Tony Buzbee Explained

Tony Buzbee
Birth Name:Anthony Glenn Buzbee
Birth Place:Atlanta, Texas, U.S.
Spouse:
    Children:4
    Education:Texas A&M University,
    College Station (BS)
    University of Houston (JD)

    Anthony Glenn Buzbee is an American lawyer and political figure. In 2019, Buzbee ran for mayor of Houston, Texas,[1] but lost to incumbent Sylvester Turner. He also ran for Houston City Council in 2023, but lost to incumbent Mary Huffman.

    Early life and education

    Buzbee grew up in Atlanta, Texas, on a farm with his parents and three siblings.[2] Buzbee earned a B.S. in psychology from Texas A&M University and a J.D. from the University of Houston Law Center.[3] Buzbee was the Battalion Commander of the NROTC Midshipman Battalion and a member of the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets.[4]

    Career

    He began his legal career as an attorney at Susman Godfrey LLP in Houston. In 2000, he founded the Buzbee Law Firm.

    Buzbee appeared on the cover of The New York Times magazine in November 2010 regarding his role in the litigation against BP following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The article described him as "one of the most successful trial lawyers in Texas".[5] As of April 6, 2021, Buzbee represents at least twenty-one clients alleging sexual misconduct against NFL Quarterback Deshaun Watson. [6] [7] [8] In 2021, Buzbee filed a $750 million lawsuit against rapper Travis Scott on behalf of 120 victims who died or were injured during the Astroworld Festival crowd crush.[9]

    Buzbee is also a property developer.[10] He owns Buzbee Properties, a real-estate firm focused on various suburbs in the Greater Houston area. He also owns some properties in Florida.[11]

    In 2023, Buzbee was brought on to lead the legal team representing Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in his impeachment trial before the Texas Senate.[12] [13] [14]

    In 2023, Buzbee and Washington Ho started a line of THC-infused seltzers named HoBuzz.[15]

    Buzbee was the lead trial attorney for Rebecca Grossman, who was convicted of second-degree murder in Los Angeles in 2024 after a 2020 hit-and-run that killed two brothers. He had argued that former baseball pitcher Scott Erickson had struck the children first while racing Grossman.[16] [17]

    Politics

    In 2002, Buzbee unsuccessfully ran for the 24th District of the Texas State House as a Democrat, losing to Republican Larry Taylor by 17 points.[18] [19] From August 2003 to April 2005, Buzbee was chair of the Galveston County Democratic Party.[20]

    In 2012, Buzbee supported Rick Perry's presidential campaign with financial support and the use of his private jet. Buzbee also served as one of Perry's debate coaches.[21] [22] In 2016, Buzbee hosted a fundraiser at his River Oaks mansion for then presidential candidate Donald Trump. Later on, following the release of the Access Hollywood tape, Buzbee disavowed Trump and stated his intention to write in veteran Dan Moran for president.[23] Subsequently, Buzbee gave $500,000 to Trump's inauguration committee.[24]

    Houston mayoral run

    On October 30, 2018, Buzbee announced he would be running in the 2019 Houston mayoral election, challenging incumbent Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner on a platform of universal pre-K, infrastructure improvement, crime reduction, and expanding access to 5G broadband.[25] Following the November 5, 2019, election Buzbee garnered 28% of the vote, enough to make it into a runoff with Turner who had 47% of the vote in unofficial returns.[26] Buzbee lost to Turner in the runoff election.[27]

    Houston City Council race

    On August 21, 2023, Buzbee filed to run for the Houston City Council seat for District G.[28] In the general election, Buzbee placed second with 41.31%, advancing to a runoff against incumbent Mary Huffman who earned 49.42% of the vote.[29] Buzbee lost the runoff to Huffman with the latter receiving a little over 56% of the vote.[30]

    Personal life

    Buzbee married Zoe Benson in 1991, and they have four children together.[31] The marriage ended in divorce in 2017.[32] Buzbee became engaged to Frances Moody in 2020,[33] and they were married in 2021.[34]

    In March 2016, Buzbee was arrested in Harris County on charges related to driving while intoxicated.[35] By December, the Harris County District Attorney had dismissed the case, though controversy ensued due to Buzbee completing a year-long probation program in just eight months and his previous financial contributions to the District Attorney's 2014 election campaign.[36] [37]

    The following year, Buzbee garnered public attention for parking a fully operational World War II-era Sherman M4A4 tank, named "Cheyenne," on Houston's River Oaks Boulevard. This incident led to a series of parking citations and a conflict with the River Oaks Property Owners' Association, resulting in the tank's eventual relocation to Texarkana.[38]

    Notes and References

    1. News: Carey. Isiah. Attorney Tony Buzbee announces campaign for mayor of Houston. October 30, 2018. Fox 26. October 31, 2018.
    2. News: Price. Asher. Tony Buzbee, big-city lawyer with small-town roots, leads Perry team. September 17, 2014. Austin Statesman. July 23, 2019.
    3. Web site: Tony Buzbee, '97, named Texas Lawyer's '2015 Attorney of the Year'. November 5, 2015. UHLC. July 23, 2019.
    4. https://www.txamfoundation.com/News/Friendswood-Couple-Commits-3-million-to-Texas-AM-University-Corps-of-Cadets.aspx&ved=2ahUKEwit0YX2ycL6AhX1GDQIHU-AAfEQFnoECCEQAQ&usg=AOvVaw1tA-uKJfJEGZoWylAWDyb4
    5. News: McCollam. Douglas. The Other Oil Cleanup. The New York Times. July 3, 2017. November 4, 2010.
    6. Web site: Robinson . Charles . Alleged details emerge in sexual assault suit against Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson . Yahoo Sports.com . 19 March 2021 . 17 March 2021.
    7. Web site: TMZ Sports Staff . Deshaun Watson Sexual Assault Accuser List Grows, Lawyer Claims 9 Women Coming Forward . TMZsports.com . 19 March 2021 . 18 March 2021.
    8. Web site: De la Fuente . Homero . The number of women suing NFL star Deshaun Watson for alleged sexual assault grows to seven . CNN.com . 19 March 2021 . 19 March 2021.
    9. Web site: Ponder . Erica . Tony Buzbee files $750M lawsuit on behalf of 120 victims of Astroworld Festival tragedy . Click2houston.com . 2 December 2021 . 17 November 2021.
    10. Web site: Tony Buzbee Profile. The Buzbee Law Firm. March 28, 2012.
    11. News: Newpher. Jim. The Law and the Land: Attorney developer Tony Buzbee. March 28, 2012. The Friendswood Journal. September 13, 2011.
    12. News: Weber . Paul J. . Bleiberg . Jake . 7 June 2023 . Texas’ Ken Paxton hires prominent attorney for impeachment trial . . 20 June 2024.
    13. News: Goodman . J. David . Montgomery . David . 12 September 2023 . Titans of Texas Law Clash in Impeachment Trial of Ken Paxton . . 20 June 2024.
    14. Web site: Tony Buzbee says he will lead Ken Paxton's impeachment defense. June 6, 2023.
    15. News: Sandler . Eric . Houston celebs Washington Ho and Tony Buzbee pop open new THC seltzer. 20 October 2023 . Culturemap Houston . 28 August 2023 . en.
    16. Web site: Lloyd . Jonathan . Leong . Tracey . Service • • . City News . 2024-06-10 . Burn foundation co-founder Rebecca Grossman sentenced in crash that killed 2 boys . 2024-07-23 . NBC Los Angeles . en-US.
    17. Web site: 2024-02-22 . Rebecca Grossman’s attorney: ‘This is an accident. This is not a crime’ . 2024-07-23 . Daily News . en-US.
    18. News: Najmabadi . Shannon . Boisterous attorney, political donor Tony Buzbee says he's running for Houston mayor in 2019 . 9 June 2019 . The Texas Tribune . 31 October 2018 . en.
    19. Web site: 2004-08-20. DISTRICT ELECTION ANALYSIS. 2021-07-16. https://web.archive.org/web/20040820215113/http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/par_rpts/current/house/dist24/r8.htm. August 20, 2004.
    20. News: Aulds . T. J. . Buzbee steps down as head of county Dems . 29 June 2019 . The Daily News . 9 April 2005 . en.
    21. News: Holley. Joe. Could Perry have sabotaged himself?. March 28, 2012. Houston Chronicle. November 15, 2011.
    22. News: Maremont. Mark. Campaign to Pony Up for Flight Costs. March 28, 2012. Wall Street Journal. October 20, 2011.
    23. News: Fikac . Peggy . Former Perry lawyer, Tony Buzbee, is done with Trump 'completely' - ExpressNews.com . 9 June 2019 . San Antonio Express-News . 26 October 2016.
    24. News: Sapino Jeffreys . Brenda . Houston Lawyer Tony Buzbee Donated $500,000 to Trump's Inauguration Committee . 15 June 2019 . Texas Lawyer . 26 April 2017 . en.
    25. News: Swartz . Mimi . Could a Loud, Rich, and Scandal-Prone Personal Injury Lawyer Win Control of Houston? . 10 September 2019 . Texas Monthly . 9 September 2019.
    26. News: Sylvester Turner to face Tony Buzbee in runoff for Houston mayor. November 9, 2019. Texas Tribune. November 5, 2019.
    27. Web site: Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner claims easy reelection win in runoff. December 15, 2019.
    28. News: Svitek . Patrick . Tony Buzbee, lawyer for Ken Paxton, running for Houston City Council seat . The Texas Tribune . 21 August 2023 . en.
    29. Web site: Svitek . Patrick . Tony Buzbee, Mary Nan Huffman advance to runoff for Houston City Council race . The Texas Tribune . en . 8 November 2023.
    30. Web site: Tony Buzbee . Ballotpedia . 4 June 2024 . en.
    31. Web site: Bassler . Ilene . Houston's star attorney Tony Buzbee loves battling behemoths . May 10, 2019 . Houston Chronicle . July 23, 2019.
    32. News: Scherer . Jasper . Tony Buzbee loves a good fight. He hopes voters do, too. . 4 December 2019 . Houston Chronicle . 20 September 2019.
    33. News: Tony Buzbee pops the question to Frances Moody on private yacht on her birthday . 24 July 2020 . HoustonChronicle.com . 24 July 2020.
    34. News: Hodge . Shelby . Houston Super Lawyer Sings With a Country Music Star, Throws His Wife the Sweetest Bday Bash — This Is Tony Buzbee In Love . 13 October 2023 . PaperCity Magazine . 8 August 2022.
    35. News: Rogers . Brian . Prominent attorney may land back in court over expunged DWI case . 3 February 2020 . Houston Chronicle . 6 March 2017.
    36. News: Flynn . Meagan . DA Anderson Personally Dismisses DWI Case Against Prominent Houston Attorney . 3 February 2020 . Houston Press . 19 December 2016.
    37. News: Lawyers group questions Houston attorney's DWI dismissal . 3 February 2020 . Albuquerque Journal . Associated Press . 22 December 2016.
    38. Web site: Lomax . John Nova . The Complete Story of the River Oaks Tank . 29 October 2017 . Texas Monthly . 28 October 2023.

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