Judges don’t always rule the way trial attorney Steve Kherkher would like them to. Maybe that’s why his firm contributes so much money to candidates running for judgeships. If the candidates he supports get elected, he might think, there’s a better chance of getting the decision he desires when he appears in those judges’ courts.
In 2018, Kherkher’s firm was one of the biggest contributors to First Tuesday, the Houston-area political action committee that makes massive media buys and organizes get-out-the-vote efforts to support Democrat candidates for local offices and judgeships. He and other First Tuesday PAC donors must prefer having political allies in positions of power. Maybe it’s good for business.
Unfortunately for Brittanye Lashay Morris, she was not the Democrat candidate that Kherkher preferred in the March 3rd primary election, but she defeated Kherkher’s favorite, incumbent Judge Daryl Moore, and that should have been the end of it.
Kherkher could have accepted the results of the primary and made donations to help Morris win the general election. But no, she wasn’t the judge he wanted, so he had a hissy fit, challenged her eligibility, and tried to convince Harris County Democratic Party Chairwoman Lillie Schechter that Morris did not meet residency requirements.
Ultimately, Morris was able to establish her residency and Schechter declared her eligible.
Like a Never Trumper, Kherkher couldn’t let go. He couldn’t accept Morris’ victory and had to continue his one-man resistance, filing a petition for writ of mandamus and asking the 14th Court of Appeals to make Schechter declare Morris ineligible. That court, however, dismissed his petition for lack of standing.
Kherkher claimed he has constitutional standing because he contributed campaign funds both to the Democratic Party and to the “constitutionally eligible candidate (Moore) in the contest for the 333rd Harris County District Court at a maximum level.” Plus, he voted for Moore in the primary and was planning to vote for him in the general election.
Kherkher seems to think that money talks. Maybe he can buy a new appeals court.