Well, Tex, sure there is more out there about your Justice of the Peace friend. There is more to come after I give you these first two links. The rest of us are getting to know him pretty well.
This justice of the peace ran unopposed and won by default in 2008.
Then, he got investigated for false campaign filings by the election commission:
http://montgomerytx.countymonitor.com/files/2009/05/tec_moriarty_reso.pdf
IV. Findings and Conclusions of Law
1. Failure to Properly Disclose Political Contributions
2. Failure to Properly Disclose Political Expenditures
3. Failure to Properly Disclose Contributions Maintained
4. Accepting Corporate Contributions (illegal)
V. Representations and Agreement by Respondent
By signing this order and agreed resolution and returning it to the commission:
1. The respondent neither admits nor denies the facts described under Section III or the commission’s findings and conclusions of law described under Section IV, and consents to the entry of this order and agreed resolution solely for the purpose of resolving this sworn complaint.
2. The respondent consents to this order and agreed resolution and waives any right to further proceedings in this matter.
________________
From a bio on himself:
http://www.texas-ec.org/members/localpages/midsouth/mids0207.pdf
“As a people’s court, many of the cases are rather informal in nature and can be handled as such,” said Judge Moriarty. “I try to be open and honest with an attitude that says I care.”
With a successful tenure in law enforcement including 21 years with the Houston Police Department and 10 years with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department, Judge Moriarty reminds himself daily, “I am a human first and a law enforcer second.”
“Since the day I decided to run for office, I have always believed in helping my fellow citizens through the law and common decency,” Moriarty said.
“Putting in a full day as a JP requires a mental focus that rivals a lot of the physical exhaustion that I have experienced in other work.”
“Our society is getting more litigious,
turning the people’s court into the lawyers’ court,” Moriarty said.
Other trends that judges must face are the continuing decline of parental guidance and reponsibility. “We are seeing too many parents serving as
their children’s friends and not their parents,” Moriarty said.
Sounds like somebody must have had the riot act read to them....