The Issue: Private Law Firm Doing County Attorney's Job

Despite pledging in 2004 to "be a fiscal watch-dog, making sure that none of your hard-earned tax dollars are wasted or misused," the County Attorney's office continues to waste your tax dollars.

Although initially fired due to judicial complaints, the County Attorney's office continues to employ a Chief Civil Litigator whose conduct "undermined [the court's] trust and confidence as to make further representation by him unfeasible and impossible." Outside counsel Mike Davis has been hired to perform this employee's duties, but the employee himself was rehired shortly following his termination. Taxpayers are now not only paying the full salary of an employee for whom the Williamson County Courts have no trust or confidence, but also the outside fees for his replacement.

Rather than pursue the landfill contract matter fully, the County Attorney's office initially chose instead to seek what amounts to an advisory opinion from Williamson County District Judge Burt Carnes. When the County Attorney's claims proved insufficient, Williamson County hired an outside, private law firm to conduct the duties that should have been done by the County Attorney. Shortly thereafter, the County Attorney's office requested permission to remove itself from the case entirely. According to an Austin American Statesman November 15, 2007 article, in seeking this request, which was granted, the County Attorney's office stated that its continued participation in the case "might violate disciplinary rules."

Consequently, Williamson County taxpayers are paying for a private law firm to pursue a case that should be handled by the County Attorney's office.

Additonal articles can be read below:

• Austin American Statesman article from June 6th, 2008 (PDF 462KB)
• Austin American Statesman article from June 13th, 2008 (PDF 223KB)
• The Austin Chronicle article from June 27th, 2008 (PDF 478KB)
• Austin American Statesman article from November 15th, 2007 (PDF 30KB)

Broken Promises

Despite the 2004 campaign platform of bringing civil litigation 'in house,' the County Commissioner's lack of faith in the County Attorney's office led the hiring of outside counsel on a number of matters. The Hutto Landfill debacle alone has already costs Williamson County taxpayers $137,130 to date (37% of what Williamson County taxpayers have received back from the landfill revenues) - and the year is barely half over.

An article in the Round Rock Reader can be viewed here:

• Round Rock Leader Website Article from July 7th, 2008 (PDF 236KB)

> Click here to return to the Issue's page.