A Tarrant County, Texas judge, Russ Casey, has resigned his position after pleading guilty to “tampering with a government record.” The Star-Telegram reports that Casey admitted to having forged signatures in order to get himself on the March 6 ballot in his county.
The embattled judge, who worked in Northeast Tarrant County, was sentenced to two years in jail that was probated over five years.
"I apologize to the citizens of Tarrant County, the Tarrant County Republican Party, my family and friends for the way that I have ended my judicial career," Casey said in a written statement after the court hearing. "Today's proceedings have begun my transition from public to private life.
“Transition from public to private life.” You know who didn’t get that pleasant hand-holding experience with our justice system? Crystal Mason, who was sentenced to five years in jail last month, for voting once in an election in North Carolina. In her case she argued she had not realized when she was let out of jail that she had forfeited her right to vote at the time. Ms. Mason had been in jail on a fraud charge and so racist judicial officials can argue that she was no angel. Of course, as NBC 5 explains, Russ Casey doesn’t have a great moral track record.
Amid the forgery complaints, the Tarrant County Republican Party removed Casey's name from the ballot in January after he formally dropped out of the race.
He was set to serve through the end of the year.
Separately, Casey was reprimanded by a state judicial panel for having an improper sexual relationship with a former clerk.
Here’s the judge speaking with Casey who has admitted to purposefully and knowingly committed fraud in our elections process.
On Monday, after pleading guilty to the state jail felony charge in state district Judge Wayne Salvant's courtroom, Casey was sentenced.
"I want you to stay out of trouble," Salvant told Casey.
Here’s Crystal Mason, who received a non-probated five year sentence explaining how much of a mistake her vote was.
“I was happy enough to come home and see my daughter graduate. My son is about to graduate. Why would I jeopardize that? Not to vote ... I didn't even want to go vote,” she said.
But Crystal Mason is black and Russ Casey is an old white Republican.