Houston lobbyist death follow-up

Since I posted on this when it happened, I figured I should follow up.

The death of Houston lobbyist Ross Allyn is officially now being ruled homicide.

No kidding. This guy had some "legal trouble" in the past, too. And a "secretive lifestyle". That second article has a little different tone to the previous legal trouble than the first one does, which leaves the details untold.

Allyn was devastated in 1997 when he and five politicians were indicted over allegations they schemed to steer a contract on a $155 million city hotel and convention center so that it would ensure certain "minority contractors" got a piece of the action. The "contractors" were undercover FBI operatives.

Allyn was very proud when U.S. District Judge David Hittner dismissed charges against him at the midpoint of their 1998 trial, saying prosecutors had not proved their case. Reyes and former Port Commissioner Betti Maldonado were convicted of bribery. Prosecutors declined to pursue charges against three council members, Castillo, Michael Yarbrough and John Peavy, after two hung juries ended in mistrials.

It also provides this bit:

He parlayed his status as an aggressive yet ethical lobbyist to win contracts for Houston tow truckers, sexually-oriented businesses and homebuilders, among others. This month, Allyn helped Paradies IAH-LLC win a 10-year, $178 million retail contract at Bush Intercontinental Airport.

Okay, but the top article linked had said this:

After his acquittal, Allyn returned to Houston City Hall as a lobbyist against sexually oriented businesses.

Take a deep breath. And just believe what you want, or narrow your concerns to your hometown, because trying to get any "news you can count on" - whose tag line is that? - is about as easy as walking through walls. In theory, it can be done.

....but hey, do what you want....you will anyway.