Office of the County Judge, John Wray, statement on Pct. 2 commissioner circumstances:
The following statement was released this morning by the Office of the County Judge, John Wray, relating to circumstances involving county commissioner Pct. 2, Matthew Zajic.
"I have received numerous requests from citizens asking the Commissioners Court to take action regarding Commissioner Matthew Zajic. First, I want to confirm that I fully support and embrace Constitutional due process and the presumption of innocence.
"With that said, please be assured the Commissioners Court takes the circumstances involving Precinct 2 very seriously. Ellis County has both internal and external audit procedures to safeguard taxpayer dollars and assets across all precincts. Many Ellis County elected officials and employees are exercising checks and balances over the safekeeping and expenditure of your money.
"Neither the Commissioners Court as a whole nor the County Judge, acting alone, have authority to remove a county commissioner from his position. Texas law specifies that if a county commissioner is convicted of a felony or official misconduct, the conviction results in an immediate removal from office. Generally speaking, Texas law also allows a resident of Ellis County to file a sworn petition in district court requesting removal of a commissioner for official misconduct, even in the absence of a criminal conviction. After the filing of such a petition, a commissioner may be suspended from his job pending trial, and the presiding district judge may appoint a temporary replacement commissioner.
"I have a great deal of faith in our local law enforcement officers, the Ellis County District Attorney and her team of prosecutors, and the local trial judges who preside over criminal matters. As the Ennis Police Department noted in its public posts, "During times like these, communities show their strength by coming together and allowing the judicial system to work."
Respectfully, Judge John Wray, Ellis County Judge
Note from In The Know Ellis: See below, screenshots from the Ennis Police Department's official Facebook page:
