Campaign Legal Center Client Wins Multi-Million Dollar Verdict Against Houston Independent School District

Issues

HOUSTON – After six years of litigation, the pervasive and egregious corruption within the Houston Independent School District has been dealt a serious blow by a jury of Houston citizens. Today, the Campaign Legal Center, alongside Lawyers at Brazil & Dunn and The Greenwood Prather Law Firm, secured a multi-million dollar jury verdict against a former school board trustee and others for a widespread pay-to-play scheme.

CLC was part of a legal team representing a Houston construction contractor, Gil Ramirez, who was locked out of the school district’s construction contracts after refusing to participate in the scheme in which the school board president, Larry Marshall, was accepting bribes in cash and campaign contributions in exchange for ensuring that certain construction contractors would receive lucrative public contracts.

“School officials have the duty to ensure tax dollars, bond money and federal funds benefit the students and employees of the school district, not their own pockets,” said Gerry Hebert, director of voting rights and redistricting for the Campaign Legal Center. “This verdict sends a loud and clear message that corruption schemes will not be tolerated and that Larry Marshall will not get away with abusing his position by placing his own interests above those of the students and employees of the school district.”

Hebert, along with CLC Deputy Director of Voting Rights Danielle Lang, litigated the case before the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas. Attorneys from the law firms Brazil and Dunn, and the Greenwood Prather Law Firm also represented plaintiff Ramirez. 

 “Six years ago I was asked to pay a bribe, or to make the right choice. I declined," said plaintiff Gil Ramirez. “After six years, that decision was finally vindicated and justice was rendered.”

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Read the court decision