Pasadena’s Civil Service Commission won’t investigate whether Assistant Police Chief James Holt was legally eligible for the job, but a lawsuit challenging his appointment is moving forward.
Five lieutenants are asking a judge to determine whether Holt was eligible for the assistant chief position after leaving the police department to become Mayor Thomas Schoenbein’s chief of staff.
The commission did not explain why it chose not to investigate the appointment. Chair Blair McClure declined to do an interview with us or give comment.
FIRST REPORT: Pasadena council members call for police leadership changes as 5 lieutenants sue over assistant chief appointment
Holt defended his record with the department while declining to discuss the specifics of the pending litigation.
“As you know, with the pending litigation, I’m not allowed to answer any specific questions, but what I will tell you that, you know I’ve served the city admirably and continuously in our police department for nearly three decades. Up until this point, this has been a one sided campaign of misinformation and we’re excited for the facts to come out and for the truth to come,” Holt said.
Pasadena Police Chief Raul Granados also expressed support for Holt, describing the allegations and criticism surrounding the appointment as a campaign against the assistant chief.
“I stand with Assistant Chief Holt. Okay, this has been a terrible campaign against him. We know that the facts are going to come out, and this is an opportunity for the, this is the beginning of that,” Granados said.
Granados added that Holt’s years of service were not in question.
“He has served this department for 30 years admirably and continuously, and that is not a question,” Granados said.
Attorney says commission had authority to investigate
Scott Poerschke, the attorney representing the five lieutenants, criticized the commission’s decision, arguing that it had the authority to examine the circumstances surrounding Holt’s appointment.
“The Civil Service Commission certainly has the investigatory power to get into the issue here. They have the ability to investigate it, they have the ability to subpoena, and they’ve declined not to do that, which is really quite a travesty in my mind,” Poerschke said.
Poerschke emphasized that the commission’s decision would not stop the legal challenge.
According to Poerschke, the lieutenants are concerned about compliance with the law and the city’s civil service requirements.
“They’re upset about this. They’re police officers, and so they believe in following the law. And the law in this case on the civil service rules very plainly and clearly state what must happen for these appointments to happen. And so my clients are attempting to follow the law, they want the law to be followed, and they want a lot to be honored,” Poerschke said.
He also said the five officers intend to remain with the department.
“They will continue to serve the people of this city. They have no intention of leaving,” he said.
Court record: Five lieutenants challenge Holt’s appointment
The lawsuit cites Section 143.014(d) of the Texas Local Government Code, which it says requires a person appointed to the assistant chief classification to be employed by the municipality’s police department as a sworn police officer and to have at least two years of continuous service in that department as a sworn police officer.
According to court records, then-Police Chief M.P. Jackson appointed Holt assistant chief on April 13, 2026. The lawsuit alleges that Holt was serving as the mayor’s chief of staff the previous day.
“On April 13, 2026, then-Chief of Police M.P. Jackson purported to appoint James R. Holt to the position of Assistant Chief of Police,” the lawsuit states. “On April 12, 2026 – the day before – Mr. Holt was the Mayor’s Chief of Staff.”
The lawsuit also points to police department records that allegedly document Holt’s departure from the department on July 7, 2025, as a “Resignation.”
The lieutenants argue that Holt’s departure interrupted the continuous service required by state law, making him ineligible for the appointment. They further contend that he did not have a classified rank to which he could return.
“Holt had no classified rank to return to,” the lawsuit states, arguing that “the appointment was therefore made without legal authority.”
The court filing also includes internal communications involving police department leadership and correspondence concerning an effort to have the Civil Service Commission review Holt’s eligibility.
According to the lawsuit, Jackson sent a memo to department commanders and lieutenants announcing his intention “to select two commanders from within the rank of Commander/Lieutenant within the Pasadena Police and appoint them to the position of Assistant Chief of Police.”
The filing also includes emails related to a request for the commission to review whether Holt could legally be appointed. The lawsuit says the lieutenants’ attorney contacted the city about the issue in April and includes an email in which the city’s human resources director forwarded the request to McClure.
The commission’s decision not to investigate leaves the dispute to proceed through the court system, where a judge will be asked to determine whether Holt’s appointment complied with the applicable civil service requirements.
