RICHARD RAYMOND UNDER ATTACK OR IS IT THE TRUTH?Most of this information was compiled by a Fort Bend County Newspaper:
When a guy rolls in talking the talk and walking the walk, but doesn’t have a clue ...in Texas we say he’s all hat and no cattle.
“Conservative Leadership for Fort Bend families” is what the literature for District Attorney candidate Richard Raymond extols along with his “strong personal integrity” and his many years of business acumen. He’s a lawyer with a CPA as well as a loving husband and father of three daughters, says his literature.
This is Fort Bend County, and folks here are used to their politics being blood sport, but, honestly, what would possess anyone to run for public office if they had family issues like Senator John Edwards? What would possess a candidate to offer their family up for that kind of ridicule?
One has, right here in Fort Bend County. When he was asked about his transgressions, Richard Raymond was most distressed that this newspaper would bring up his personal life. We believe his behavior in his personal life goes to his character as well as his integrity - just ask John Edwards.
Speaking of integrity and family values, here are some of Raymond’s family values as delineated in Fort Bend County records: a petition of divorce was filed by Raymond’s wife in 1991 citing cruelty and adultery. In 1993 the case was dismissed for lack of prosecution. In March of that same year, 1993, a woman arrested for DWI in Stafford and represented by Raymond’s law partner. On her probation papers, she listed Richard Raymond as her boyfriend.
When did conservative leaders with family values and personal integrity have both a wife and a girlfriend at the same time? Can we say John Edwards?
There’s more. In 1997, the same woman, the one with the DWI, had a baby girl. In 2003, she filed a lawsuit against Richard Raymond in the name of the child. That case ended in December of that year with court ordered child support. One of the documents in the file is a hand-written court order signed by Judge Robert Kern stating, “finding that respondent (Raymond) is father.”
The case went on from June until the end of 2003. During that time Raymond was ordered repeatedly to provide his financial records. Eventually a child support agreement was reached and according to the documents, the child moved out of state with her mother. In 2005 Raymond went back to court with an agreed modification to the custody order whereby the child moved back to Texasto live with Raymond and his wife....the same woman who earlier accused him of adultry, the same woman he refers to in his political literature as his high school sweetheart and wife of 28+ years. Is that conservative? Does it show leadership? Family values? Personal integrity?
When questioned about these issues, Raymond said it was a long time ago and he had changed. He even said he had discussed this with his men’s bible study group. While it may seem callous to mention his family, Richard Raymond is the one who threw them under the bus by touting his “family values and strong personal integrity.”
He knows those documents were on file at the courthouse and he knows they are public record. It begs the question, what possessed him to get into this race in the first place? Arrogance? Ignorance? Or somebody with an agenda that was blowing smoke up his skirt? Whatever it was, it has got to be hard on his family. But once again, his choices are what put his family where they are today. Once again, it’s about his character.
Could it be that Richard Raymond has exemplified the same character traits as Gary Hart, Bill Clinton, or John Edwards?
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