February Meeting – Judge Ted Poe
A Congressman, A Judge, A Pioneer in his Own Time
Please join Village Republican Women on Wednesday, February 27 as we welcome former United States Congressman, Judge Ted Poe.
Poe most recently spent the last 14 years advocating for Texas’ 2nd District in United States Congress. He created the first Victims’ Rights Caucus to advocate for victims of crime and was instrumental in passing legislation that protects our communities and restores victims including the Adam Walsh Child Predator Act, the Kate Puzey Peace Corps Volunteer Protection Act, the SAFER Act, the Violence Against Women Act, and the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act. Poe proudly served on the Judiciary and Foreign Affairs Committees and as Chairman of the Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade Subcommittee.
Before leaving the bench in 2003, Judge Poe was well-known for his innovative punishments – dubbed “Poetic Justice” — that included ordering thieves to carry signs in public places proclaiming their crimes, requiring abusive spouses to publicly apologize on the courthouse steps, sentencing offenders to clean the Houston Police Department horse stables, and ordering murderers to place a photo of their victims on their prison cell wall. Poe believes that individuals convicted of crime are served best by a sentence that teaches the consequences of their actions.
At 32, he was one of the youngest judges ever appointed in Texas. When re-elected, Poe was one of the first Republicans elected to a Texas judicial bench since Reconstruction. He spent over 20 years in the Harris County courthouse, moving more than 20,000 felony criminal cases.
Judge Poe is a graduate of Abilene Christian University and the University of Houston Law Center. He enlisted in the Air Force and also taught at the University of Houston. In his retirement, Poe looks forward to spending time with his wife Carol, his four children and their spouses, and his 13 grandchildren.
~ Deanna Harrington, Programs