State District Judge Belinda Hill, the administrative judge who oversees Houston’s criminal courts, said the investigative agency called and asked for a prosecutor pro tem to assist its investigation.

Hill said she is mulling the request and could rule as soon as Friday.

Lykos had called the news conference to talk about a new initiative to cut down on “public assistance” fraud.

Something not on the press conference agenda — questions about whether the D.A.’s office tried to investigate members of a grand jury looking into the D.A.’s office and those blood alcohol testing vans.

When a reporter fired off a question about the “Texas Rangers” and FBI looking into that, Lykos fired back and then walked out of the room.

A spokeswoman at the Department of Public Safety confirmed the request was made of State District Judge Belinda Hill on Thurday afternoon.

We first reported last week the Rangers were investigating the office and that the DA herself claims to have requested the probe. Now Pat Lykos issued her first public statement about the issue she once said she knew nothing about.

Mike Anderson will work with local police who are sworn to serve, protect and defend the public to ensure that public safety is maintained and justice is done.

News reports continue to deliver bad news to the people of Harris County that the incumbent District Attorney is leading the office on a destructive course.  Public trust and confidence erodes with the passing of each day.

This lack of leadership cannot be allowed to continue.

It is hard to imagine how a convicted cop killer could use the DA’s troubles to stop his re-sentencing, but Carl Buntion is trying.

Buntion killed Houston Police Office James Irby in 1990 and was sent to death row. Appeals courts, though, ruled his original jury didn’t have enough information on Buntion’s mental illness and troubled childhood and ordered a re-sentencing. A new jury is almost seated.