CLEAT Calls on Leaders to Disavow Texas Organizing Project

The State’s largest law enforcement union is calling on Texas elected leaders to disavow all financial and political connections to the political organization that bailed out San Antonio/Austin murderer Shane James Jr. from jail.

“The Texas Organizing Project released a violent criminal onto the streets of San Antonio and Austin, where he murdered six innocent people and attempted to murder two police officers. All elected officials should immediately reject any political endorsements and contributions from this organization, disavow its dangerous practices, and re-contribute the money to the families of the murdered victims,” said Charley Wilkison, Executive Director of the Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas, or CLEAT. 

Common sense bail reform legislation by Senator Joan Huffman was killed on the floor of the House of Representatives by the appointed Democratic Chair of Criminal Jurisprudence during the Regular Session of the Legislature this year under the guise of Criminal Justice Reform. 

“The bill that could have curtailed violent criminals like Shane James from being bailed out of jail by political advocacy groups like Texas Organizing Project was intentionally killed with no thought to the consequences to the public’s safety,” said Wilkison.

After being bailed out of the Bexar County Jail by the Texas Organizing Project, James promptly cut off his ankle monitor, which at the time was not a criminal offense. James had access to firearms and was a clear and present danger to the public. Critical information pertaining to a suspect’s mental health, access to firearms/weapons, and details of past criminal episodes are not available to the public. Therefore, advocacy groups with no access to those relevant facts should not be arbitrarily bailing criminals out of jail, releasing them back to their victims and innocent members of society. 

“TOP and their political enablers should be ashamed. Shane James intended to murder more people, including two brave CLEAT members—police officers serving their community—who fortunately survived their wounds from gunfire. There is no room in Texas for groups that coddle violent criminals or for politicians who contribute to their cause or accept their money. It’s shameful.”