Terrance McCoy at the
Houston Press -- who had the
lengthy expose' last week -- remains hot on the trail of Council Member Helena Brown's troubles adhering to the law. It might not be as bad as violating federal laws regarding the
altering of employee timecards, but fundraising during the blackout period is
still a legal no-no.
In an attempted violation of city law, and in yet another puzzling move
by embattled City Council member Helena Brown, the District A
representative solicited money from local Korean businessmen late last
month for a trip she took this week to Seoul -- though she had already
paid for it with public money.
According to chapter 18 of the City Charter, Brown cannot receive
direct contributions unless it's during city-sanctioned campaigning
months -- February before an election until March afterward. During
"blackout" periods, if a candidate or council member gets direct money,
said City Press Secretary Jessica Michan, it's a violation of city law.
Whether Brown actually got money is unclear -- but she sure did ask for
it.
In a recent e-mail, which the Houston Press obtained, Brown
said: "The trip to Korea is a costly trip. ... Please make checks out to
Helena Brown who will personally be offsetting the costs."
But that wasn't true. Brown paid for airline tickets to South Korea
with public money -- $11,000 -- according to her expense report. Enrique
Reyes, her director of communication, said last week hotel costs hadn't
been charged yet, but declined all questions. Brown's office said the
council member returned to Houston (yesterday).
Asking for direct contributions under such circumstances appears to
break both city law and Harris county policy. Brown not only solicited
money during a period when it wasn't allowed, but in her e-mail she also
asked all contributors to pay her at a June 28 gathering held at a
Harris County building in Spring Branch, a violation of County policy.
Meeting organizers are informed before forums that fundraising isn't
allowed. "If solicitation for money was happening, that's not right,"
said Ricardo Guinea, director of the Sosa Community Center, which housed
the gathering.
Hard to tell where the stupidity ends and the corruption begins with this woman. The Chron reports that "
misstatement" is the order of the day.
A statement released by Brown's office Tuesday states that her
adviser William Park - who is not a paid member of her staff - sent an
email to Korean community leaders saying that if they wanted to sponsor a
businessman on the trip they could do so via Brown's office.
"That statement was sent in error. While CM (council member) Brown
could be the vehicle by which private financial assistance of non-city
employees could be handled, CM Brown understood full well that this type
of situation might be misconstrued as a campaign contribution during
the "black-out" period and therefore instructed all potential
contributors who communicated to her to deal privately with potential
delegation participants instead," the statement reads.
Helena Brown is simply a poor representative for her district, to say nothing of overseas with Asian officials.
As Charles notes, there has to be a lot of cringing going on among the District A lords and ladies who got behind Brown's campaign to unseat incumbent Brenda "
I've been in every bar everywhere I need to be" Stardig last year. There are likely handfuls of differing factions of conservatives holding competing meetings already, discussing 2013 campaigns for the Oak Forest/Spring Branch seat on council.
But another year and a half of Helena Brown is 18 months too much. She should resign now and negotiate a plea for the crimes she has (allegedly) committed and save herself and the city further embarrassment.
Update (7/14): Brown's
Asian vacation has
gone national.