What's happening
Earlier this year, county officials faced criticism after the approval of a thousands of dollars for home security improvements for Garza.
The county was sued by Paxton for what was dubbed a “secret” discussion regarding the allocation of public money for enhancements to a personal residence, according to a news release.
After reconvening from an executive session March 19, Judge Andy Brown announced that the court had discussed an agenda item titled “Travis County security and information security issues.”
Commissioner Ann Howard then moved to approve a $115,000 budget amendment, vaguely described as being “discussed in executive session.”
Paxton’s claim asserts that the county “violated the Texas Open Meetings Act by failing to provide adequate notice of the topics discussed in the executive session.”
However, state law allows local governments to hold closed meetings when deliberating “the deployment or specific occasions for implementation of security personnel, critical infrastructure, or security devices."
Coupled with their approval for the $500,000 security funding initiative Oct. 22, commissioners passed a second motion allocating $115,000 specifically to the district attorney for security enhancements deemed necessary to address threats at specific locations identified by a security assessment, a “reaffirmation of a previous vote,” according to a county spokesperson.
These measures aim to protect Garza, ensuring the continuation of his county duties, Commissioner Jeffrey Travillion said.
“It is important for us to not only hear but to take the steps that are necessary. And some of those steps are going to require funding,” Travillion said. “Though we live in a poisonous political time ... we always must have the courage to do what's right, and it is right to protect those who work to make sure that that justice is served.”
The allocated funding will be made available as necessary for county elected officials and employees responsible for county functions, including Travis County district judges, county court at law judges, probate judges, the county judge, commissioners, district attorney, county attorney, county clerk and the tax assessor-collector.
Explained
“When I first started, 25 years ago, judges could make their decisions to uphold the law and exercise our judicial discretion free from threats or retaliation,” Travis County Judge Julie Kocurek told commissioners Oct. 22. “There was more respect for judges' decisions, and litigants would accept them and move on with their lives. But times have changed.”
Last year, there were a total of 448 reported security incidents across the state—which included bomb threats—targeting judges, court staff or court participants, according to the Office of Court Administration’s Court Security Division.
The most current data indicates a 125% increase in threats made toward judicial officers in Texas from 2023 to 2024, Kocurek said, adding that nationally that percent increase is closer to 400% over the last five years.
“I would be remiss to not remind you of my incident in 2015; I remember it like it was yesterday,” Kocurek said.
On Nov. 6, 2015, Kocurek was shot four times in front of her teenage son in what was believed to be retaliation for a ruling she made the previous month on a probation violation.
“I soon realized that, although the attack seemed very personal, it was not about me. This was an attack on our justice system,” Kocurek said. "... [This funding] would help protect us where we are most vulnerable, so that we can do our jobs free from danger and keep our families from danger as well as ourselves."
