EDITOR’S NOTE: This email was received from Brown County Judge Ray West following the article published on our site: PAST IMPROPRIETIES OF COUNTY JUDGE RESURFACE on December 27, 2017.
The reports filed this week in the Brownwood News are an unfortunate commentary on the problems with today’s “social and modern media“ and the poor souls who feed it. To include a report and materials from an investigation of matters that concluded years ago, and that correctly NEVER resulted in any action, much less criminal charges, is the worst form of complicity by such “media“ with “anonymous“ sources who are motivated purely by personal vendettas or politics.
As a matter of fact, our State’s public information laws are intended to maintain the confidentiality of material generated by law enforcement in matters like this that do not result in any charges and conviction, to prevent this kind of deceit. If we allow this type of piecemeal investigation material about any citizen of our community to become public, it only serves to motivate a political opponent or a misguided soul driven only by his desire to discredit someone’s character by deceit. That misguided soul is usually the same person who generated a criminal complaint to law enforcement, with no merit whatsoever, in the hope that law enforcement records will be generated that he can then obtain and give to “media“ to publicize.
OUR COUNTY, COMMUNITY AND OUR CITIZENS DESERVE BETTER.
To compound issues, the article in the Brownwood News makes a reckless suggestion about the potential use of a prescription drug that is completely out of bounds. I have been extremely fortunate to have been able to represent the people of this county and, as always, will not allow these types of political shenanigans encouraged by “social and modern media“ to detract from what is important – representing our county and our citizens.
– Ray West
