Removal Proceeding Hangs Over Liberal Texas DA’s Re-election Bid

A yearslong effort to remove Austin’s district attorney was expected to come to an unsuccessful end in a Texas courtroom, months before his potential reelection.

Instead, Judge Dib Waldrip (R) caught the parties by surprise and announced he wasn’t dismissing claims alleging Travis County DA José Garza (D) violated a new state law by refusing to prosecute certain crimes. Waldrip had been too busy to review dozens of filings submitted in the four months since the case began, he said at the Aug. 30 hearing, and kicked the case to the end of the year.

The punt bounced the case ...