Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott on Monday called for legislation creating a chief state prosecutor to rein in local district attorneys he asserted “refuse to prosecute.”
In a post on X, Abbott highlighted the case of Michael Nnaji, who has reportedly faced 34 cases since 2019 without a single jury trial, including charges tied to an alleged threat this year to massacre elementary school students.
“I am calling for legislation that creates a Chief State Prosecutor to actually prosecute criminals like this that DAs in places like Austin refuse to prosecute. Progressive DAs are literally leading to the murder of Texans,” Abbott stated.
According to community watchdog Austin Justice, seven felony evading arrest cases against Nnaji were dismissed or reduced, along with four burglary charges, while a robbery charge was downgraded to a misdemeanor.
Austin Justice reports that Nnaji was released on bond after allegedly threatening Padrón Elementary students, failed to appear in court, and was later arrested for trespassing on December 3. Prosecutors dismissed the trespassing charge five days later despite him remaining a fugitive.
Travis County District Attorney José Garza, whose campaign received funding from groups linked to George Soros, campaigned on progressive criminal justice reform and prosecuting police misconduct. His tenure has emphasized diversion programs, gun-violence strategies, and victim services, but critics fault missed deadlines, strained police relations, and controversial decisions tied to his Soros-funded campaign network.
Austin Justice notes that Nnaji’s only prison sentence was a two-year plea deal for aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury—a charge that can carry up to 20 years in prison for repeat offenders.
“Those DAs must be held accountable and prosecutorial power must be shifted to actual prosecutors,” Abbott concluded his post.
Mark Swanson is a journalist with nearly three decades of experience covering news, culture, and politics.
