In a span of 24 hours, a longtime elected official in Aransas Couny has become the center of intense national scrutiny over a video of him beating his daughter.
County Court at Law Judge William "Bill" Adams is now facing multiple investigations, including one from local authorities as well as possibly another from Child Protective Services, according to the Corpus Christi Caller-Times.
Last week, Adams' daughter, Hillary Adams, posted a graphic video she recorded in 2004 of her father beating her for several minutes, allegedly for illegally downloading music and games online.
In the description of the video, which is age-restricted for its disturbing content, she explained that she suffered from ataxic cerebral palsy. She also wrote:
"Judge William Adams is not fit to be anywhere near the law system if he can't even exercise fit judgement as a parent himself. Do not allow this man to ever be re-elected again. His 'judgement' is a giant farce. Signed, Hillary Adams, his daughter."
On Tuesday, the video's viewership began to soar after a link to it was posted on Reddit, a popular online community. Aransas County offices were soon flooded with calls, according to news reports. By Wednesday, the video had been watched over 650,000 times.
In an interview with the NBC affiliate in Corpus Christi, Adams admitted it was him in the video and defended himself.
"i really don't want to get into this right now because as you can see my life has been made very difficult...In my mind I have not done anything wrong other than discipline my child when she was caught stealing. I did lose my temper, I've apologized," Adams said.
Adams, a Republican, was the County Judge on the Aransas County Commissioners Court before resigning in 2001 to accept an appointment as court-at-law judge to a newly created court. He has since been re-elected several times, often running unopposed.
In the last 24 hours, a Facebook group called "Don't Re-Elect Judge William Adams" has drawn over 8,000 likes.
Hillary Adams, for her part, wrote on Twitter today that she would like the threats of violence against her father to stop.
"Please spread the word that my father needs professional help and not hatred. We can offer him the tools to be a better person," she tweeted.
-Aman Batheja
If the daughter REALLY wanted to get her dad help, she wouldn't have posted the video on the internet. Instead she would have seeked help for him. She has ruined his life for something he did in 2004.
Posted by: sm | November 02, 2011 at 07:49 PM
Family values at work.....nice work righties....
Posted by: Elaine | November 02, 2011 at 08:06 PM
sm,
she ruined his life? REALLY? Why don't you think about that statement.
Posted by: charles | November 02, 2011 at 09:27 PM
SM's post is troubling at best.
"She has ruined his life for something he did in 2004"
"She" did not ruin his life. "He" ruined his own life.
That diffusion of responsibility is extremely serious. We are 100% percent responsible for our own actions.
Posted by: J | November 02, 2011 at 09:37 PM
hey Elaine don't make this a right vs left issue. This is one person who has a problem. This isn't family values. Educate yourself before you comment.
This couple should be ashamed and held accountable.
Posted by: TWolfe | November 02, 2011 at 09:53 PM
SM: Do you really think he is not the same person he was in 2004? Do you really think this was an isolated incident of abuse? He should be punished severely, and his wife should be held accountable for her behavior. I didn't see him forcing her to hit her daughter.
Posted by: ET | November 02, 2011 at 10:49 PM
Im a 'righty' I'm a tea party fan and I think this man was utterly subhuman and should be in Jail right now.
We are about individual rights and this young woman's rights were appallingly violated.
Posted by: T Halland | November 02, 2011 at 11:31 PM
utterly disgusting, in my book. Had a hard time getting through the video. The poor girl. Who would ever re-elect this disgusting individual again? Preying on a disabled young girl. He needs help alright, maybe a good beating for him.
Posted by: Wendy Wharton | November 03, 2011 at 09:24 AM
i am a father of 4 children, having a kid, sometime they are bad or naughty. I also spank (but not like this 17x?) one or two of my kids when they were young as part of my discipline and look at them right now? On is an Engineer, a Nurse, a Navy (MCPO) Master Chief Petty Officer and an Accountant, I mean can't take all the credit of that they are now, but I am pretty sure that my discipline has got to do what they are now! Look at all this kid here even those 10 or 11 years old kids would talk back to their parents, whew, its really bad.
Posted by: D | November 03, 2011 at 10:38 AM
He is violent and dangerous period end of story!
Now uphold the law.
Posted by: Mo | November 03, 2011 at 10:55 AM
Who in Texas appointed this guy to his two Judgeships?
Posted by: Colt Stewart | November 03, 2011 at 12:21 PM
If this had been anyone else it would not have been a big deal.She stole and got punished. If more people disciplined their kids instead of being their friends, kids wouldn't be as disrespectful,lazy or feel so dang entitled. I am personally do not think he should lose his job over something that happened at home. Did anyone stop to this why this heck this was posted so late. The girl probably got in trouble for something else she did. If she would have gotten arrested for the illegal downloads, then people would have talked about him too.
Posted by: Shana | November 08, 2011 at 07:59 AM