It’s been five months since two Ector County GOP candidates accused each other of assault outside the Ector County annex and now we know who will face charges.
The answer is no one.
“After careful review of the cases presented on Ms. Kelm and Ms. Wilhite, all cases will be rejected for insufficient evidence,” Ector County District Attorney Dusty Gallivan said in an email Friday.
According to an Odessa Department report, officers were dispatched to a disturbance at the annex on Feb. 22.
GOP Precinct 203 Chair candidate Carmen Wilhite and GOP County Chair candidate Donna Kelm were at the annex trying to gain support during early voting.
According to the report, Kelm claimed she gently touched Wilhite’s arm to ask her not to false claim she was a Democrat and Wilhite, 62, responded by flinging her arm back and grabbing her by the back of her hair. She later sought medical treatment.
Wilhite, however, told police Kelm aggressively grabbed her arm, causing her to throw her arm back to get Kelm to stop touching her, the report stated.
Various social media reports and a press release from the Ector County GOP painted Kelm, 66, as the responsible party, but the only witness listed in the police report, Linda Hall, corroborated Kelm’s version of the event.
Hall stated “Donna did not appear to be threatening or aggressive towards Carmen.”
According to the OPD report, Wilhite wanted to file charges and she was given a case number and advised to contact Municipal Court. Kelm also reported the assault following her doctor’s appointment.
Kelm went on to defeat Tisha Crow by a vote of 4,954 to 3,775 and Wilhite lost to Ronnie Lewis by a vote of 644 to 233.
Kelm, who was sworn in Tuesday, said she hopes moving forward everyone will get along within the GOP.
