County Attorney Sues to Force Judge Out of Office; He Calls Her Incompetent
No, we’re not talking about Maricopa County, Ariz., but Williamson County, Texas.
But for that detail, however, and a different cast of actors, the drama being played out is much the same: A county attorney struggles for power with the county commissioners, battling for control in the courts and, on occasion, provoking a judge to take the gloves off.
Now targeted by County Attorney Jane Duty in a lawsuit seeking to force him from office, Judge Dan Gattis has fired back, saying that he has done nothing wrong and pointing the finger at her, reports the Austin American-Statesman’s WillCo Wired blog.
“I have always held myself to the highest of ethical standards and openness and will continue to do so,” he tells the newspaper. “Ms. Duty’s incompetence and pursuit of a politically motivated agenda has caused the loss of confidence in her office by me and numerous other public officials.”
Duty didn’t return a call from the newspaper yesterday seeking comment. However, she accuses the judge in the suit of incompetence and official misconduct for bringing in outside lawyers to represent the county without, she says, obtaining requisite approval from the commissioners.
She sued the commissioners earlier, also concerning a decision to retain outside counsel.
Related coverage:
ABA Journal: “The Maricopa Courthouse War”
ABAJournal.com: “Paper: War Over $340M Court Tower Threatens Rule of Law in Ariz. County”
ABAJournal.com: “Unprecedented DOJ Suit Seeks Documents From Sheriff Joe Arpaio for Civil Rights Probe”
ABAJournal.com: “Report Says Ex-Maricopa Co. Attorney and Aide Should Be Disbarred, Alleges Conspiracy Against Judge”
