Ron Reynolds (Texas politician)

Ronald Eugene "Ron" Reynolds
Member of the Texas House of Representatives
from the 27th district
Assumed office
January 2011
Preceded by Dora Olivo
Personal details
Born 1973
Jackson, Tennessee, USA
Nationality American
Political party Democratic
Spouse(s) Jonita Bernice Wallace Reynolds
Children 3[1]
Parents

Conrell B. Brown

Glenda Purham-Brown (deceased)
Residence Missouri City
Fort Bend County
Texas, USA
Alma mater Texas Southern University
Texas Tech University School of Law
Occupation Lawyer
Religion Christian[2]
Website www.ronreynolds.org

Ronald Eugene Reynolds, known as Ron Reynolds (born 1973), is an American lawyer and politician in Missouri City near Houston, Texas, who is a Democratic member of the Texas House of Representatives from District 27. He was first elected in 2010.[3][4] Reynolds is also an attorney in private practice with the Brown, Brown & Reynolds law firm. Additionally, Reynolds has served as a Houston Associate Municipal Judge.[5]

In 2015, he was convicted of barratry and was sentenced to one year in jail.[6]

Early life

A native of Jackson, Tennessee, Reynolds is the son of Houston attorney Conrell B. Brown (born 1953) and his wife and fellow attorney, the former Glenda Purham (1956-2011), the oldest of the seven children of the Reverend Louis and Mary Purham. Reynolds was a law partner of both parents until his mother's death. Reynolds has a younger brother, Christopher Brown.[7]

Reynolds holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Texas Southern University in Houston. In May 2000, he received his Juris Doctor from the Texas Tech University School of Law in Lubbock.[8] Reynolds is married to the former Jonita Bernice Wallace, who holds a doctorate in education from the University of Houston and is the chief executive officer of a local Community Action Agency.[9] The couple has three children.[1] Ron and Jonita Reynolds are members of the Brookhollow Baptist Church in Houston.[2][8]

Texas House of Representatives

Elections

2008

Reynolds was narrowly defeated for the seat in the 2008 primary election by the long-term incumbent Dora Olivo of Richmond, Texas. He polled 14,634 (49.7 percent) to Olivo's 14,821 (50.3 percent).[10]

2010

Two years later in the 2010 primary, he unseated Olivo, 5,158 (57.6 percent) to 3,791 (42.4 percent).[11] In the 2010 general election, Reynolds ran without Republican, defeating Libertarian Party nominee Derek Dean Grayson 32,030 (84.6 percent) to 5,812 (15.4 percent).[12]

2012

Reynolds won re-election in 2012, running unopposed in the primary and defeating Republican Kris Allfrey and Libertarian John Henry Petter IV in the general election. Reynolds won 69% of the vote in the general election.[13]

2014

Reynolds easily won his third term to the House in 2014 by defeating Republican pro-life activist David Wayne Hamilton 24,326 (67 percent) to 11,990 (33 percent).[14]

Tenure

In 2012, Reynolds was arrested and charged in Harris County with violating the state barratry law, which forbids the unlawful solicitation of clients by lawyers. Reynolds has twice been suspended from the practice of law by the State Bar of Texas for unprofessional conduct, including a one-year period from 2005 to 2006 and again in 2011.[15][16][17][18]

Texas Monthly magazine in 2013 placed Reynolds on its list of "Worst Representatives." He was arrested again in 2013, this time in Montgomery County, on ten charges of violating the barratry law. He faces potential disbarment and a conviction of a third degree felony punishable by up to ten years in jail and a $10,000 fine. Reynolds requested that his case be removed from Montgomery County; he also alleges that he is a victim of racial discrimination regarding the charges against him.[19][20]

In 2011, the Texas Ethics Commission fined Reynolds $10,000 for failure to submit campaign finance disclosures in 2008 and 2009.[21][22] The office of then Attorney General Greg Abbott sued Reynolds in an effort to collect on the fine. Fifteen health care companies have suits pending against Reynolds for non-payment after the companies had treated his clients and he received settlements for them.[23]

Reynolds is a member of the House Committees on Technology and Environmental Regulation.[8]

Personal

Reynolds is a partner in the firm Brown, Brown, & Reynolds. He is a former president of the NAACP in Missouri City and Fort Bend County and a member of the Houston area chapter of the National Urban League.[8]

References

  1. 1 2 "DISTRICT 26 State Rep. – David Hamilton (Republican), Ron Reynolds (Democrat)". Fort Bend Star. October 28, 2014. Retrieved 13 December 2014.
  2. 1 2 "Ron Reynolds". The Texas Tribune. Retrieved December 12, 2014.
  3. ↑ "Ron Reynolds". Texas Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved December 12, 2014.
  4. ↑ Sudhalter, Michael (September 24, 2014). "Rep. Reynolds' barratry trial begins November 3". Fort Bend Star. Retrieved 13 December 2014.
  5. ↑ "Rep. Reynolds, Ron District 27". Texas House of Representatives. Retrieved 21 November 2013.
  6. ↑ http://www.chron.com/neighborhood/woodlands/news/article/Jury-weighs-punishment-for-Rep-Reynolds-after-6652421.php
  7. ↑ "Linda Purham-Brown obituary". Houston Chronicle. April 15, 2011. Retrieved December 12, 2014.
  8. 1 2 3 4 "Ron Reynolds' Biography". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved December 12, 2014.
  9. ↑ "Jonita Reynolds". jonitareynolds.com. Retrieved December 12, 2014.
  10. ↑ "Democratic primary election returns, March 4, 2008". Texas Secretary of State. Retrieved December 12, 2014.
  11. ↑ "Democratic primary election returns, March 2, 2010". Texas Secretary of State. Retrieved December 12, 2014.
  12. ↑ "Texas general election returns, November 2, 2010". Texas Secretary of State. Retrieved December 12, 2014.
  13. ↑ "2012 General Election". Election Results. Texas Secretary of State. Retrieved 13 December 2014.
  14. ↑ "Texas general election returns, November 4, 2014". Texas Secretary of State. Retrieved December 12, 2014.
  15. ↑ Cooper, Nakia (November 10, 2014). "Judge overturns conviction of state Rep. Ron Reynolds". KPRC. Retrieved 13 December 2014.
  16. ↑ Scott, Brandon (November 10, 2014). "Judge declares mistrial in Rep. Ron Reynolds 'ambulance chasing' case". The Courier. Retrieved 13 December 2014.
  17. ↑ Rocha, Alana (November 10, 2014). "Mistrial Declared in Reynolds' Barratry Case". Texas Tribune. Retrieved 13 December 2014.
  18. ↑ Rogalski, Jeremy (26 March 2013). "State Rep. Ron Reynolds surrenders kickback scheme case". KHOU. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
  19. ↑ Scott, Brandon (November 14, 2014). "Race becomes public issue in State Rep. Reynolds barratry case". Cypress Creek Mirror. Retrieved 13 December 2014.
  20. ↑ Tennissen, Marilyn (25 April 2012). "Texas state rep. named 'Freshman of the Year' jailed on barratry charges". The Southeast Texas Record. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
  21. ↑ Maxey, Elsa (June 29, 2011). "Ethics commission fines State Rep. Ron Reynolds". Fort Bend Star. Retrieved 13 December 2014.
  22. ↑ Wilson, Nanci (June 21, 2011). "Lawmaker fined $10k by ethics panel". KXAN. Archived from the original on June 25, 2011. Retrieved 13 December 2014.
  23. ↑ Sudhalter, Michael (November 10, 2014). "Judge overturns Rep. Reynolds' convictions, new trial set for January". Fort Bend Star. Retrieved 13 December 2014.
Texas House of Representatives
Preceded by
Dora Olivo		 Texas State Representative from District 27 (Fort Bend and Harris counties)

Ronald Eugene "Ron" Reynolds
2011–

Succeeded by
Incumbent
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