Dallas County DA Susan Hawk
A petition to remove Dallas County District Attorney Susan Hawk was filed by a former employee today, Tuesday, Oct. 13.
Cynthia Stormer was the chief of the DA’s Administrative Division from March to September 2015, when Hawk fired her. She had previously worked as chief of the Mental Health Division and as the DNA attorney with the Conviction Integrity Unit.
Stormer was one of numerous high-level officials at the office who was fired by Hawk, a first-term Republican.
Hawk returned to work last week after two months in a mental rehabilitation hospital.
In her affidavit, Stormer describes Hawk as erratic and unstable.
She also accuses Hawk of attempting to illegally use funds for personal reasons.
Stormer’s attorney, Kelly Puls of Fort Worth, said Hawk’s struggle with mental issues is unfortunate but should not cite the previously undisclosed conditions to justify her actions, he said.
“She is now saying she is mentally ill but didn’t before election. I believe she’s using it as a defense against her removal,” Puls said. Stormer was fired not because of incompetence but because she refused to commit an “illegal act.”
Stormer filed the petition based on a little-known state code allowing any citizen of the county to file a petition to remove an official for gross incompetency, misconduct or drunkenness.
Stormer and her attorneys believe Hawk is eligible for removal based on gross incompetency because she did not reveal her mental state before her election.
