Joe Jaworski

Joe Jaworski lives in Galveston, Texas. Jaworski earned a bachelor’s degree in Spanish language and literature from Davidson College in 1984 and a J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law in 1991. His career experience includes owning the Jaworski Law Firm and working as an attorney with Griggs and Harrison, P.C., and Simpson, Beeton, Finegan & Jaworski, L.L.P.[1][2]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I dislike phonies. I don’t lie. I can’t be bought. And my reputation matters to me.

That’s not a campaign slogan. It’s how I’ve lived my life.

I’m a Democrat because I believe open, honest government is a classic American value. Government should tame the savageness of man and make life in this world more gentle, not crueler. That belief guides my work as a lawyer, my service as mayor of Galveston, and my decision to run for Texas Attorney General.

I’ve been a Texas lawyer for more than 30 years. I still practice law full time while campaigning across this state. I return my own calls, texts, and emails because people deserve to know they’re being heard by the person asking for their vote.

I’ve served eight years in public office, fought corruption in my own community, stood up to bullies and racists to deliver first-class public housing for working families, and paid a political price for doing the right thing. I’ve never regretted it.

I’m running because my conscience compels me to put my experience and problem-solving skills to work for 32 million Texans. We deserve better than the daily abuses that now pass for government. If I do my job right, people will see what real public service looks like again.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Affordability - I will create and staff within the OAG a Division of Affordability focused on helping young adult Texans afford the American Dream (graduating debt free, getting a good job that pays good wages, home ownership or affordable rent and starting

a family). Elections - I will create and staff within the OAG a Division of Elections and Voter Encouragement to register every high school senior pursuant to Texas Election Code section 13.046(d) and to reverse decades of voter suppression wrought by GOP/Tea

Party/MAGA Texas politicians.Corruption - I will create and staff within the OAG a Division of Ethics and Integrity which will investigate, and with local District Attorneys will take punitive action to respond to, credible complaints of fraud, corruption

and crime within Texas Government. The Texas AG DEI will also advocate for term limits, campaign contribution limits, independent redistricting commissions and citizen initiated legislation by petition.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

My OAG Division of Affordability will put money back into Texans’ pockets: Collect child support and pay it timely to the conservator parent. Addressing "junk fees": The AG can work to combat the use of excessive

and unnecessary fees in the rental market, which can increase the overall cost of renting. Root out political corruption - that’s the Texas Republican Party “tax” on all working Texans. Fight no bid contracts, expose pay to play politics and hold the legislature

accountable for budget tricks just like they do local governments. Fight vouchers in court, declare them unconstitutional, and make the Texas Legislature suitably fund an efficient system of public education under Article 7 so your local ISD property tax bill is less.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

46 clubs and organizations and 140 individual leaders all over Texas.

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Texans love fighters and that is exactly who Joe Jaworski is.

Joe Jaworski is a third-generation Texas trial attorney and former mayor of Galveston, Texas. Joe’s term as mayor was defined by his unwavering support for and success in rebuilding Galveston’s storm-devastated public housing; a political choice that made a positive difference for thousands of Island residents but cost him a second term.

His family legacy is one of integrity and ethics. Joe’s grandfather Watergate Special Prosecutor Leon Jaworski had the guts to take on President Nixon and Nixon’s corrupt Administration by fighting for justice in our nation’s highest court. Leon Jaworski’s legacy after Watergate - a family value which Joe honors daily - is “no one is above the law.”

This is why Joe is running for Texas Attorney General. In Texas, too many of our public officials think they are above the law. The tearing down of our institutions has led us to lose faith in our democracy. We need someone who can restore integrity to public service in Texas. Someone who chooses right over wrong. Someone who will use our legal system to fight for fairness and justice.

That’s what Joe has done his entire career, as a lawyer and as a mayor. We need an Attorney General with the courage of Joe’s grandfather — the courage to stand up to the politically powerful. Joe is prepared to live up to that legacy.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Legalize adult-use Cannabis in Texas.Enhance, not suppress, legal voting for all Texans.Promote and support local officials' decision-making authority.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Cannabis reform

Consumer protection

Holding health insurers accountable to provide the benefits policy holders expect to receive

Promote, enhance, and not suppress, legal voting for all eligible Texans

What qualities does this office possess that makes it a unique and important part of the state government and legal system?

The Office of the Texas Attorney General affects every Texan. The office is very large, with over 4200 employees and physical branches all throughout Texas, and it is led by The Texas Attorney General, a Constitutional Statewide Executive officeholder. By design, the Texas Constitution puts restrictions on the Texas Governor, and when compared to the powers of other states' Governors, the office of Texas Governor is comparatively a weak office; the Texas Legislature is part time, but the Office of Texas Attorney General is full time and powerful. Accordingly, this office requires great professionalism and discretion. The Texas AG is popularly elected, but an effective Attorney General should act less like a politician, and more like a first class attorney and counselor. The Texas AG has the responsibility to defend the State in Court, and , importantly, he also has the power to initiate litigation, affect policy and effect change in the Courts. As the attorney for the State of Texas, the AG is the people's attorney, not the Governor's attorney, not even necessarily the Legislature's attorney. If there is a law that is passed that is unconstitutional or otherwise illegal, it is the Attorney General's job to declare it so. The OAG is responsible for enforcing child support orders, protecting the public's interest in Charitable Trusts and Foundations, reviewing public finance offerings, drafting legal opinions to resolve unsettled matters of law, resolving Public Information disputes and representing The State of Texas in all courts. Above all, the Texas Attorney General must conduct himself within reasonable norms of behavior, act professionally and politically in a way that is beyond reproach and not be indicted or under FBI investigation. Unfortunately, the incumbent fails all three of these standards.

The National Association of Attorneys General has described the office as being at the "intersection of law and public policy." What does that mean to you?

General John Hill used two key words to describe his duties as Texas Attorney General: "enforcer and protector." Speaking specifically about his office, as well as generally of his colleagues' offices, he said "we enforce laws in many areas, and if we do so consistently and evenhandedly, Attorneys General can protect the public and build respect for the law." The Office of Attorney General offers leadership in common area of legal representation - appearing in court, drafting attorney opinions, offering counselor guidance to state agencies - and the Attorney General as an individual is popularly elected and can lead - as a political thought leaders, as a partisan leader as a statesman. All of these are important components of leadership.

A state's attorney general has many responsibilities. Which of those do you personally consider the most important?

The greatest responsibility of the Texas Attorney General is to know when to sue and when not to sue. Specifically, it all comes down to priorities: If the AG is happy to accept large donations from insurance lobbyists, he might be less inclined to promote the consumer interests of all Texans when it comes to holding property and health care insurers to account. If the AG happily accepts generous donations from special interests he might be less inclined to hold polluters accountable. If he is a rank partisan, selfishly hell-bent on remaining in office, he'll probably sue to block any innovative local leader seeking to expand the legal vote. If he seeks a pardon to stay out of federal prison, he'll likely file a frivolous original proceeding in the United States Supreme Court to overturn the legal, popular vote. All of these examples are real. It is a great shame. It damages the notion of Texas exceptionalism. It is my honor to run to restore integrity to the Office of the Texas Attorney General.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I look up to my grandfather Leon Jaworski. We were very close. I lived with him and his wife Jeanette - my grandmother - during my freshman year of college in Houston, Texas. Before that my grandparents were always a part of all family occasions, holidays and special celebrations. Leon was born in Texas in 1904, two years after his father Reverend Joseph Jaworski and his mother Marie (born and raised in Austria) emigrated from Germany. Reverend Jaworski was a Texas country preacher, who had studied for the Jesuit Priesthood in Poland (he ultimately chose to worship as a Lutheran and embrace a Protestant faith), and he raised Leon and his siblings in a strict environment that required excellence in education and adherence to a strict moral code. I admire my grandfather Leon because he alway put service before self. When WWII broke out my grandfather was too old for the draft, but he enlisted as a JAG officer and ultimately prosecuted dozens of war criminals responsible for murder and torture at Death Camps Auschwitz, Dachau, Hadamar and other locations. Later, Leon served as a special prosecutor for Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy when Mississippi Governor Ross Barnett refused to integrate University of Mississippi. Leon Jaworski held Governor Barnett to account and student James Meredith was admitted. My grandfather again answered his Nation's call when he served as Watergate Special Prosecutor after the Saturday Night Massacre. The lesson of Watergate - when my grandfather took the Nixon Administration to the U.S. Supreme Court - was "No Man is above the Law, not even the President." I visited Leon and Jeanette in Washington, D.C. for a full week in March 1974 (I was twelve and on Spring Break from school), during the height of the Watergate affair, and I witnessed my grandfather's courage daily, and we also enjoyed being together as a family. Like Leon Jaworski, I respect the Rule of Law. Texas deserves an ethical Attorney General who puts integrity first.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Transparency and honesty; authenticity; and true curiousness. Positive leadership requires all of these, and it is even more important to know when to listen and open-mindedly consider opposing views and when to vehemently oppose dangerous thought. For example, in the voting realm: I am eager to understand claims of voter fraud and offer a solution on how to combat voter fraud - given the documented instances we see, but I am opposed to and will righteously fight any effort that claims this fraud is rampant and widespread and is a reason to suppress the public vote. I know the best way to dilute what little fraud exists is to increase legal voting.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I posses a positive, optimistic attitude in all things. I work until the job is done, even if i fail to achieve the objective at first - i persist. I am curious, and i want to hear all sides before determining the path forward. i possess great empathy, and I sincerely wish to help improve the human condition. I am not greedy; i am generous with my resources and time. I am not paranoid, nor do i look to political office to validate my life. I believe in government; i am a fan of good government and good leaders. I am loyal to my wife of 31 years, and I am very proud of my children. I honor my family legacy, The Jaworski name means everything to me, and I will never disgrace it. I will never embarrass Texas.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

The core responsibilities of the Texas Attorney General are as follows: Be a skilled trial attorney and mediator of conflict; be a positive, encouraging leader; be a mentor to young leaders; recruit skilled attorneys of all backgrounds and race; and conduct oneself professionally and personally in a way that is above reproach. This is not meant to be a career or a "forever" job: while one serves as Attorney General one must be a positive leader who serves by example.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I would like to serve as Texas Attorney General for no more than two terms - eight years. I'd like to be remembered as General Jaworski, the Texas AG who focused on enhancing the legal vote, helped Texans achieve certainty in health care outcomes by holding health insurers to account, and hired a highly competent, skilled and diverse leadership council, setting the future standard for all Texas Attorneys General.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Shiny Happy People by REM

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

When I was Mayor of Galveston I was elected without a runoff in a five way race. Victory was sweet. The victory lap was empowering. In office, I had to make some rightful, but largely unpopular choices. One was supporting the rebuild of Galveston Public Housing (all of which had been destroyed by 2008's Hurricane Ike). I boldly appointed a progressive Housing Authority Commission, and as Mayor I often commenting publicly on its work. We courageously pursued the rebuild in the form of mixed income housing, a decision which was the right thing to do, and it cost me my re-election. It was unpopular in some quarters because mixed income triples the number of units (and some saw that as too much, even if all income levels would be represented). I was harassed and threatened by many, and supported by others. There is an HBO show (based on a book of the same name) called "Show Me a Hero" which documents a similar experience from the 1980s in Yonkers, NY. Ultimately, as my housing team proceeded with our plans, I became aware of the likelihood of re-election defeat, and was even offered a "way out" - by abandoning the rebuild, the opposition promised to desist, but I chose to proceed with the rebuild and endure the consequences. I was sorely tested in that experience. I struggled because I was ridiculed by some community members, some who were racists and some who simply had an economic incentive to defeat the rebuild. I made it to a runoff, and was defeated by the challenger who ran on the slogan "HUD out of Galveston." Ultimately, in the face of great federal and legal pressure, my successor relented and grudgingly supported the rebuild. Then, after three years of federal litigation brought by the anti-housing coalition, the opponents were defeated, and groundbreaking and ribbon cutting followed. Now, there are two beautiful neighborhoods - The Cedars at Carver Park and The Villas on The Strand. A third neighborhood is underway. The struggle was hard, but worthwhile.

Campaign website

Jaworski's campaign website stated the following:

As Attorney General I will never embarrass Texas in The Supreme Court of the United States.

I will never file embarrassing frivolous litigation in any court. When we file it will be to win and protect Texans, not to pull a political stunt.

I will support the Affordable Care Act.

That specifically means I will advocate that we expand Medicaid so that billions in Texans’ tax dollars paid to our federal government return to the state to create jobs, insure families and sustain our vital network of rural hospitals.

I will lead a statewide effort to legalize adult-use recreational purpose cannabis.

…in a regulated, pro business free market to create 30,000 direct industry jobs and raise over $1B in revenue for every Texas legislature; to treat veterans’ PTSD and chronic pain and offer a wellness alternative to opioids so Texas can fight a winning war on addiction; to usher in positive and long overdue social and criminal justice reform; and to give police and prosecutors a break from time consuming, wasteful, petty prosecutions and honor their actual scope of work, their skills and valuable resources,saving over $300 million annually to fight real crime.

Sign our petition to legalize cannabis here.

I will create a Texas Attorney General Civil Rights Division to protect the civil rights of all Texans.

The Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the Fair Housing Act of 1968 are the law of the land. Our civil rights are protected by Texas state law as well. As new laws are passed, protected classes are defined and society’s concept of social justice matures, you should be able to count on the Office of the Texas Attorney General to protect civil rights in employment, education, housing, voting, the courts, physical access to accommodations and above all interaction with our criminal justice system. You can expect General Joe Jaworski’s Civil Rights Division to keep the playing field fair for you and your family.

I will support cities, counties, and school districts in their local decision-making authority.

The Republican Party of Texas has declared war on cities and counties – which is outrageous because every Texan lives in a city or a county. It’s like the Republican leadership is hating on our most basic sense of identity: Our hometowns. I say you should get to live where you want – City, suburbs or the country – and enjoy the freedom of choosing a unique place to live and prosper. Texas is big enough for that. As Attorney General I will support local authorities’ innovative governing. Let Abilene be Abilene; let Houston be Houston; let Tyler be Tyler; and let Brownsville be Brownsville.

I will turn Ken Paxton’s wasteful voter fraud division into General Jaworski’s voter access division.

I’ll diligently prosecute what little fraud exists, and I know the best way to guarantee the integrity of each election: make it easier for everyone 18 and older to vote legally. Texans want to vote, but indicted Attorney General Ken Paxton makes it harder for Texans to vote. He says: “No vote by mail, no after hours voting for shift workers, no drive through voting and only one drop box per county!” Ken Paxton is suppressing Republican and Democratic votes. Here’s my message to Ken Paxton: “Don’t mess with Texas voters!”

For more information, read Joe’s op-ed on HB6 here.[3]

—Joe Jaworski's campaign website (2022)[4]