Today, Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare released the following statement in response to the dismissals of two cases and pending dismissal of a third case involving Lina Hidalgo’s former staffers by the Texas Attorney General’s Office:

“For three years, hard-working public servants were exploited in a political battle waged by my predecessor against those she disagreed with. Those accused in these cases had their lives, careers, and reputations upended in pursuit of political conspiracy theories pushed by partisan operatives. From day one of my administration, I promised to turn the page and start a new era in this office by removing politics from prosecution and using evidence and fairness to guide us.

One of my first decisions as District Attorney was to recuse our office from this case, putting any concerns about potential influence to rest. I’m confident that professional career prosecutors, guided by integrity and justice, focused on the evidence in making their decision. I want to thank the Attorney General’s Office for having the courage to follow the evidence. I respect their decision and hope that under my leadership, the Harris County District Attorney’s Office will continue regaining the trust of the communities we serve by focusing our resources on public safety and justice rather than weaponizing the criminal justice system.”