With a run-off election just six weeks away, the battle for the 244th District Court continues to remain a heated affair with both candidates throwing barbs at each other.
Last month during the Republican primary, former Ector County Attorney Cindy Weir-Nutter took home 45% of the vote in a three-way race with former Odessa Municipal Court Judge Dennis Jones and attorney Lori Ruiz-Crutcher. With Ruiz-Crutcher garnering roughly 32% of the votes and Jones only getting 22%, a run-off between the two women became necessary.
Ruiz-Crutcher describes herself as a hard-working attorney with good judgment and has consistently questioned Weir-Nutter’s integrity.
Weir-Nutter was placed on a partially probated suspension by the Texas State Bar in 1999 and was investigated by the Texas Rangers and the Texas Attorney General’s Office when she was the Ector County Attorney.
Weir-Nutter has described the complaint filed against her with the state bar as a minor one and said she didn’t fight it because she was fleeing an abusive relationship at the time. As for the other investigation, Weir-Nutter was accused of failing to report employee compensation time to the county and giving out more comp time than county policy allowed. After a months-long investigation, an Ector County grand jury absolved her of any criminal activities, choosing instead to criticize county policy in a rare written report.
At the beginning of her campaign, Weir-Nutter had said she didn’t believe the Rangers’ investigation would be an issue.
“I haven’t had anyone actually comment on that. It was all resolved. It was all debunked. I had the opportunity after that to speak with the Republican party, show them documents, show them the truth,” Weir-Nutter said. “I think it was a shame that happened. I think some people, including reporters, got caught up in a story line and I think it’s a shame. I’m grateful the truth came out, the truth always comes out.”
Ruiz-Crutcher, who was recently endorsed by Jones, said Weir-Nutter’s actions since the primary have continued to prove her unworthiness. She accused Weir-Nutter of threatening her supporters with lawsuits via several Facebook posts.
“I think Cindy has trouble accepting the facts. Whether she likes it or not, people are free to state the facts,” Ruiz-Crutcher said.
People chose not to re-elect Weir-Nutter as county attorney because they have no faith in her, she said.
“She has a pattern of using poor judgment and she gets upset when people put that out there,” Ruiz-Crutcher said.
Weir-Nutter contends she is the victim of a small number of Republican party leaders who dislike her for having a mind of her own.
“I informed them they are welcome to say bad things about me, as long as they are true. Since we didn’t pursue legal action for this behavior last time, I thought it only right to give them fair notice we aren’t putting up with it this time,” Weir-Nutter said. “As candidates, we have to stand up against this.”
If elected, Weir-Nutter said she will always “do what is right and follow the law.”
In the meantime, Weir-Nutter, who currently represents children and their parents in Child Protection Court, said she will continue to meet with voters to tell them about her qualifications.
“I’m really enjoying going around visiting with voters and sharing my qualifications and vision for the court. In my opinion, their candidate would be better served if they did the same and simply informed voters why they feel she is more qualified,” Weir-Nutter said. “It boils down to this: I have 31 years of experience in courtrooms across Texas. My opponent is a transactional attorney and lacks courtroom experience. I have civil and criminal law experience, as both a prosecutor and defense attorney. My opponent lacks criminal law experience — a major part of this court.”
Weir-Nutter said Ruiz-Crutcher “does not meet the basic requirements of the job.”
Ruiz-Crutcher, who obtained her law degree from Texas Tech, is a partner in the law firm of Atkins, Hollmann, Jones, Peacock, Lewis & Lyon. She joined the firm in 2008. Prior to that she worked in the child support division of the Texas Attorney General’s Office and she was a legal assistant in a criminal defense law firm.
She bristles at the idea she may be “under the thumb” of anyone.
“I’m not beholden to the leadership of the Republican party or anyone, for that matter,” Ruiz-Crutcher said.
Everyone who supports her have independently made up their minds she is the better candidate, Ruiz-Crutcher said.
“I’m running a positive, clean campaign,” she said. “The facts are the facts.”
The election is slated for May 24. Whomever wins will replace Judge James Rush, who is retiring at the end of the year.
