Alongside representatives from the Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas and SafeHorns, local PAC Save Austin Now on Friday announced the launch of a new website focused on Travis County District Attorney Jose Garza and Travis County Attorney Delia Garza. According to Save Austin Now, the new site has been launched on behalf of crime victims, and it coincides with the implementation of HB 17, which prohibits county prosecutors from ignoring any category of crime and provides a process for their removal.
The coalition has launched a new website, http://www.GarzaWatch.com, to track their progress and seek relevant information from the community.
“Travis County has been made safe by the irresponsible policies of our two top local prosecutors over the past three years and it is time they are held accountable,” said Save Austin Now co-founder Matt Mackowiak. “This accountability project has new urgency with HB 17 taking effect, which provides a process for removing top local prosecutors if they refuse to enforce the law or ignore specific categories of criminal violations. District Attorney Garza and County Attorney Garza are declining prosecutions, reducing charges, and issuing personal recognizance bonds at a level we have never seen, and the result is higher crime and more violent criminals walking our streets. This is creating more victims of crimes, including violent crimes, and it is benefiting habitual offenders. It is time for this to come to an end.”
“HB17 represents the first step in restoring balance to a troubling trend in which victims have no voice and are assumed to be acceptable collateral damage by so called ‘progressive’ District Attorney Jose Garza and County Attorney Delia Garza,” said Save Austin Now co-founder Cleo Petricek.
“After today the people of Austin and Travis County can hold tightly to the reasonable expectation that the safety of our person, the safety of our families, the safety and sanctity of our homes should be the top priority for the Office of the District Attorney,” said CLEAT executive director Charley Wilkison. “We deserve freedom from fear. Crime victims deserve justice and criminals deserve prosecution and punishment.”
“Today, September 1, 2023, marks a new chapter with House Bill 17 in effect. As we continue to safeguard our community and work towards improved safety, we remain committed to reviewing crime incidents in our neighborhood. We call upon all Austinites, Travis County residents, and fellow Texans impacted by crime in their communities to do the same. It’s imperative that we hold our District Attorneys and County Attorneys accountable for their sworn duty to uphold the laws of Texas,” said SafeHorns president Joell McNew.
With the launch of GarzaWatch.com, employees of the District Attorney and County Attorney offices can learn how to become whistleblowers, and citizens can provide information of habitual offenders or tell their stories of how they became a victim of crime here.
