AUSTIN, Texas — The Travis County District Attorney’s office has finally released records related to a secret request for tax money to enhance security at DA José Garza’s house.
The KVUE Defenders have been working to get the records since reporting on the money in August. Thursday’s move is the most transparency seen from Garza’s office in the past few months.
The heavily redacted purchase order shows about $65,000 worth of work at Garza’s home. The county blacked out most of the details about what the money was used for and who it was paid to.
Garza’s office is still fighting the release of further information, citing safety concerns. Thursday’s release included screenshots of social media posts and a handwritten note that clearly stated a death threat if Garza didn’t resign.
Per county policy, the DA’s office said any enhancements made to Garza’s home will be removed once he leaves office and returned to the county.
However, it’s unclear what will happen with the rest of the money. Travis County commissioners approved $115,000, and records show about $65,000 of that has been spent, leaving another $50,000 unaccounted for.
In addition to the money spent on his home, Garza also mobilized a team of Travis County constables to sit in front of his house every night and on weekends for months. Dispatch logs obtained by the KVUE Defenders show deputy constables have been performing a special security assignment outside Garza’s home almost nightly since February.
The county has declined to provide information about the cost of that effort.