PRESS RELEASE
January 18, 2010

Contact:
David Bradley
State Democratic Executive Committee Member
Statement on Judicial Candidate David Kelton

MEMO

To:  Dallas County Democrats and Precinct Chairs

From:  SDEC Members Hon. David Bradley, Hon. Dr. Theresa Daniel, Hon. Dr. Martha Williams, Hon. Susan Culp;  Precinct Chairs Hon. Dorothy Dean, Hon. Mark Baker, Hon. Thelma Davis, Hon. Vivian Hill, Hon. Alice Cox, Hon. Lionel Churchill, Hon. Shirley Brown, Hon. Ramona Ames, Hon. Judy Richards, Hon. Shirley Daniels, Hon. Mary Freeman, Hon. Lettie Searles, Hon. Phil Fisher, former SDEC, and additional DCDP precinct chairs and activists

Re:  Judicial candidate DAVID D. KELTON

Dear fellow Democrats,

The purpose of this memo is to make you aware of the background of judicial candidate David D. Kelton who is campaigning for Judge of the 134th Civil District Court in the March 2010 Democratic Primary.

From the outset of this memo, we want to indicate that we are not blindly opposed to former Republican Judges joining the Democratic Party.  There are exceptionally well-qualified individuals who have been outstanding members of our judiciary over the years, and who have never been card-carrying members of the Republican Party, who may - if our Democratic Party voters decide - make welcome additions to our Party and strengthen its ranks.  We invite you and all voters to make informed, nuanced decisions in these cases in order to maintain the quality of our local judiciary.

However, we consider the case of David Kelton to be an egregious example of a longtime Republican Party stalwart trying to infiltrate the local Democratic Party. Kelton is a former Republican Judge of the 44th Civil District Court, appointed by Republican Gov. Rick Perry in 2002.  In the historic 2006 elections in Dallas County, Kelton was an opposed Republican candidate who actively campaigned against Democrats, running his own individual campaign and also contributing to the Dallas County Republican Party's coordinated effort, which included insulting mailings that questioned the professional abilities and moral character of our entire slate of judicial candidates.   He was defeated in that year but maintains more than $50,000.00 in campaign funds.

According to the Texas Ethics Commission, from the time of his appointment through his last finance report of July 15, 2009, Kelton has accepted over $2,800.00 from Republican clubs and PACs.  Over the same time frame, he has made contributions and expenditures of over $9,400.00 to Republican clubs, PACs and consultants (see accompanying documentation attached).  These include payments to attorney Edward Shack of $1312.50 in 2006 and 2007.

Who is Edward Shack?  Ed Shack was Tom Craddick's attorney during his race for Speaker in 2003; Ed Shack was an attorney for Texans for a Republican Majority, Republican House Majority Leader Tom DeLay's political action committee that put millions of dollars in Texas House District races in 2002 that led to a Republican majority and redistricting favorable to the Republican Party;  Ed Shack was the attorney for Dr. James Leininger's PAC that aimed in 2006 to unseat Texas State Representatives who were opposed to school vouchers; Texans for Rick Perry paid Ed Shack $18,000.00 in 2001 (Sources: Texans for Public Justice, March 4, 2004; Wise County Messenger, September 18,2005; Capitol Annex, January 31, 2006; Texas Ethics Commission).

In sum, we find the evidence (please see below) overwhelming that David D. Kelton has deep ties to the Republican Party, locally and statewide, including ties to persons who have been involved in efforts that have deeply harmed the goals and aspirations of the Dallas County Democratic Party and the Texas Democratic Party. 

It is for this reason that we have decided to share this information with you.  In our opinion, in this particular case, it is imperative that this candidate NOT be successful in the Democratic Primary

Sincerely,

SDEC Members Hon. David Bradley, Hon. Dr. Theresa Daniel, Hon. Dr. Martha Williams, Hon. Susan Culp;  Precinct Chairs Hon. Dorothy Dean, Hon. Mark Baker, Hon. Thelma Davis, Hon. Vivian Hill, Hon. Alice Cox, Hon. Lionel Churchill, Hon. Shirley Brown, Hon. Ramona Ames, Hon. Judy Richards, Hon. Shirley Daniels, Hon. Mary Freeman, Hon. Lettie Searles, Hon. Phil Fisher, former SDEC, and additional DCDP precinct chairs and activists

REPUBLICAN DAVID KELTON - ACCEPTED MONEY FROM:

Dallas County Republican Party
$1153.36 on 10/26/2002
Brentwood Republican Women PAC
$300.00 on 8/30/02
First Republican Women's Club of Dallas PAC
$300.00 on 8/5/02
Metrocrest Republican Club
$277.66 on 11/21/02
Republican Liberty PAC
$250.00 11/27/06
Park Cities Republican Women PAC
$200.00 on 5/6/02
Preston West Republican Women's Club
$200.00 on 9/20/02
Dallas Eagle Forum PAC
$100.00 on 3/1/06
White Rock Republican Women's Club
$100.00 on 8/20/02

REPUBLICAN DAVID KELTON - MADE CONTRIBUTIONS/PAYMENTS TO:

Dallas County Republican Party
$2500.00 on 12/19/05
$1500.00 on 9/19/02
$3000.00 on 8/5/06
$500.00 on 8/24/02
$100.00 on 9/18/02
Park Cities Republican Women PAC
$100.00 on 11/26/03
$25.00 on 12/29/06
$75.00 on 11/23/07
$20.00 on 1/16/05
$25.00 on 12/21/07
$20.00 on 1/20/03
$75.00 on 12/05/06
$75.00 on 12/02/05
$25.00 on 12/19/05
Dallas County Council of Republican Women
$10.00 on 12/07/04
$10.00 on 12/06/05
Dallas Eagle Forum PAC
$30.00 on 12/05/05
Edward Shack Consulting
$262.50 on 12/08/06
$225.00 on 5/18/07
$150.00 on 7/30/07
$675.00 on 5/18/07

Source for above:  Texas Ethics Commission search of finance reports for filer ID #00051643, former Republican State District Judge David D. Kelton, appointed by Gov. Rick Perry to the 44th Civil District Court in 2002 and defeated by a Democrat in 2006.

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Memo issued by SDEC Member David Bradley, not authorized by any candidate or candidate committee.