New emails and text messages obtained by KPRC 2 News reveal conversations between Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and her staff with Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo leaders leading up to and after her removal from the Megan Moroney concert.
‘That is a crime’: Texts reveal Judge Lina Hidalgo ’s communications with rodeo officials regarding concert removal Read full article: ‘That is a crime’: Texts reveal Judge Lina Hidalgo ’s communications with rodeo officials regarding concert removal‘I don’t want to go to opioids’: Texans worry about managing chronic pain amid hemp crackdown Read full article: ‘I don’t want to go to opioids’: Texans worry about managing chronic pain amid hemp crackdown SkyWest 6371, operating on behalf of United Airlines, arrives from Seattle-Tacoma.
This used to be a mainline trunk route for United Airlines, but during the gutting of United in the 2000's, it was downgauged to regional jets. Alaska Airlines and Virgin America are the mainline aircraft operators on this route today. N745SK, Bombardier CRJ-700Read full article: United Airlines flight bound for Houston makes emergency landing after engine failure– New emails and text messages obtained by KPRC 2 News reveal conversations between Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and her staff with Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo leaders leading up to and after her removal from the Megan Moroney concert. The relationship between the judge’s office and rodeo officials appeared to have been cordial in the 235 pages of messages KPRC 2 News has reviewed covering communications over the last year.In one text last year, Judge Hidalgo reached out to Rodeo Houston Chairman of the Board Pat Mann Phillips to invite her on a trade mission to Paris. This year, on Sunday, March 8, after the rodeo had been going for about a week, Judge Hidalgo texted Mann Phillips: “Hi! Thinking of you. You’re doing amazing!! Hope you are cherishing amidst the busy. No need to reply.”But then on Wednesday, March 11, after posting about getting kicked out of the Megan Moroney concert on Facebook, Judge Lina Hidalgo sent rodeo leaders a letter about the incident, in which she claimed she’s never felt more “unempowered as a woman” and suggested race or gender may have been the reason behind her removal. The rodeo has said the reason for Hidalgo and her guests’ removal was because they didn’t have dirt-level chute tickets that night and the concert was sold out. Records show the email got sent to the rodeo leaders at 5:07 p.m. that day, and at 6:15 p.m., Hidalgo texted Mann Phillips directly. “Dear Pat Mann, can we please meet tomorrow at your convenience? With Mayor Sample and Licia Green? The father of late Sargeant Saravia may also come? We would like to share how yesterday made us feel,” Judge Hidalgo wrote. The judge continued: “Also, I urgently need the recording from the chute where people watching the show on the dirt walk into the dirt. I need all the angles available. For during the time of the mutton busting all the way until the concert was over. I was manhandled and believe that is a crime.” The following afternoon, on Thursday, March 12, Mann Phillips replied: “Per your request, the video footage is being couriered to you today from Legends Global/HCSCC .” She added a second message: “Lina - Please be advised, the HLSR Executive Committee met earlier today and has voted to revoke your Ex-Officio Director status and its privileges. If you have questions about the video footage you received earlier today, please contact Harris County Sports & Convention Corporation. Formal letter to follow.” Hidalgo didn’t appear to acknowledge the status revocation, but asked Mann Phillips a logistical question about who is in charge of security. Later that Thursday, the judge came to visit NRG Stadium to review the surveillance footage herself, but during a press conference afterwards outside the stadium, said she couldn’t find any relevant footage to support her claims of being shoved and threatened by rodeo security. Before rodeo season got into full swing this year, in January, a rodeo official emailed Judge Hidalgo’s staff with four invitations to the entertainment lineup reveal party, but it’s unclear if Judge Hidalgo attended because her staffer told the rodeo she had previously committed to giving remarks at another event that night. Then in February, rodeo staff reached out to Hidalgo’s staff to schedule a time for Mann Phillips and President and CEO Chris Boleman to drop off Hidalgo’s badge packet. And Mann Phillips and Boleman sent Judge Hidalgo a personalized letter asking her to participate in several “special events” including giving speeches at Armed Forces Appreciation Day and First Responders Day. Texts from 2025 show one of Hidalgo’s top staffers texted a rodeo official: “THANKS so much for all your assistance and support at the show yesterday!! Judge Hidalgo appreciated everything you and your team did to ensure she and her guests had a great time.” The staffer continued, speaking about Judge Hidalgo attending the rodeo again the next night for what appears to have been Post Malone’s debut performance at the Rodeo: “Judge Hidalgo will go directly to suite 324 when she arrives to the stadium. She would like to attend the concert on the dirt again. There will be 6 going to the dirt, including Judge Hidalgo. I will also attend but no need to go to the dirt.” The rodeo official then texted the staffer hours before the concert: “We only have 6 wristbands for the judge for tonight. Someone told 8. We don’t have space for 8. It’s going to be a huge night.” In a statement, rodeo officials told KPRC 2 News Judge Hidalgo received 21 dirt-level premium tickets to three different concerts this year worth a value of nearly $9,000. KPRC 2 News requested records from Judge Hidalgo’s office about the number of free or complimentary rodeo tickets she has received during her time in office and the value of those tickets, but an attorney for the judge said they have no responsive information. In response to a different records request, the Harris County Sports & Convention Corporation, which has a suite available for rodeo shows and Judge Hidalgo has access to, sent KPRC 2 News what the agency calls a disclosure letter. “Our organization is committed to maintaining the highest ethical standards and complying with all laws related to interactions with public officials. In the event you are required to disclose items you receive by way of this invitation , we are providing you with the value of these items,” the letter reads. For the Megan Moroney concert, the suite ticket has a listed fair market value of $100, a VIP parking pass valued at $25, and a food and beverage value of $100. Whether Judge Hidalgo or her staff received any disclosure letters, similar to the one KPRC 2 News received in the records request, is not clear. We have asked Hidalgo’s office for clarification. After the nearly week-long conflict with the rodeo, Hidalgo said she was moving forward from it and wished everyone a safe rodeo season before she left the country on a trade mission to Germany, Portugal, and The Netherlands.Bryce Newberry joined KPRC 2 in July 2022. He loves the thrill of breaking news and digging deep on a story that gets people talking.Big City Wings, Big City DEALS | How to save $$$ on your next night out with Houston Life DealsNiños estaban afuera. Familias reunidas. Y de repente… disparos. 🚨DNA leads to arrest in 'Lovers Lane' Houston cold case after 36 yearsGet Hungry, Astros Fans! Reviewing the TASTY new food options coming to Daikin Park this yearRare guest alert! ⚠️We love when Chantell Preston stops by Studio B with the best advice and laughsHere's what 2 Investigates is learning about the future of electricity bills at CERAWeek
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