FORNEY, Texas – The race for Kaufman County Precinct 2 commissioner is now a personal affair after negative political mailers hit mailboxes precinct-wide claiming two-term Commissioner Ray Clark's influence resulted in the dismissal of criminal cases involving a family member accused of child molestation.
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Three candidates are vying for the commissioner position: Incumbent Ray Clark; 2010 candidate Skeet Phillips; and newcomer Jon Foster. Each candidate has run the typical campaign with fliers, cards, signs, and even a social media presence.
The mailers depict a doctored image of Commissioner Clark next to a Kaufman County jail book-in photo of Stoney Adams and states, "Stoney Adams evades child molestation charges for the seventh time. Children ages 5-17 reportedly sexually abused by Kaufman County Commissioner Ray Clark's nephew." A search of Kaufman County criminal records reveals the following criminal history for Adams: an assault which was dismissed; a sexual assault case and an indecency with a child case both of which were dismissed due to his conviction for injury to a child, elderly, disable with intent to commit bodily injury; and two charges of criminal trespass.
Adams was later indicted on September 16, 2013, for a sexual assault charge. The mailer alleges Commissioner Clark's “powerful position in Kaufman County could allow certain clout over the judicial system, and if need be, could potentially allow a person in this position of power to sway the outcome of a trial.”
According to the mailer, the ad was paid for by "My Right To Know" of Austin, Texas. Their website domain is registered to Michael Hendrix of Precise Agency – an ad agency which also represents Phillips in his campaign. Its managing director is former Rep. Ben Campbell (R-Carrollton) according to online records.
Backlash on the ad came the very next day in the form of a robo-call to area households from Forney Mayor Darren Rozell which stated: “Good evening, this is Mayor Darren Rozell. I'm calling about the vulgar flyer you may have received today from Skeet Phillips and his special interest backers who are trying to unseat our conservative county commissioner, Ray Clark. I think it's shameful that Skeet has resorted to character assassination and Obama-style tactics just to try and win an election. The truth is Skeet Phillips' main supporter is a convicted felon from down around Austin who's paying for all of these negative attacks. It makes you wonder why a felon from Austin would care so much about our county commissioner and what Skeet might have in store for us if he gets elected. Well, I don't know the answer to those questions, but I do know that Ray Clark is a good Christian man and a strong conservative. So join me at the polls on Tuesday and let's keep him working hard for us at the courthouse.”
According to an article in The Statesman published in 2010, Campbell was convicted of federal charges involving a bank loan. Campbell also previously worked for former Representative Betty Brown, R-Terrell.
When contacted by inForney.com, Phillips did admit to meeting with members of the family of the alleged victims. However, Phillips denies any involvement in the mailer. “I gave her the name of somebody they could get a hold of and they would help her ... and that's where it went from there. I never saw it again, I never touched it again, I never talked to them, I never approved a single thing, I never even saw it, and that was it,” he said. “When it came out, it was like just a big shock to me as it was to everyone else.”
Phillips also also denies receiving any special interest money or funding from political action committees.
Local attorneys Wade Gent and Casey Blair, two candidates of four vying for the judge seat in the 86th District Court where the Adams case is set to be held, responded to a request for comment on the matter, given their involvement in court system in Kaufman County.
Blair responded by saying there is no way for a commissioner to influence the outcome of a case. “To be able to do so on the scale that was suggested [in the the mailer,] you would have to incorporate not only the court but the DA and, of course, the law enforcement agency that filed the case,” said Blair. “That would be something on a scale you just couldn't keep quiet.”
Gent's reply was along those same lines, “The notion that a County Commissioner could have any control over individual cases in District Court is ridiculous. Anyone who makes that allegation shows a complete lack of understanding of how county government works, and insults the integrity of the Judge, the attorneys on both sides, and frankly the entire criminal justice system. It is sad that politics in Kaufman County has deteriorated to this level.”
Commissioner Clark responded to the allegations saying, “I am sickened that our political system has reached a level that is this low. It seems that activity such as this will only keep good people from striving to improve the quality of life in Kaufman County.”
Stoney Adams' defense attorney, Scott Gray, a partner at Guest & Gray of Forney, sent inForney.com this statement concerning the flyer:
“Like many other citizens of Kaufman County, I recently received a flyer regarding Stoney Adams and his relationship to Ray Clark. I was deeply disturbed by the contents of said flyer as its assertions were misleading to say the least.
My law firm has represented Stoney Adams for some time. While Mr. Adams is distantly related to Mr. Clark by marriage (not his nephew as the flyer states), they are not close family members. In fact, it wasn't until I received the flyer that anyone at Guest & Gray was aware they were distantly related. Throughout our representation of Mr. Adams his distant relationship to Mr. Clark has never been mentioned in any conversations with prosecutors, court staff, judges, or anyone else having anything to do with the prosecution of his cases. His current case was set for announcement on February 19th, and (like hundreds of other cases throughout the State of Texas) it was reset by the court so both parties could investigate the matter further.
The flyer's assertions that Ray Clark has used any influence he may have for the benefit of Stoney Adams is categorically false. Everyone in the District Attorney's Office, 86th District Court, and the County Court at Law have behaved with the utmost professionalism and with justice as their primary concern. The only powerful help that been afforded to Mr. Adams are his rights under the constitutions of The United States of America and the State of Texas.”
An announcement in the most recent Adams case for sexual assault is scheduled for April 9, 2014, in the 86th District Court of Kaufman County.
5,615 people voted in early voting, according to Kaufman County Chief Deputy of Elections Teressa Floyd. Early voting numbers will be published tomorrow after the polls close at 7 p.m. followed by election day totals. A run-off is expected in this commissioner's race.
Click here for a voters guide in the Kaufman County Precinct 2 commissioner's race.
The mailers depict a doctored image of Commissioner Clark next to a Kaufman County jail book-in photo of Stoney Adams and states, "Stoney Adams evades child molestation charges for the seventh time. Children ages 5-17 reportedly sexually abused by Kaufman County Commissioner Ray Clark's nephew." A search of Kaufman County criminal records reveals the following criminal history for Adams: an assault which was dismissed; a sexual assault case and an indecency with a child case both of which were dismissed due to his conviction for injury to a child, elderly, disable with intent to commit bodily injury; and two charges of criminal trespass.
Adams was later indicted on September 16, 2013, for a sexual assault charge. The mailer alleges Commissioner Clark's “powerful position in Kaufman County could allow certain clout over the judicial system, and if need be, could potentially allow a person in this position of power to sway the outcome of a trial.”
According to the mailer, the ad was paid for by "My Right To Know" of Austin, Texas. Their website domain is registered to Michael Hendrix of Precise Agency – an ad agency which also represents Phillips in his campaign. Its managing director is former Rep. Ben Campbell (R-Carrollton) according to online records.
Backlash on the ad came the very next day in the form of a robo-call to area households from Forney Mayor Darren Rozell which stated: “Good evening, this is Mayor Darren Rozell. I'm calling about the vulgar flyer you may have received today from Skeet Phillips and his special interest backers who are trying to unseat our conservative county commissioner, Ray Clark. I think it's shameful that Skeet has resorted to character assassination and Obama-style tactics just to try and win an election. The truth is Skeet Phillips' main supporter is a convicted felon from down around Austin who's paying for all of these negative attacks. It makes you wonder why a felon from Austin would care so much about our county commissioner and what Skeet might have in store for us if he gets elected. Well, I don't know the answer to those questions, but I do know that Ray Clark is a good Christian man and a strong conservative. So join me at the polls on Tuesday and let's keep him working hard for us at the courthouse.”
According to an article in The Statesman published in 2010, Campbell was convicted of federal charges involving a bank loan. Campbell also previously worked for former Representative Betty Brown, R-Terrell.
When contacted by inForney.com, Phillips did admit to meeting with members of the family of the alleged victims. However, Phillips denies any involvement in the mailer. “I gave her the name of somebody they could get a hold of and they would help her ... and that's where it went from there. I never saw it again, I never touched it again, I never talked to them, I never approved a single thing, I never even saw it, and that was it,” he said. “When it came out, it was like just a big shock to me as it was to everyone else.”
Phillips also also denies receiving any special interest money or funding from political action committees.
Local attorneys Wade Gent and Casey Blair, two candidates of four vying for the judge seat in the 86th District Court where the Adams case is set to be held, responded to a request for comment on the matter, given their involvement in court system in Kaufman County.
Blair responded by saying there is no way for a commissioner to influence the outcome of a case. “To be able to do so on the scale that was suggested [in the the mailer,] you would have to incorporate not only the court but the DA and, of course, the law enforcement agency that filed the case,” said Blair. “That would be something on a scale you just couldn't keep quiet.”
Gent's reply was along those same lines, “The notion that a County Commissioner could have any control over individual cases in District Court is ridiculous. Anyone who makes that allegation shows a complete lack of understanding of how county government works, and insults the integrity of the Judge, the attorneys on both sides, and frankly the entire criminal justice system. It is sad that politics in Kaufman County has deteriorated to this level.”
Commissioner Clark responded to the allegations saying, “I am sickened that our political system has reached a level that is this low. It seems that activity such as this will only keep good people from striving to improve the quality of life in Kaufman County.”
Stoney Adams' defense attorney, Scott Gray, a partner at Guest & Gray of Forney, sent inForney.com this statement concerning the flyer:
“Like many other citizens of Kaufman County, I recently received a flyer regarding Stoney Adams and his relationship to Ray Clark. I was deeply disturbed by the contents of said flyer as its assertions were misleading to say the least.
My law firm has represented Stoney Adams for some time. While Mr. Adams is distantly related to Mr. Clark by marriage (not his nephew as the flyer states), they are not close family members. In fact, it wasn't until I received the flyer that anyone at Guest & Gray was aware they were distantly related. Throughout our representation of Mr. Adams his distant relationship to Mr. Clark has never been mentioned in any conversations with prosecutors, court staff, judges, or anyone else having anything to do with the prosecution of his cases. His current case was set for announcement on February 19th, and (like hundreds of other cases throughout the State of Texas) it was reset by the court so both parties could investigate the matter further.
The flyer's assertions that Ray Clark has used any influence he may have for the benefit of Stoney Adams is categorically false. Everyone in the District Attorney's Office, 86th District Court, and the County Court at Law have behaved with the utmost professionalism and with justice as their primary concern. The only powerful help that been afforded to Mr. Adams are his rights under the constitutions of The United States of America and the State of Texas.”
An announcement in the most recent Adams case for sexual assault is scheduled for April 9, 2014, in the 86th District Court of Kaufman County.
5,615 people voted in early voting, according to Kaufman County Chief Deputy of Elections Teressa Floyd. Early voting numbers will be published tomorrow after the polls close at 7 p.m. followed by election day totals. A run-off is expected in this commissioner's race.
Click here for a voters guide in the Kaufman County Precinct 2 commissioner's race.