HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Attorneys for Fort Bend County Judge KP George say secret recordings and messages support their allegations of misconduct by District Attorney Brian Middleton, who is prosecuting George on charges of money laundering and misrepresentation of identity.
The latest filings escalate what has already become a deeply contentious criminal case involving two of the county’s top elected officials.
In documents submitted this week, George’s legal team accuses Middleton of prosecutorial misconduct and politically motivated retaliation. They want the case dismissed, or at least for Middleton and his office to be disqualified. They contend that messages and recordings, expected to be played in court next month, show Middleton approving fake social media posts tied to the scandal and expressing personal hostility toward George. The defense further alleges that Middleton deleted potential evidence and allowed key portions of a proffer interview with a witness to be erased.
The case centers on testimony from former George staffer Taral Patel, who reached a plea deal in April after admitting to creating fake Facebook posts intended to influence an election. Patel implicated George, leading to charges that the county judge misrepresented an identity and laundered money. George has repeatedly denied wrongdoing.
In one example cited in the filings, George’s attorneys reference a transcript of a secretly recorded phone call in which Middleton allegedly told Patel he “liked” one of Patel’s fabricated posts. Other messages included in the filings show the district attorney using derogatory language to describe George. The defense also claims that roughly three minutes from Patel’s three-hour proffer interview were deleted, minutes they say included statements linking Middleton to Patel’s activities.
The Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office rejected the allegations, calling them inaccurate and lacking evidence. Prosecutors say they have financial records and witness testimony demonstrating that George underreported his campaign account balance and later embezzled more than $45,000. They also argue that George’s attorneys “cherry-picked” portions of the materials the DA’s office previously provided.
In a statement, the office described the new claims as “the same tired argument” and “another desperate attempt…to smear anyone (especially the Fort Bend County District Attorney) through allegations that are baseless and inaccurate.”
George was indicted in September of last year. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for mid-December.
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