Remember the African Art that was being stored in a Harris County maintenance shed by Commissioner Rodney Ellis at the expense of taxpayers? We are still tracking the latest updates on whether it will be sold or not.

Campaign dollars are being used for criminal defense attorneys is a practice KPRC 2 Investigates first encountered during our investigation into over one thousand pieces of African Art being stored in a Harris County maintenance shed.

Over four-and-a-half years after KPRC 2 Investigates exposed well over a thousand pieces of African Art from a private art collection that was being stored in a Harris County maintenance shed, the art is set to be sold to the highest bidder on Thursday.

KPRC 2 Investigates uncovered the secretly stored art in a Harris County maintenance shed. Hundreds of thousands of dollars were spent to makeover the shed and store art under the control of Commissioner Rodney Ellis.

This week, Host Khambrel Marshall sits down with newly-elected and fifth-generation Texan Morgan Luttrell from the 8th Congressional District. He tells Marshall that although he is ready to lead his district, he’s also weighing in on several topics such as the nation’s support to Ukraine amid the Russian-Ukraine war.

A Harris County grand jury declined to criminally charge Commissioner Rodney Ellis in the African art case.

Friday’s announcement of proposed Senate Bill 252 comes after Channel 2 Investigates first exposed secret massive art collection being warehoused on the taxpayers’ dime, “Legally what this bill means is that I don’t think that what Precinct One Commissioner is doing is legal. I don’t think you can take a private Art collection, house it, spend public money, do private tours, I don’t think that is the right thing under the Texas Code,” said Bettencourt. The state senator out of District 7 doesn’t believe the actions taken by Ellis and his office is legal. Bettencourt said this bill is to ensure accountability at the state level if the Ogg’s office does nothing. Bettencourt indicated he cannot speak to federal operations, but he can speak to the state and its laws.