Davis accuses Brimer of "hiding behind lawyers" (with audio)

With more than 50 supports standing behind her, Wendy Davis shot back at State Sen. Kim Brimer today for filing a lawsuit she called a "political trick."

Davis spoke to reporters standing in front of the south steps of the Tarrant County Courthouse in downtown Fort Worth.

"He thinks this lawsuit will hide his 20 years of failed leadership," Davis said. "To the contrary, it has highlighted it."

Davis said she filed a response to Brimer's lawsuit today which included a request for a speedy hearing. Her campaign manager, Matt Latham, said Davis' lawyers have tried to speak with Brimer's lawyers about jointly making such a request. Brimer's lawyers have not returned their calls, Latham said.

"We ask you to stop hiding behind your lawyers and your political consultants and step forward to demand that this lawsuit is handled immediately so we can move on to address the issues important to Tarrant County families," Davis said.

Davis questioned the timing of the lawsuit, six months after a three-judge panel threw out the same case brought up by three Fort Worth firefighters. The judges at the time said only Brimer, Davis' political opponent, had the legal standing to file such a suit.

Davis suggested Brimer filed the lawsuit now out of fear he was going to lose in November.

“He had an opportunity to file this way back in January," Davis said. "It’s the same facts, the same suit, and yet he waited until today to make that happen.”

Davis expressed confidence the courts will clear the way for her candidacy.

She tried to stress that her campaign wasn't going to pause because of the lawsuit, taking time to blame Brimer for Texas' utility rates, home insurance rates and rising tuition costs.

Here's the audio for the entire press conference.

We have a call out to Brimer's campaign. We'll update this post when we hear back.

UPDATE: July 9, 2008: Neal Adams, Brimer's lawyer, told us he spoke with Davis' lawyer today over the phone about Davis' interest in a speedy hearing.

"I am going to discuss that with my client and get back to him in the next couple of days as well," Adams said.

Adams would not comment on Davis' criticism of the timing of the lawsuit.

"It’s filed. We need to deal with it and we’ll move on," Adams said. "We believe justice will prevail."

-Aman Batheja

Comments

[Cowtown Hound]

This lawsuit proves that Brimer is running scarred. The Texas Supreme Court has previously announced that all these questions like the ones raised by Brimer should be resolved in favor of eligibility of candidates like Wendy.

Go Wendy!