Democrats and Republicans are scratching their heads at a decision in the 400th
Galveston County visiting Judge Jeth Jones (R) decided Friday, to suspend Fort Bend County Judge KP George (D?R?) and appoint Republican nominee Daniel Wong (R) to fill the position until the results of the general election fill the seat next year.
Wong beat George in the Republican Primary in March and is set to face either Rachelle Carter (D) or Dexter McCoy (D) in November.
Sources on both sides of the aisle say the appointment is a bold choice, calling it, “weird,” “strange,” and, “gives Wong the advantage.” KPRC reports, “The decision was made at the judge’s discretion.” Their reporting produced another interesting tidbit; “KPRC 2 reached out to Wong for comment, but he was not yet aware of his appointment. Minutes later, Wong said his team had confirmed the decision.”
Rachelle Carter’s campaign congratulated Mr. Wong, “on his appointment to serve in Fort Bend County. Public service is an important responsibility, and those who step forward to lead our community should be recognized for their willingness to participate in the democratic process.”
Dexter McCoy’s campaign called the interim appointment, “[a] corrupt, backroom deal that ignores will of voters.” Senior Advisor Delilah Agho-Otoghile then called on Wong, “to disclose what conversations and backroom deals have been made to try to give him an unethical leg up in the upcoming election.”
FBCDP Chair Jennifer Cantu also released a statement after the Jones ruling, “The Fort Bend County Democratic Party strongly opposes the recent appointment of Daniel Wong as Interim County Judge after KP George’s suspension.” Cantu went on to say, “Appointing a nominee as an interim judge is entirely unjustified.”
Wong released a statement Friday evening, “The ruling by Judge Jones in the 400th District Court was certainly unexpected, as I was notified by the media shortly after the decision was made. However, I eagerly look forward to assuming the role of Fort Bend County Judge and delivering for the fine residents of Fort Bend.”
Daniel Wong is the founder and CEO of Tolunay Wong Engineers, a firm with 13 offices and 400 employees statewide. He’s also the longterm Chair of the Texas Board of Professional Engineers. Wong served as a member of the Sugar Land City Council from 2002 to 2008 and is an active member of the Greater Houston Partnership, a regional economic development organization.