under a cloud
Sept. 5, 2008

The series of ethics questions bedeviling Harris County elected officials, which began with the forced resignation of District Attorney Chuck Rosenthal, shows no signs of letting up as a pivotal election approaches.

Sheriff Tommy Thomas has been the target of reports concerning questionable e-mail deletion policies by his staff and work by county contractors on his private property. Now County Commissioner Jerry Eversole, who has been embroiled in periodic controversies over his campaign fund spending habits since he was elected 17 years ago, tells the Chronicle's Liz Austin Peterson that he is the focus of an FBI corruption probe and expects to be forced from office.

While proclaiming his innocence, Eversole acknowledged that FBI agents had interviewed his friends and the government could "make a case on me. That's why I say my days are numbered. There's no doubt about it."

Several months ago, the commissioner stormed out of a court session after an in-house report suggested he and other officials had approved lease-purchase contracts with two now-indicted developers, contracts that might have cost taxpayers millions of dollars.

Eversole was also angered by a KTRK-TV report that focused on his use of campaign funds to buy firearms and pay for a Florida vacation for himself, spouse and friends. The Harris County district attorney's office continues to probe those expenditures.

At this point Commissioner Eversole enjoys the presumption of innocence. But given his chronic blindness to the ethical requirements of his office, Eversole's departure would be appropriate.

County Judge Ed Emmett was appointed by Commissioner's Court to fill out the term of Robert Eckels, who quit to go into private law practice. Emmett, a Republican, appointed a citizen task force that has come up with recommendations to enhance public scrutiny of county officials. His Democratic opponent, David Mincberg, has made an issue of the large contributions that flow to county officials from interests that do business with the county. Mincberg pointed out more than $150,000 in donations that Emmett's campaign has received from county contractors this year.

The latest developments all but guarantee that good government issues will dominate hard-fought contests for county judge, county attorney, district attorney and sheriff to be decided in November.

It would be refreshing if rather than just talking ethics at election time, the winners would back meaningful reforms once they take office.