May 6, 2008, 11:20PM
Cost to county is expected to be $270,000 a year

By LIZ AUSTIN PETERSON
Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle

On the heels of unprecedented scrutiny of the Harris County District Attorney's Office, interim District Attorney Ken Magidson won approval from Commissioners Court on Tuesday to create a public information office at a cost of about $270,000 a year.

In documents submitted to the court, Magidson said the office's current policy of allowing investigators and assistant district attorneys to talk directly with the media has become difficult to supervise. He described his plan for a public information attorney and public information officer to serve as the "face and voice" of the office in his absence and said they would serve as the liaison between the news media and the staff.

Magidson insisted Tuesday that the change would not restrict the flow of information, even as his general counsel, who is acting as the office's spokesman until the division is created, said access to assistant district attorneys would be limited.

Read the entire article HERE [1].