texas

Embattled Tarrant Judge Drops Re-Election Bid

Justice of the Peace Russ Casey drops out of race

Embattled Tarrant County of the Peace Russ Casey dropped his re-election bid Wednesday after a criminal investigation was launched into whether he had forged voter signatures.

"I do not believe it is in the best interest of the party for me to remain a candidate," Casey said in a short statement.

The Tarrant County Sheriff's Department has launched a forgery investigation into voters' signatures on Casey's petition to get on the ballot, said sheriff's department spokesman David McClelland.

Casey declined to comment on the petition Tuesday.

Tarrant County Justice of the Peace Russ Casey forged voters' signatures on a petition to get on the ballot for re-election, his challenger said Tuesday.

Republican leaders had already distanced themselves from Casey because of a sexual harassment complaint filed by a former clerk.

In a lawsuit, the clerk claimed she had Casey had a sexual relationship at work and that he tried to fire her when she tried to stop it. The lawsuit was settled out of court and Casey was publicly reprimanded by the Texas Commission on Judicial Conduct.

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