“OUR MAN DOWNTOWN” GONE BACK TO WORK
By JOSHUA C. JOHNSON
Dallas Post Tribune
Since Friday Dallas County Commissioner John Wiley Price has been garnering more than his normal share of headlines. Price was arrested early Friday morning according to US Attorney Sarah R. Saldana. Reports say Price was arrested at 5959 Record Crossing on the way to his office. Price had deviated on his way to work and was taken into custody during that deviation, just around 8 a.m. According to reports Price was on his way to medical appointment before going to his County office.
The three additional defendants in the case; Chief of Staff Dapheny Fain, Lobbyist Kathy Nealy and Consultant Christian Lloyd Campbell also pled not guilty to charges.
He was arraigned around 2 p.m. And by 4 p.m. he was back in his office. Now critics and constituents alike are wondering, “What now?” “I don’t plan on resigning,” Price said to reporters.
In the last major election Price took 70 percent of the vote.
Known as the “Our Man Downtown,” Price certainly does make his presence known in Dallas’ District 3, which covers West Dallas, downtown and a wide portion of southeastern Dallas, County.
Like him or not, most folks will tell you that he does take the time to engage with and listen to his constituent’s woes.
Price was first elected in 1984 and was the first African American commissioner (and the only one to date), but when I asked him if he thinks the charges are racially motivated he is not the outspoken person some believe him to be spouting off injustices, again, he simply says “I don’t know.”
Sarah R. Saldana, US Attorney for the Northern District of Texas said in a press conference that Commissioner Price is innocent until proven guilty.
Price could face up to 30 years in prison if convicted, but even with his appearing before the U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul Stickney at the federal courthouse in downtown Dallas Friday, the trial could take up to a year to come to fruition.
The arrest is the latest in a list of developments that have occurred over the past three years since the raid on Price’s home and office.
“I am not guilty,” Price concludes.
