The Texas Ethics Commission (TEC) may have overstepped its authority in 2010 when it levied a record $100,000 fine against Court of Criminal Appeals Presiding Judge Sharon Keller for multiple omissions in her 2007 and 2008 personal financial statements.
According to a Nov. 8 letter ruling by 419th District Judge Orlinda Naranjo in Sharon Keller v. Texas Ethics Commission, the only available penalty under Texas Government Code §571.173 for a violation of a law regarding a personal financial statement (PFS) is $5,000.
