A former FBI informant, turned candidate for political office, says the system he tried to help clean up has now turned against him. Sidney Johnson, a scrap-metal business owner in Waller, lost a May election for city council by just five votes. He now wonders if the city secretary in town played a role in ensuring that he didn’t win.

Johnson is well known in Waller County for helping the FBI bring charges against five former public officials for corruption and bribery. Among those brought down with Johnsons help include former Justice of the Peace DeWayne Charleston and former Brookshire Mayor Keith Woods.

Johnson said that he faced the wrath of county officials after those charged plead guilty. He claims he had a rattlesnake placed in his vehicle as well as numerous incidents of property damage and anonymous threats. He also lost business over the matter - business that was supplied by many of the government entities in Waller County.

“I used to hire a lot of people and did a lot of business (with local government),” Johnson said. “Now there isn’t anything.”

“If I had it all over to do again I don’t think I would.”

Johnson believes the vindictiveness has extended to his own race for political office. Johnson and Waller Mayor Danny Marburger have taken voter complaints to the FBI. The complaints allege intimidation and being denied the right to vote. The FBI refused to say if an investigation into the allegations was underway.

Many of the allegations involve Waller City Secretary and election chief Jo Ann London. Johnson believes that London has it out for him.

“Her first deal with me was with the Juneteenth celebration,” Johnson said.

Johnson claims that when he tried to receive a permit to hold the annual Juneteenth celebration he also asked for the city to help mow the lot where the celebration was to be held. He says that London threatened him and ran him out of city hall.

The allegations claim that London did not offer provisional ballots to voters whose eligibility was questioned, as well as that she placed several cameras hidden in smoke detectors in city hall, one being in a room where early voting is held.

Johnson wonders if those cameras were used to see how citizens voted during the election.

“I had about 100 people in my yard waiting for the results to come in and they all said they voted for me,” he said. “I worked hard and got people to vote who never had before. It just doesn’t make sense.”

“Everybody was coming to me saying ‘they cheated you’,” Johnson said. “I believe that everybody who voted early she had video of.”

The cameras were found after Marburger received some information about city employees who felt like they were being watched.

Marburger refused to comment for the story, but did say council held an executive session on Aug. 25 regarding the issue, without him present.

Other city officials also refused comment and instead issued a press release which confirmed the presence of cameras in city hall, as well as an ongoing federal investigation.

“The council, by formal motion, so expressed its full support for (London), the Chief of Police and all of the city staff,” the release stated.

Emails reviewed by the Tribune confirm discussion about the camera issue among city officials. On Sept. 2 the Tribune made several public information requests regarding city communications on the matter. The city has 10 days by law to respond or dispute the request.

Johnson says this isn’t about sour grapes, but it is about fairness.

“I’m not crying - if I lost I lost,” he said. “I just want to make sure it’s right because I see the heartache in town, people with their lights turned off, asking to borrow food and I want to help.”

Photo By Caleb Harris

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