Part one: Nelson rips Candy a new one on his domestic violence record, and his "plead to the lead" policy.
I didn't make the Nelson-Thomas debate Wednesday night, but I've watched a lot of it on video thanks to activist Adolfo Maldonado, who got into the debate with a video camera and captured Tim Nelson killing Candy Thomas in this match-up. Nelson comes off as serious and tough, while Candy looks like a chump. Just watch Candy's body-language in these clips, the way he slouches and goofs off, like he's a character in That '70s Show, or one of the Sweathogs in a Welcome Back Kotter rerun. I kept thinking, "This schmuck is our County Attorney? Puh-lease."
Being that the debate's theme was dealing with domestic violence, Nelson blistered Thomas for failing to send representatives to a regional domestic violence council, and for making his prosecutors "plead to the lead," and not accept plea deals on cases, even when they know they don't have the evidence to convict.
"There's no sense going to trial on a case you can't prove," Nelson said at one point. "It ties up our system, and it's not in the interests of justice."
Part two: Nelson goes after Thomas on not attending a domestic violence council, and defends himself on the Ceja case.
Nelson also deftly defended himself on this bogus Jose Ceja death penalty issue, pointing out that his law firm was appointed by the court to represent Ceja, and that he himself did very little work on the case. Thomas has tried to gin up the issue into some sort of Willie Horton thing for Nelson. But that's reaching on Thomas' part. Thomas' base may love it, despite the facts, but it won't get him anywhere with everyone else. The accusation is too weak.
Also check out the video of Thomas saying he's going to stick to the subject of domestic violence, then flying off on a tangent about Nelson and Ceja. They should call Candy, "El Lame-o."
Part three: Thomas says he'll stick to the subject, then goes off on a tangent, attacking Nelson.
Finally, after the debate, Maldonado nips at Thomas' heels as he's leaving, even going so far as to follow Thomas into an elevator and down to the lobby of the building. Candy blows him off, but the video is hilarious nonetheless. Excellent work on Maldonado's part. Almost as good as the time he got Sheriff Joe's goat.
Part four: Activist Adolfo Maldonado nips at Thomas' heels, even following him into an elevator.
