More Ammo for Eric Johnson in Primary Battle Against Terri Hodge, But Will it Matter?

By Sam Merten Fri., Dec. 11 2009 at 4:33 PM

Categories: Politics

For reasons we can't explain, politicos are sticking by state Representative Terri Hodge in her bid for an eighth term in office despite the pending March 8 trial for her role in the federal corruption case involving affordable-housing developer Brian Potashnik. Her host committee includes longtime supporters, among them Dallas County Commissioner John Wiley Price and state Senator Royce West, but it also includes others you might have thought would have avoided Hodge like the plague. Like, oh, state Representative Rafael Anchía and council member Angela Hunt.

Sure, Hodge is innocent until proven guilty, but the indictment isn't pretty: The feds have a long list of rent and utility subsidies paid by the Potashniks while Hodge was living in a Southwest Housing development. The feds allege that the Potashniks covered Hodge's bills in exchange for valuable letters of support from the state representative. Cheryl Potashnik will be the government's star witness.

Clearly that hasn't been enough to convince the big names in the Democratic Party to jump ship and endorse lawyer Eric Johnson, Hodge's opponent in the March 2 primary. Monday's report from KPRC-Channel 2 in Houston, which uncovered letters from Hodge urging the transfer of a rapist who later escaped and was captured, isn't likely to change anyone's minds either, but it's worth a look-see nonetheless.

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