Eversole resigns amid legal battle

HOUSTON – Beleaguered Precinct 4 Commissioner Jerry Eversole submitted his resignation to County Judge Ed Emmett’s office Monday, and according to his letter he will be officially step down Oct. 1.

Eversole represents approximately one million residents in Harris County, including the Huffman area. He has been in the office for six consecutive terms, having been elected to his final term in 2010.

The commissioner has been in and out of court for months facing corruption charges, brought from allegations that he accepted money and gifts from a friend in return for providing contracts to companies his friend, Michael Surface, was financially involved. His latest court appearance resulted in a hung jury and a mistrial, but he is due back in court in October. Eversole has always denied any wrongdoing.

Eversole has faced criminal charges in the past as well; in 1993 he was charged with perjury and unlawful record keeping, but those charges were dropped. He was also fined $75,000 by the Texas Ethics Commission in 2009 for violating campaign finance laws.

“It has been my absolute pleasure to serve the voters of Harris County since 1991,” said Eversole in his resignation letter. “I am very proud of all we’ve accomplished for the county and its residents in those many years.”

Judge Emmett will select an individual to take Eversole’s seat in the interim.