Texas conservative activist charged after alleged assault

By TERRY WALLACE
Associated Press

A prominent Houston conservative activist has been charged with unlawful restraint and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon over an incident involving a contractor the activist hired. Attorneys for Dr. Steven Hotze say the Harris County District Attorney’s Office told them Wednesday that he’d been indicted over allegations against an ex-police officer retained by Hotze’s nonprofit. They say Hotze is innocent of any crime. The contractor Mark Aguirre was charged in December with assault after a man accused Aguirre of running him off the road and holding him at gunpoint in an effort to prove what authorities have called a bogus voter fraud scheme.