The Spy in the Courthouse
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The Texas Supreme Court will decide the fate of Judge Brittanye Morris, who may have screwed up her chance to run for reelection. Now she has another problem – Morris is suspected of sharing ANOTHER JUDGE’S PRIVATE TEXT MESSAGES with a guy under federal investigation for fraud!
Is she THE SPY IN THE COURTHOUSE?
The year began with a very different kind of election fight unfolding through this courtroom window. Not Republicans battling Democrats. We’re used to that.
But instead, incumbent Democratic Judge Brittanye Morris suing the Democratic Party chairman after he refused to let her on the ballot this year to run for re-election.
“I’m asking the court to act in equity to overcome the mistake the innocent mistake that was made on the form,” said Andy Taylor.
This form, the state required ballot application. Morris admits she wrote her driver’s license number down instead of the required state bar number, even though it clearly says what to do in black and white. And this is a judge who decides multi-million-dollar business disputes.
The guy running to unseat Morris, Associate Judge Tracy Good caught the mistake. And the Democratic party then rejected her place on the ballot.
“And if we get past this problem and were on the ballot were going to dust his britches,” claims Andy Taylor.
Taylor begged the visiting judge assigned to this election fight to let Morris fight to stay on the ballot. She said no.
But this is so much more than a court story. It’s the makings of a great spy novel, “The Spy in the Courthouse.”
And the question of the hour, is that really why the Democratic Party is kicking Brittanye Morris off the ballot for what clearly was a clerical error? Is she being punished because other judges suspect she’s the spy in the courthouse?
“I have no idea. I literally have no idea,” said Taylor.
We’ve learned in recent weeks that some Harris County judges are using encrypted social media apps to send secret messages to each other. Messages intended to disappear in time to avoid public scrutiny.
But this message is now public record, part of a court filing. And it’s a doozy.
It was written by Judge Tamika Craft who was unloading to some fellow judges on that very same election lawyer we talked to, Andy Taylor. Who was unloading on some fellow judges on that very same election lawyer we talked to, Andy Taylor.
He was the guy last fall, trying to force Judge Craft into a whole new election with her opponent, republican Erin Lunceford.
“Andy Taylor is a real clown” Craft wrote in a message, “He’s a disgrace to the entire bar.”
“All judges should be held accountable for their actions and for what they say,” expressed Taylor.
Taylor then used that private message to prove bias, to get craft forcibly removed from another lawsuit Taylor was involved in.
This is where the plot thickens some more. That lawsuit where Judge Craft’s secret message was leaked, involved our old friends, embattled real estate developer Ali Choudhri. We’ve been reporting on the exploits of that reputed real estate racketeer for years. He’s also suing us.
And his close ties to Brittanye Morris are well documented.
In fact, the judge got in trouble with the Judicial Conduct Commission because of her relationship with Choudhri.
Morris was a lawyer for just five years when she ran for judge, another thing that’s wrong with electing judges in this state.
She ran against Judge Daryl Moore. His rulings were hurting Choudhri in a fight over this pricey Galleria area building.
Choudhri’s lawyers helped bankroll Morris’s campaign. A van matching the description of Choudhri’s Mercedes displayed her banner on it.
And when Morris won, one of her very first rulings helped Choudhri in that controversial case.
Morris claimed the relationship platonic, denied she was helping him on the Choudhri lawsuit before she got the black robe.
But a whistleblower released text messages that blew the judges story apart.
After the Judicial Conduct Commission reprimanded her, Morris appealed.
But we busted her again just hours before she was scheduled to appear at a hearing in Dallas with damaging new texts. Morris changed her mind about testifying and she was lucky to just get a slap on the wrist.
It’s not a surprise Choudhri tried to recuse Judge Craft, critics say it’s part of his legal playbook, bury your enemies in legal fees and take out the judges who rule against you. Choudhri has now been able to recuse at least six Harris County district judges from hearing his cases. He’s been losing a lot of his legal fights.
But that’s the other plot twist here. Exactly how did Andy Taylor get ahold of that secret message that Judge Craft wrote, that then got her taken off Choudhri’s case?
It was only sent between a select number of judges. Taylor will only say a client gave it to him, but privately Morris is considered the likely spy.
“Is it just a coincidence that you’re the lawyer for judge Morris and also the lawyer for Ali Choudhri considering their relationship in the past,” asked Dolcefino.
Andy Taylor responded, “My client is Brittanye Morris. Brittanye Morris is paying me and she has made a mistake on a document. I’m an election lawyer.”
“I’m done with the Ali bullshit. Ali thinks he’s so slick he can fuck everybody. No more,” said Lloyd Kelley.
That was the voice of another Choudhri lawyer and business associate, Lloyd Kelley. Kelley’s since sued us and along with Choudhri falsely claiming we somehow conspired to illegally record that conversation, that we’re conducting a public assassination campaign of the developer.
But courthouse public records detail a wide trail of questionable Choudhri real estate deals over a decade. Judgments saying Choudhri lies, rips folks off, commits fraud.
But Choudhri has a bigger problem than our investigation. The Justice Department.
Last September the justice department took the unusual step of asking a federal judge to punish Choudhri for failing to turn over records subpoenaed more than a year ago in a civil fraud investigation.
His response, he couldn’t financially afford to look for the stuff and turn it over. That won’t fly with the feds.
This is a guy who just sold his River Oaks mansion, valued at 16 million dollars on the tax rolls.
You have got to admit Choudhri’s latest stall game takes a lot of chutzpah. If you’ve never heard that word, it’s one of mt favorites. It’s Yiddish for “the nerve of it.”
In that very same court filing the other day, Choudhri announced he had the money to hire yet another high-priced law firm, Haynes and Boone. Last time we checked they don’t work anywhere close to free.
And you know who Choudhri has paid to be his latest lawyer to fight the feds, Ryan Patrick. The former U.S. attorney.
Ali Choudhri has a maze of real estate companies he’s accused of illegally hiding behind, but Jetall, that’s his public face.
On their website the company boasts of having been involved in seven billion dollars worth of real estate ventures.
It’s two anchor properties; two buildings we all see along the west loop, 1001 and 2425 West Loop South.
What the site doesn’t mention is one of the buildings is in bankruptcy. Financiers at the bank of Kuwait have turned on Choudhri.
The other building is facing foreclosure. A lawsuit accusing Choudhri of cheating a school that rents there.
If those are his anchors, how is Choudhri staying in business? The Justice Department is expected to announce their next step in just days.
So, will 2024 be the year Choudhri’s luck runs out?
We may soon know, but it’s Brittanye Morris who is facing a career ending price first.
Will we see her as a guest at the next birthday party for Choudhri’s mom?
Busted for allegedly cheating the government out of millions in taxes.
You can’t make this stuff up. What will the title of the sequel be? Stay tuned.
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