District Attorney Margaret Moore has recused herself, and District Judge Brenda Kennedy has appointed well-known Houston attorney Rusty Hardin to serve as “District Attorney Pro Tem” in her stead to look into allegations from 2006 that Chantal Eldridge, the Democratic nominee for the 331st District Court, had sex with a 16-year-old Brazilian exchange student who was living at her home. The student, now 27, is willing to come back to Austin to aid the inquiry, which petered out after a three-month investigation by the Austin Police Department (“You Be the Judge,” March 2). Eldridge denied the “false allegation” through a representative, defense attorney Charlie Baird, who nevertheless said he and Eldridge will “fully and completely” cooperate with Hardin’s inquiry.
This article appears in April 6 • 2018.