EDITORIAL: Funny justice
In a year when candidates everywhere are vowing transparency and honesty in government, we’re disappointed by a state district judge’s handling of a case affirming Brian Birdwell’s eligibility as a bona fide state candidate.
Don’t misunderstand: We’re happy Texas Senate candidate Birdwell is a resident; our concern is the way his case was addressed by his legal forces and Judge William Brigham.
Legal experts surveyed by Tribune-Herald political reporter Michael Shapiro roundly criticized Birdwell’s legal effort to battle claims by opponent David Sibley that Birdwell doesn’t qualify as a district resident. For instance, in his suit pressing for a declaratory judgment on the matter, Birdwell conveniently failed to notify other relevant parties.
Result: Only Birdwell’s side of the case was heard by the judge. Not surprisingly, with only Birdwell’s lawyers presenting evidence, the case went his way. Documents that opponents say would have proved he isn’t qualified to run in this district never saw the light of day.
Among those documents: Virginia voter-registration records that allegedly show Birdwell voted in that state as recently as 2006 — which conflicts with his claims of being a legal Texas resident for five years.
To us, it sounds like a scene out of an old Walter Brennan movie about Judge Roy Bean.
The matter is likely moot by this point. The runoff election between Sibley and Birdwell is a week and a half away. Even so, the matter raises justifiable concerns. We’re behind all who run on the notion of getting back to the Constitution. But we the people owe it to ourselves and our neighbors to scrutinize the actions of candidates and office-holders when such conflicts arise, if only to see that they truly walk the talk.
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