Texas AG Ken Paxton sues Harris County over guaranteed income program 'Uplift Harris'

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit on Tuesday against Harris County, claiming it “illegally implemented a lottery-based handout program.”

The video above is from a previous report.

The program the lawsuit is referring to is called Uplift Harris, the county’s guaranteed basic income pilot program that provides $500 per month to low-income families.

READ MORE: Harris Co. commissioners approve ‘Uplift Harris’ program, OK fight over election restrictions

According to the lawsuit, the county is violating the Texas Constitution by redistributing $20.5 million it received through the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act to be used for COVID-19 relief initiatives. It also claims the selection of recipients is “inherently arbitrary.”

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, Commissioner of Harris County Precinct 1 Rodney Ellis, and Commissioner of Harris County Precinct 2 Adrian Garcia are among the defendants listed in the lawsuit.

“This scheme is plainly unconstitutional,” Paxton said. “Taxpayer money must be spent lawfully and used to advance the public interest, not merely redistributed with no accountability or reasonable expectation of a general benefit. I am suing to stop officials in Harris County from abusing public funds for political gain.”

Read the full lawsuit here:

Harris County Attorney Christian D. Menefee will represent the defendants in the suit, the county said.

“This lawsuit is nothing more than another attack on Harris County government by Republican state leaders looking to make headlines,” Menefee said in response to the lawsuit. “This program is about helping people in a real way by giving them direct cash assistance-something governments have always done. I cannot for the life of me understand why any public servant would be opposed to that.”

County officials said the state is seeking an immediate ruling to block Harris County from beginning to make payments under the program.

The hearing for that decision is said to take place in the next few weeks.

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SEE PREVIOUS COVERAGE:

2,000 families could be getting extra cash every month with Harris County Uplift Program

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