▁years ▁his ▁name ▁was ▁syn onymous ▁with ▁political ▁cor ruption ▁in ▁the ▁Houston ▁area . ▁ ▁E ck els ' ▁uncle , ▁Paul ▁Gl enn ▁" B uck " ▁E ck els , ▁Sr . ▁( 1 9 3 1 - 2 0 1 1 ), ▁for ▁many ▁years ▁owned ▁the ▁Law y ers ▁Title ▁In sur ance ▁Company ▁of ▁Houston . ▁ ▁E ck els ▁graduated ▁from ▁Houston ▁Christian ▁High ▁School , ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Houston , ▁and ▁the ▁South ▁Texas ▁College ▁of ▁Law ▁in ▁Houston . ▁He ▁currently ▁practices ▁law ▁with ▁H usch ▁Black well . ▁He ▁is ▁also ▁the ▁president ▁of ▁Texas ▁Central ▁High - Speed ▁Railway , ▁also ▁called ▁L one ▁Star ▁High ▁Speed ▁Rail . ▁He ▁was ▁formerly ▁affili ated ▁with ▁Ful br ight ▁& ▁J aw or ski ▁in ▁Houston . ▁ ▁His ▁wife , ▁the ▁former ▁Jet ▁W ink ley ▁( born ▁c . ▁ 1 9 5 7 ), ▁was ▁a ▁lo bb y ist ▁for ▁the ▁Metropolitan ▁Trans it ▁Author ity ▁while ▁she ▁and ▁E ck els ▁were ▁engaged ▁and ▁he ▁was ▁a ▁state ▁legisl ator . ▁E ck els ▁said ▁that ▁because ▁of ▁their ▁relationship ▁he ▁avoided ▁spons oring ▁trans it ▁authority ▁b ills . ▁The ▁couple ▁has ▁a ▁daughter , ▁Kir by ▁E ck els . ▁ ▁Political ▁life ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 2 ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁twenty - five , ▁E ck els ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁first ▁of ▁his ▁six ▁terms ▁in ▁the ▁House . ▁At ▁the