Houston City Council member Abbie Kamin will serve as Harris County attorney effective June 15 after Commissioners Court approved her appointment April 16 in a 3-2 vote.
"I commit to each of you, to every department, to every employee and, above all, to the residents of Harris County, that I will work hard every single day to defend and protect our county and communities," Kamin said during the meeting.
Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey and County Judge Lina Hidalgo voted against the decision, disagreeing with the move to appoint Kamin, who is the Democratic nominee on the Nov. 3 ballot, ahead of results from the county attorney election in November.
What happened
Kamin replaces County Attorney Jonathan Fombonne, who said he will serve in the position until she takes over in June. Commissioners Court named Fombonne as the county attorney Jan. 8 after now-U.S. Rep. Christian Menefee, D-Houston, resigned from the role to run for Congress, Community Impact previously reported.
The court's April 16 decision appoints Kamin to the position for the duration of Fombonne's unexpired term, which runs through Dec. 31. She must still earn voter approval in the Nov. 3 election to serve for the rest of Menefee's county attorney term, which expires in 2028.
Kamin faces Republican candidate Jacqueline Lucci Smith in November, the sole Republican to enter the race for Menefee's seat. In an April 15 social media post, Smith condemned the court's move to appoint Kamin to the position, calling the decision "backroom political maneuvering."
A quick note
Kamin will continue to represent District C on Houston City Council until after the May 16 runoff election to fill her seat at City Hall. She was first elected to the position in 2019 and began her second term in January 2024. Prior to Houston City Council, she worked as a civil rights attorney and went on to serve as the associate regional director for the Anti-Defamation League.
Kamin will be the first woman in Harris County's history to serve as county attorney. The attorney's office provides legal counsel to Harris County government, elected officials and employees.
"I am profoundly mindful of the significance of this moment and stand before you with conviction and with commitment," she said. "As the first mother to serve as Harris County attorney, I will fight for all of our families as fiercely as I fight for my own—with everything I've got."
What they're saying
Hidalgo said she expects Kamin to garner the votes Nov. 3, but it "doesn't feel right" to appoint her to the role prematurely. Hidalgo condemned a similar decision in Fort Bend County to name Daniel Wong as interim county judge while he's still set to face off in the November general election.
"I was just so appalled when I read the news about Fort Bend [County], and it just doesn't feel right for me to do the same thing," she said during the April 16 meeting.
Ramsey also said the process lacked transparency and that he could not support her appointment.
Commissioners Lesley Briones, Adrian Garcia and Rodney Ellis voiced their support for Kamin during the meeting before voting in approval.
