by Joanna Cattanach of Chick Talk Dallas

Tanya Watkins may be the best political consultant in the state, but she should take her efforts out of Dallas County.

District Attorney Craig Watkins’ wife Tanya has been hired to run the political campaigns of seven Dallas judges, three of whom her husband has endorsed. The Watkins’ say it’s perfectly alright. And the political ethics commission has cleared the move as well.

"Unlike many other Texas counties, where judges hear a mix of criminal, civil and family cases, Dallas County has specialized courts. Judges who hear criminal cases here don’t preside over other types of cases. So Craig Watkins is technically a lawyer in cases heard by the seven judges who hired his wife,” the Dallas Morning News reported.

“The relationship poses a conflict of interest. That conflict is broader than Mr. Watkins himself. It applies to his whole office,” Craig McDonald, head of the nonprofit watchdog group Texans for Public Justice, told The News. “There may not be a problem in the eyes of the law. But there may be a problem in the eyes of the general public.”

Tanya started her political consulting firm in March and helped run her husband’s campaign too. She told The News, “”It’s not a package deal,” she said. “It’s not you get Craig, you get Tanya.” Texas two step around this issue all you want, Mr. and Mrs. Watkins, but there’s something about the appearance of impropriety that doesn’t sit well with voters.

It’s hard to explain when you know something is technically right but you also feel it’s wrong. It wasn’t wrong that I got two Ikea pillows for free because they didn’t have price tags on them and there’s no service person at the self check out to help look up the price, but every time I look at them I feel a little tinge of guilt. Like I know it wasn’t wrong but I know it wasn’t right. And this is one of those instances where, “I know it when I see it,” as Justice Stewart Potter once said (of porn).

DA Watkins is a guy many Dallasites admire and a DA that has made some positive changes in our justice system. But he’s a first term DA, and he can’t take criticism very well. And I don’t know why he would risk his next term in office like this. Why even open the door for criticism? Tanya may be the best political consultant in the state, but she should take her efforts out of Dallas County. Period.

I know why she wants to work in Dallas County -- it’s home, she knows people, she has power, she’s good at what she does and she knows Dallas -- and all of those reasons are valid but she shouldn’t work here. As a voter, I don’t like when someone is trying to explain gray to me and uses phrases like, "it’s not wrong, I checked with the ethics commission." Do your husband and Dallas voters a solid, Tanya, and drive to Tarrant County or Collin County.

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