(Source Jennifer Emily and Kevin Krause The Dallas Morning News) – A lawsuit filed by a credit card company against Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins was dismissed in January, court records show.
Citibank filed the lawsuit in September, saying Watkins owed $15,161.66 plus interest.
But Watkins said in an interview that the lawsuit was filed in error because he had worked out a repayment plan with Citibank. He declined to elaborate or provide documentation.
“The average person has to deal with these kinds of things,” Watkins said. “In the times that we’re in, I’m sure several people have experienced this. And I’m fortunate to have fixed it.”
An attorney for the debt collection company that filed the lawsuit did not return phone calls seeking comment.
Court records do not indicate why attorneys for Citibank asked for the lawsuit to be dismissed. A judge signed the dismissal Jan. 17.
Allegations of unpaid bills have followed Watkins, a Democrat, since before he took office in January 2007.
Watkins’ law license was briefly suspended in December 2007 when he did not pay dues to the State Bar of Texas. The license was reinstated after he paid.
Watkins also owes Denton County $3,400 as of Tuesday from when he worked as a private attorney writing bail bonds, according to Denton County. Watkins says that the Denton County district attorney’s office is incorrect and that he does not owe the money.
He and his wife, Tanya Watkins, defaulted on their home loan in November 2008. They originally borrowed $559,200 for their home in 2003, the records show. The house is appraised at $549,900, according to the Dallas Central Appraisal District.
Southwestern Bell Yellow Pages sued Watkins in August 2009, saying he owed $1,249 for advertising. The company had initially sued Watkins in 2006, saying he owed nearly $16,000 of a $34,000 bill for advertising, according to the lawsuit. That lawsuit was dismissed after Watkins promised to pay the bill, but when he didn’t follow through, the company sued him again. That suit was also dismissed.
In the six years leading up to his 2006 run for district attorney, Watkins had three liens related to more than $100,000 in income tax disputes. They have since all been paid.
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Source Jennifer Emily and Kevin Krause The Dallas Morning News
