After two lengthy leaves of absence, Dallas County District Attorney Susan Hawk announced her resignation Tuesday afternoon saying she's no longer able to do her job and that she needs to focus her undivided attention on her mental health.[[392488791,R]]
Hawk, who confirmed the announcement to NBC 5 earlier in the day, made public her decision in a letter to Gov. Greg Abbott Tuesday afternoon saying it was with a heavy heart that she must tender her resignation as Dallas County DA.
"It's been an honor and a privilege to serve this office and the citizens of Dallas County, but my health needs my undivided attention," Hawk said. "I appreciate the grace I've been shown as I've tried to balance my health and my duties. But last fall upon returning from treatment, I made a commitment to step away from the office if I felt I could no longer do my job, and unfortunately I've reached that point as my health needs my full attention in the coming months."
Dallas DA Susan Hawk set to resign this afternoon, per source. Stay tuned to @NBCDFW for coverage pic.twitter.com/4e0Q55sBE9
— Meredith Land (@MeredithNBC5) September 6, 2016
Since taking over as the county's top prosecutor in January 2015, Hawk has taken two extended leaves of absence where she's been hospitalized three times for depression, twice in Houston and once in Arizona. Through it all she's fought off calls for her resignation as well as a lawsuit seeking to oust her from her position on the grounds that she was unfit to perform her duties. The lawsuit, which had been filed by a former employee, was eventually tossed out.
After her first leave of absence from July 29-Oct. 1, 2015, Hawk sat down with NBC 5's Meredith Land for an hourlong interview where she detailed her nine-week stay at a Houston in-patient facility. During the discussion Hawk detailed her lifelong battle with mental illness and discussed with candor her divorce, depression and thoughts of suicide.
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"My depression and my anxiety had gotten out of control, and I didn't even realize what it was. All I knew is I didn't want to do this any more. I didn't want to be here any more. I thought about my job and my job was always such a big part of me, and I wanted to do the right thing for that. So I thought I'll resign and then I will just, I'll kill myself," Hawk said in that interview.
Hawk returned to work Oct. 1, 2015 but would again voluntarily seek treatment at Houston's Menninger Clinic on May 20, 2016, to be, according to her office, "proactive with her mental health plan." One month later, Hawk said she was seeking treatment at an in-patient facility in Arizona that specialized in mood disorders. Hawk returned to work in August and said she'd been working with mental health professionals to ensure that she was healthy after battling depression.
"We have decided that I am ready to physically return to my job as the Dallas County District Attorney and continue my commitment of seeking justice on behalf of our community," she said last month.
Throughout her most recent hospitalization, Hawk said she's had constant contact with her administration and her doctors.
"Maintaining optimal mental health will always be a priority. Mental illness is a lifelong disease; however, as district attorney, I am incredibly blessed to have such a strong and supportive administrative team and such incredible attorneys, investigators, and staff who have handled my absence with both grace and professionalism. I look forward to once again working with my staff to make Dallas County safe and thriving," Hawk said in August.
In her resignation letter Tuesday, Hawk said she hoped her personal health issues would not overshadow the great work her office has done over the past 20 months.
A spokesperson for the governor's office tells NBC 5 the office received Hawk's resignation letter Tuesday.
Among their successes, Hawk highlighted improving efficiency, trust and transparency, securing more than $2 million in grant funding for sexual assault and family violence units and conducting six town hall meetings addressing issues in Hispanic communities. Hawk also mentioned the creation of the Community Response Team targeting offenders who pose the biggest threat to the community and the expansion of the Conviction Integrity Unit.
Following Hawk's announcement Tuesday, Mark Haney, one of the two attorneys who filed the petition to have Hawk removed from office, issued a statement criticizing Hawk for taking so long to recognize her shortcomings.
“I am sorry that Ms. Hawk is unable to serve out her term as Dallas District Attorney. I think it is concerning that she has taken so long to recognize that she was unfit for the office. I think she did a disservice to the citizens of the county when she ran for the office knowing that she was suffering from acute mental illness," said Haney. "It was our knowledge of her condition and her inability to perform that drove our efforts to have her removed from office last year. We hope she gets the help she needs for her condition, and that Dallas County finally has a qualified office holder who can do the job.”
While wishing Hawk the best in her recovery, Texas Democrats also questioned the timing of the district attorney's announcement saying had it been made by Aug. 26 there could have been an election in Dallas County on Nov. 8 to vote on her replacement. Now, Abbott and the Governor's Appointments Office will be charged with filling her seat.
“The timing of this decision is purely political ... It could not be clearer: Greg Abbott and Texas Republicans have no regard for the voters of Dallas County. This is politics at its worst," Texas Democrats said in a news release.
Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins also remarked on the timing of Hawk's decision.
"I hope Susan Hawk succeeds in her battle with health challenges and I believe she can. The timing of the resignation is very unfortunate for Dallas County voters because it is coming just days after the ballot submission deadline," Jenkins said in a statement. "Whenever possible, the voters - not the politicians - should decide who represents them in elected office. Had the District Attorney resigned a few days earlier, the Democratic and Republican precinct chairs could have each selected a candidate to represent their respective parties on the upcoming November 8 ballot. The Libertarian Party could have placed a candidate on the ballot as well and the Dallas County voters would then choose their new District Attorney. Because of the timing of the resignation, a political appointee chosen by Governor Abbott will fill the position for over two years."
Placing politics aside, Phillip Huffines, the chairman of the Dallas County Republican Party and Ron Pinkston, president of the Dallas Police Association, only wished Hawk well in her recovery.
“It is with sadness that I have learned of District Attorney Susan Hawk's resignation. I wish her and her family well and will keep them in my prayers. I think the decision Susan took is what's best for her family and the citizens of Dallas County. The job of defending liberty and serving the people of Dallas is one that should be taken seriously, and I salute Susan's willingness to place herself in the public spotlight. I pledge to work with whomever Governor Abbott chooses as Susan's successor, and will work hard to ensure we appoint a strong Republican to replace Susan," said Huffines.
“The Dallas Police Association supports Susan Hawk and her decision to step down as the Dallas County District Attorney to continue her treatment for depression. It’s our hope and prayer that Susan’s decision to resign will allow her to focus 100 percent of her time and effort on her recovery. The District Attorney’s office is vital to protecting the families of Dallas County and we urge Governor Abbott to appoint someone who shares Susan’s commitment to justice and public safety," said Pinkston.
In her resignation letter, Hawk said she spent the first six months of her tenure assembling "a leadership team for our DA's office that is among the best in the nation" and that it was her "hope that this team can stay together and move forward seamlessly with a new leader."
"I wish Susan all the best. I can only imagine, you know, what she is going through as it relates to her medical condition, and so I wish her the best on that. I am, how should I say it, disappointed in the way she went about doing it," said State Sen. Royce West, D-Dallas.
"If people really think about it, she would not have been the district attorney of Dallas County had she not switched parties from a Republican. We supported her in the Democratic primaries and got her elected as a judge as a Democrat, and then she switched back. She won the general election with the support of Democrats and Republicans," West continued. "And so, if indeed you were going to resign, I think you should have thought about making certain that the people that 'brung you' – you know, that saying people that brung you – had an opportunity to replace you with a person of their choice. Had she resigned earlier, then that seat would have been subject to a special election with both Democrats and Republicans."
Abbott's office did not put forth a timeline for when a replacement would be named, tweeting, "the Governor's Appointments Office will begin accepting applications and will take the appropriate time to ensure the replacement is the best suited to serve the citizens of Dallas County."
Hawk's Resignation Letter
