Texas lawmakers will examine whether outside organizations and consultants have gained improper influence over local prosecutors at a Wednesday hearing that will cover case decisions, prosecutorial policies and taxpayer money.
The House Select Committee on Governmental Oversight will meet at 9 a.m. September 30, 2026, in Capitol Extension room E2.026, according to its revised notice. State Rep. Cody Vasut (R-District 25) chairs the committee.
The review will cover access to case information, public spending, procurement and the transparency of outside arrangements. The notice identifies no prosecutors, organizations or witnesses by name.
Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock) said September 18, 2026, that prosecutorial accountability would become a priority for the 2027 legislative session, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
Vasut represents southern and western Brazoria County. He is an attorney and former Angleton City Council member, according to his official biography.
The documented campaign money
Texas Justice & Public Safety PAC supported Dallas County District Attorney John Creuzot (D), as The Dallas Express reported on November 13, 2022. Campaign filings document the PAC’s financial ties to George Soros and its assistance to Texas district attorney candidates.
Soros contributed $1 million to Texas Justice & Public Safety PAC on October 13, 2022, according to the committee’s amended filing with the Texas Ethics Commission.
Creuzot’s own disclosure, preserved in an archived copy of a Dallas County filing, lists two nonmonetary contributions from the PAC totaling $408,219.15: $57,870.97 on October 12, 2022, for direct mail and $350,348.18 on October 28, 2022, for direct mail, digital advertising, production and polling.
Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales (D) separately reported a $323,100 nonmonetary contribution from the same PAC on October 25, 2022, for television advertising. His October 31, 2022, report lists the contribution on Schedule A2.
These are specific transactions from the 2022 election cycle, not complete campaign totals. They document Soros’ donation to the PAC and the PAC’s in-kind campaign assistance. They do not establish that Soros directed either prosecutor’s official decisions.
Soros defended his support for prosecutors who favor criminal justice reform in a July 31, 2022, essay republished on his website.
“I have done it transparently, and I have no intention of stopping,” he wrote.
Creuzot reversed his theft policy
Creuzot rescinded his policy against prosecuting certain low-level thefts on November 21, 2022, after winning reelection, as reported by The Dallas Express.
The policy covered Class B misdemeanor thefts of necessities such as food, diapers and baby formula, excluding theft for economic gain, according to his announcement. It did not exempt every theft under $750.
“I want the people of Dallas County and our partner police agencies to know that I have heard their concerns,” Creuzot wrote.
Creuzot said he had promised during the campaign to revisit the policy. He disputed claims that it affected crime, saying his analysis found no positive or negative effect. He said prosecutors would instead exercise discretion and use intervention programs and community resources.
Outside consulting inside public offices
A separate record documents an outside consulting arrangement with the office of Travis County District Attorney José Garza (D).
A January 10, 2022, agreement describes a one-year engagement for Wren Collective to provide policy and communications support. A Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund report posted with congressional hearing materials reproduces the signed document.
The agreement requires Wren to protect office information and follow the office’s ethical and professional responsibility rules. It does not identify a payment amount or establish that Wren controlled a prosecution.
Bexar County officials have defended their work with Wren. Then-First Assistant District Attorney Christian Henricksen said the group helped with policy research but did not influence individual prosecutorial decisions in interviews published by the San Antonio Express-News on February 9, 2024. Wren founder Jessica Brand said her services were pro bono and denied receiving Soros-linked funding.
Those statements predate the upcoming hearing. Campaign contributions, consulting agreements and evidence that an outsider determined a case outcome are distinct matters. The committee’s charge calls for examining the relationships and deciding whether additional safeguards are needed.
Shared policy positions
Fair and Just Prosecution’s work with Texas prosecutors drew attention in an August 25, 2024, report by The Dallas Express.
Creuzot, Gonzales and Garza appear among the signatories to a joint statement dated June 24, 2022, and updated May 9, 2023, pledging to refrain from prosecuting people who seek, provide or support abortions. The signers argued that prosecuting such cases would divert resources from serious crimes.
The statement preserved consideration of prosecutions involving forced abortions, negligence or intent to harm the pregnant woman.
Fair and Just Prosecution says it supports prosecutorial independence through research, meetings, site visits and collaboration. The shared statement documents a policy position; it does not establish that the organization directed an individual prosecution.
How to follow the hearing
The committee will also consider local government spending on outside service providers and the possible addition of neighboring New Mexico counties to Texas.
Registration for public testimony closes at noon. Texas residents may submit comments electronically until adjournment. The House will carry a live broadcast.
Provided by Dallas Express
