Speaker: Scott Brumley7/13/2017

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“Don’t Do It Even If It Feels Good”Problem Areas with Potential to Cost You Credibility or Your Job

Scott Brumley  POTTER COUNTY ATTORNEY

Amarillo, Texas

806/379‐2255 scottbrumley@co.potter.tx.us

I Said So … and So Does the Constitution

• TEX. CONST. art. V, § 24:– Removal for:

• Incompetency

• Official misconduct

• Habitual drunkenness

• “other causes defined by law”

• TEX. CONST. art. XVI, § 2:– Exclusion from office if convicted of bribery, forgery, other high crimes.

• TEX. CONST. art. XV, § 7– Judgment for judges

So, You’re Not Here to Check on My Welfare, Officer?

• Quo Warranto– Qualifications (Ch. 66, CPRC)

• Removal via civil proceeding– Misconduct, incompetency, 

drunkenness (Ch. 87, LGC)

• Removal via criminal conviction– Criminal official misconduct

• Removal via Commission on Judicial Conduct– Violations of Code of Judicial

Conduct

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Quo Warranto: If It’s in Latin, It Can’t be Good for You

• Challenge to right to hold office– Protection against usurpation, unlawful occupancy

– Exclusive means to determine:• Qualifications• Forfeiture• Vacating office

• May only be brought by county attorney, district attorney or attorney general– Private individuals may request suit

Removal: That Little Voice Saying “Adios, Amigo”

• Purpose: protect office, not officeholder– Not punitive

• Undoes election (generally unrelated to election itself)

• Constitutional standards, procedure spelled out in Ch. 87, LGC

Quo WarrantoCivil Practice & Remedies Code Ch. 66

• Statutory grounds– Person usurps, intrudes 

into, unlawfully holds or executes office

– Public officer forfeits office (by law)

• “Usurp” = take possession of without legal claim, seize & hold by force or without right

• Act/omission causing forfeiture ≠ removal‐type misconduct

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Putting the Quo with the Warranto

• Fall short of qualifications for office– No de minimis failures re: qualifications

• Move out of precinct/county/district

• Lose required license

• Get removed, but refuse to leave office*

• Resign (sometimes)*– *  See TEX. CONST. art. XVI, § 17

Why It Should Matter to You

• Ouster from office

• Award of costs

• Fine for usurping, intruding into or unlawfully holding/executing office

• Further relief necessary to give effect to judgment

• Appeal is accelerated

In the Removal Crosshairs

• District attorney

• County Attorney

• County judge

• County commissioner

• County clerk

• District clerk

• District & county clerk

• County treasurer

• Sheriff

• County surveyor

• County tax assessor‐collector

• Constable

• Inspector of hides & animals

• Justice of the Peace

• Other constitutional, statutory county officers

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Job Loss Not Attributable to the Recession

• Incompetency• Official misconduct• Intoxication (on/off duty)– Caused by drinking alcoholic beverage

– Get a doctor’s note

• Failure to timely execute required bond, post additional required security

Official Misconduct

• Intentional, unlawful behavior

• Relating to official duties

• By officer entrusted with administration of justice or execution of law

• Includes intentional or corrupt failure, refusal, neglect to perform legal duty

• Generally must be after term begins

Illustration by (Bad) Examples

• Law enforcement officer commits witness tampering

• Law enforcement officer commits false imprisonment

• Willfully using county vehicles, fuel for private benefit

• Knowingly setting tax rate wholly insufficient to fund operations

• Judge issues warrant without complaint or probable cause, assesses impermissible fees

• Officer presents false reimbursement claims and collects illegal fees

• Recurrent shortfalls in office money– Yes, that would mean 

theft, too.

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These Defenses Work … Not

• Two wrongs make a right”

• “You got me on that one, but not on the rest of ‘em”

• “It’s the secretary’s fault”

• “But I meant well”

Incompetency

• Not same as stupidity/bumbling

• Gross ignorance of official duties

• Gross carelessness in discharge of official duties

• Unfitness/inability to promptly, properly execute official duties due to serious physical/mental defect– Only post‐election day defects count (generally)

The Peter Principle at Work

• Using county funds to repair commissioner’s private spray rig; “donating” it to county by mentioning it to one other commissioner

• JP’s failure to successfully complete 80‐hour (20‐hour subsequent) course on duties

• Commissioner’s failure to complete 16 hours of duties training

• Sheriff’s failure to complete 40‐hour course on law enforcement

• County treasurer’s failure to complete introductory course on duties, subsequent 20 hours of continuing ed.

• Elected law enforcement officer who fails to obtain TCLEOSE license

• Failure to control, properly dispose of property entrusted to officer

• Personnel policies (potentially)

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My Prediction for the Fight? Pain.

• Suspension (probably without pay)

• Discovery about indiscretions

• No right to refuse to testify

• Loss of job and unflattering publicity

Conviction: It’s Not Just for Prison Anymore

• Conviction of felony, misdemeanor involving official misconduct = immediate removal from office

• Despite jury requirement, guilty plea counts• Eligible offenses include:

– Bribery– Perjury– Forgery– Abuse of official capacity– Official oppression (most likely)– Nepotism– Some conflict‐of‐interest provisions

If You Don’t Wanna Pay for ‘Em, Why Would You Hire ‘Em?

• Applies to relation within third degree of consanguinity, second degree of affinity– Consanguinity = relation by blood

– Affinity = relation by marriage

• 3rd degree of consanguinity:– Parent or child; brother, sister, grandparent or grandchild

– Great‐grandparent, great‐grandchild, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew

• 2nd degree of affinity:– Husband, wife; parent or child of spouse; spouse of 

individual’s parent or child

– Brother, sister, grandparent or grandchild of spouse; spouse of individual’s brother, sister, grandparent or grandchild

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Family Can Be More than Awkward

• Public official may not appoint, confirm or vote for appointment/confirmation to publicly‐funded position of– Person related to official within relevant degree; or

– Person related to another board member within relevant degree

• Using influence as candidate, “trading” also prohibited

When the Family Tree Falls on You

• Officer who violates nepotism law “shall be removed from the individual’s position.”

• May not approve payment of compensation to illegally‐hired relative

• Fine of $100 to $1,000

How Can Making Money Conflict with My Interests?

• Commissioners court member who has “substantial interest in business entity” or real property must:– File affidavit stating nature, extent of interest

– Abstain from voting or participating in matter affecting interest

• Violation does not void action (generally)– Constitutes class A misdemeanor

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Chapter 176: Disclosing What You May Want to Keep Covered

• Applies if contractor, potential contractor:– Has employment, “business 

relationship” with CC member (or family of CC member) resulting in receipt of taxable income

• Included interest‐bearing checking account (seeOp. Tex. Att’y Gen. No. GA‐0446 (2006))

• See now §§ 176.003(a)(2)(A), 176.001(2‐b) (excepting “investment income,” defining that to include interest from checking/savings account)

– Has given gifts to CC member (or family) totaling $250 within 12‐month period

Chapter 176 Disclosures• Form available on Ethics Commission website (http://www.ethics.state.tx.us/whatsnew/conflict_forms.htm)

• Relationship, including nature & extent• Gifts to CC member (or family) within 12‐month period

• Acknowledgment that disclosure applies to family members and covers relevant 12‐month period

• Signature under oath, penalty of perjury• Failure to file = class C misdemeanor• Applies to commissioners, agent of county “who exercises discretion in the planning, recommending, selecting, or contracting of a vendor”

Moonlighting: OK TV Show, Risky Public Employment Strategy

• TEX. CONST. art. XVI, § 40: Dual office‐holding– County commissioners, JPs exempted

– Applies only to “officers”

• Incompatibility– Conflicting loyalties: public officer may not hold two offices with conflicting public duties

– Self‐appointment: person may not be both member of body making appointment and appointee of that body

– Self‐employment: public officer may not serve in employment position that public officer supervises

• TEX. CONST. art. XVI, § 65:  “Resign to run”– Applies to all county elective offices if > 1 year left in term

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Lobbying: The Efficiency of Group Wheedling

• Gov’t Code § 305.026– Counties may hire 

registered lobbyists– Elected/appointed officials, 

full‐time employees may lobby

– OK to pay membership dues to statewide assoc. (at least 25% membership) which pays/employs registered lobbyist

• Loc. Gov’t Code § 89.002– Authorizes county money 

for membership dues in statewide association of counties

– Association, employees may not lobby, contribute to or endorse candidate

• May provide information

Thanks for Speaking. You Have the Right to Remain Silent …

Ethics Advisory Op. No. 484 (2009)

• Title 15, Election Code– Prohibition: Accepting from corporation

• Transportation• Meals• Lodging

– In return for addressing audience/participating in seminar

• “Officeholder contribution”?– Contribution to defray expenses– Incurred by officeholder in performing duty/activity in connection with office

– Not reimbursable with public money• Third‐degree felony

Questions to Address Ethical Dilemmas

1. Have you defined the problem accurately and completely?

2. How would you define the problem if you stood on the other side of the fence?

3. How did this situation occur in the first place?

4. If you were assigned to take the place of any of the others interested in this situation, would you perceive your decision to be essentially fair, given all the circumstances?

5. What is your intention in making this decision?

6. How does this intention compare with the probable results?

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Questions (cont’d)

7. Whom could your decision or action injure?

8. Can you discuss the problem with affected parties before you make your decision?

9. Are you confident your position will be as valid over a long period of time as it seems now?

10. How would you feel and be regarded by others (working associates, family, clergy, etc.) if details of your decision were disclosed for all to know?

Scott Brumley               POTTER COUNTY ATTORNEY     

Telephone: (806) 379‐2255                    FAX: (806) 379‐2267 

scottbrumley@co.potter.tx.us

Questions or Comments?