The Harris County judge has proposed a local resolution in commissioners' court opposing an audit of 2020 election results. Harris County, which includes Houston, was one of four counties the Texas Secretary of State's office named for an audit.
Other counties included were Dallas, Tarrant and Collin.
"In large part, the problem with this is the way in which it lends credence to these conspiracy theories and so that's why I'm proposing this resolution, so we're not lending our credibility to a conspiracy theory," says Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo.
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Hidalgo says Harris County would "do everything we can to fight this in the courts." She says the legislature has said the state would pay for an audit, but that money would still come from public funds.
"It's taxpayer dollars that would go to an audit that is very clearly politically motivated, very clearly corrosive to the democracy we all have built," she says.
Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis says no concerns about election results were brought up until former President Donald Trump asked for the audit.
"We had a regular session. We had a special session. We had another special session, and the issue never came up until President Trump asked Governor Abbott to do it," Ellis says. "It is, in my judgment, a waste of money."
Upon announcing the audit, the Texas Secretary of State's office said, "The purpose of this audit is to ensure all Texas voters can have confidence in the elections systems in our state, and to address any outstanding issues county election officials may face that undermines the integrity of our elections."
Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley, a Republican, said last week the county would be "ready to assist" in an audit but says he does not believe there was widespread fraud. Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins, a Democrat, has called the audit "Trump motivated," saying Abbott and Texas Republicans "will use the time to undermine democracy and work to make it harder for you to vote."
Collin County Elections Administrator Bruce Sherbet issued a statement Monday reading, "Collin County has not been updated on the schedule or processes for the audit yet but we are prepared to assist the state in any way needed."
Donald Trump won Texas 52.1% to 46.5%.
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