HOUSTON – A petition for mandamus was denied by the 14th Court of Appeals today – an appeal brought by Dr. Steven Hotze, who claims a lawsuit against him is nothing but a “political sword” aimed at assisting the Democrats going into the 2022 election.
The appeal, which sought to set aside an order compelling requests for production, stems from a lawsuit brought by David Lopez earlier this year.
Lopez sued Hotze and his nonprofit entity, Liberty Center for God and Country, alleging they wrongly targeted him as a key figure in their “bizarre and unfounded claims of massive voter fraud.”
On Oct. 19, 2020, Lopez claims he was assaulted and falsely imprisoned by Mark Aguirre, a former HPD captain. Lopez claims Aguirre, while working for Hotze and Liberty Center, intentionally rammed an SUV into his vehicle and then pointed a pistol at him.
In his petition for writ of mandamus, Hotze questioned whether the trial court abused its discretion by ordering him to produce documents controlled by Liberty Center.
Hotze, a Republican activist, asserts Lopez is represented by two highly partisan
Democratic election lawyers, Scott Brazil and Dickey Grigg, and that it “is clear that Lopez and his counsel are using this lawsuit as a political sword, and through irrelevant and harassing discovery request are attempting to acquire documents intended to promote and assist their political agenda going into the 2022 election in an effort to assist Democratic candidates.”
The 14th Court found that Hotze has not established that he is entitled to mandamus relief, denying his petition for writ of mandamus.
Houston attorney Jared Woodfill represents Hotze.
Appeals case No. 14-21-00580-CV