By Jennifer Bendery, GalleryWatch.com
Austin, TX –
Rep. Will Hartnett (R-Dallas) will submit his Master of Discovery report regarding the Talmadge Heflin-Hubert Vo election contest to the House Select Committee on Election Contests no later than Monday, Feb. 7, according to Committee Chair Rep. Terry Keel (R-Austin). Keel said the report will be made available to all House members at that time and taken up in an Election Contests Committee hearing on Tuesday, Feb. 8, at 9 a.m.
In Tuesday's hearing, Hartnett will present his report to the committee before rejoining the committee panel. Attorneys for Vo and Heflin then will be allowed to present their cases and apply the law to the evidence. After the arguments are over and deliberated, the committee will bring the report to the House floor. Keel said the report should be ready by Thursday, Feb. 10, for the House floor proceedings.
Keel asked House members for permission for the committee to meet on Tuesday while the House is in session. There were no objections to his request.
Former Rep. Heflin was one of three Republicans to file an election challenge following the November, 2004, General Elections. Heflin, a longtime House member who was serving as chair of the House Appropriations Committee, lost by 32 votes. Last week, attorneys for Vo and Heflin presented two days of arguments before Hartnett regarding the legality of more than 200 votes cast in that election. Hartnett's report will focus on his findings from that testimony and his recommendations to the committee.