By Roy Douglas Malonson
Since 8am, Saturday, December 30th, 2023, the Harris County Democratic Party (HCDP) has been complicit in the e fforts to remove Black women judicial candidates, such as Judge Erica Hughes, Lillian Alexander, Amber Boyd-Cora, and TaKasha Francis, from the ballot. These candidates have been targeted with o fficial challenges made with HCDP and in some instances lawsuits, some reaching the Texas Supreme Court. What is deeply troubling is not just the legal battles but the systemic racism that denies these Black women a fair opportunity to defend themselves and just compete in a vote with Harris County voters.
Judge Erica Hughes, a federal immigration judge, and Army veteran, appointed under President Biden, faced a daunting challenge when her place on the ballot was contested by Judge
Michael Engelhart. Despite reasonable requests for an extension due to the New Year’s holiday weekend, Hughes was denied an extension by the HCDP Chair, Mike Doyle. His December 31,
2023, approximately 7pm decision the ectively precluded Judge Hughes her the ability to submit evidence against the false allegations that she had forged petition signatures, each alleged
signature carrying a potential third degree felony charge.
Although Hughes remained on the ballot, Engelhart then led a lawsuit, and used as evidence, Doyle’s hypothesis that Engelhart would likely prevail if Engelhart led a lawsuit in court.
Engelhart, did in fact, left a lawsuit in the wee hours of New Year’s Day, 2024, at approximately 3am. The lawsuit, Case Number 2024–00001, was the first lawsuit led in 2024.
The handling of that lawsuit not only violated administrative procedures but also sought to depose individuals on a day when the courts were traditionally closed.
