JOHNSON PLANS TO TAKE ON ISAACKS IN DA PRIMARY

Denton attorney Paul Johnson has come out firing against Denton
County District Attorney Bruce Isaacks, who faces the first
Republican challenge to his seat since he took office in 1990.

"I want to run my office with integrity. I'm a conservative
Republican and I will try all types of cases," Johnson said, adding
that he believes not all defendants are treated equally by Isaacks.

But Isaacks said he believes his record of criminal convictions and
money-saving measures for the county proves he should be re-elected
district attorney.

"He's got one, two or three cases that he has some kind of problem
with" in the district attorney's office, and he's trying to build a
case for being elected, Isaacks said.

Johnson, a former assistant prosecutor at the district attorney's
office under Isaacks, plans to run for the Republican nomination for
Denton County district attorney in the March 7 primary. Candidates
have until Jan. 2 to file. Winners in the Democratic and Republican
primaries -- along with independents and write-ins -- will be on the
ballot in the general election Nov. 7. Winners assume their positions
Jan. 1, 2007.

Johnson has focused on the following charges against Isaacks:

n Isaacks has a conflict of interest when it comes to reviewing bills
from his wife, Judge Vicki Isaacks, who has ordered Denton County to
pay more than $393,000 between 2000 and 2005 for court-appointed
attorneys. Some of that money went to attorneys representing children
in private divorce cases.

n The district attorney shouldn't accept a $5,400 fixed-car allowance
from Denton County; the district attorney's annual salary of $166,567
should be enough compensation.

n Isaacks has allowed county grants to lapse, costing taxpayers
hundreds of thousands of dollars.

In response to those charges, Isaacks says:

n His wife's court-appointed attorney bills were legal and proper,
and approved by the Commissioners Court with the legal guidance of
the court's legal counsel, who is an employee of the district
attorney's office. If members of the Commissioners Court want outside
legal counsel to evaluate the bills from judges, they are free to
hire such help.

n Isaacks drives enough to justify to the fixed-car allowance,
keeping touch with justices of the peace and police across the county
face-to-face.

n Isaacks said some members of his staff missed a deadline for
seeking a grant renewal, but that he would take responsibility for
it, adding that his office has secured $4 million in grants in his
tenure as district attorney. When he took office in 1991, the
district attorney's office wasn't receiving any state or federal
grants for its operation, he said.

The race for the district attorney will likely be among many of the
high-profile contests voters will hear about until Election Day.

Denton County Republican Party official Tom Ferguson said that
Isaacks being challenged doesn't indicate a split in the party.

"It's not a lack of unity -- it is the primary season," Ferguson
said. "These things go in cycles. People are going to step up and
jump into it."

Johnson, 47, a Denton lawyer with 15 years experience in criminal
prosecution, said his sense of fairness and passion for making a
difference for victims make him the best person for the job.

Johnson said he plans to file for the district attorney race sometime
this week.

"You've got a tremendous responsibility with victims," Johnson said,
adding that victims often must repeat their trauma by describing it
to the police, prosecutors and jurors. "You've got to make them feel
that they do count."

Isaacks, 49, says he has returned $16 million to individuals and
businesses in Denton County by enforcing the county's hot checks
program. He said he also initiated a mentoring program that has
resulted in about 200 mentors currently working with at-risk children
in the Denton school district.

He said he also started the Children's Advocacy Center for Denton
County, a nonprofit agency that provides a child-friendly environment
where a forensic interviewer videotapes children's statements. The
young victims then don't have to repeat their statements to multiple
agencies involved in abuse investigations. Isaacks said an aggressive
strategy for bail bond violations has resulted in the collection of
about $5 million for the county's general fund since August 1996.

While Isaacks is counting on the public to look at his
accomplishments, Johnson hopes to call attention to instances that he
says demonstrate unequal treatment to defendants, as well as
incompetence Isaacks has demonstrated as district attorney. One lapse
during the grant application cost the county $362,811 in Driving
While Intoxicated Task Force grants, Johnson said.

"As the district attorney, I think one would take responsibility for
the good and the bad of what happens under his administration,"
Johnson said. "I'll be held accountable for how I run the office."

Isaacks said he takes responsibility for that oversight.

"The only person who is responsible for that ultimately is me,"
Isaacks said. "Yeah, you could say, 'They [members of his staff]
dropped the ball,' but if you look at the big picture, we can say
we've saved taxpayers $4 million," he said, referring to the grants
his office secured.

Johnson said if he is elected, all grant applications would be
submitted well in advance, and that he would seek new grants for the office.

Johnson also accused Isaacks of failing to fill a prosecutor's
position on the North Central Texas Drug Task Force, allowing grants to lapse.

Isaacks said he purposely didn't fill the position because he felt
the task force "had lost its focus."

"I decided I did not want an employee assigned to that," Isaacks
said. "During that period of time, there was a lot of consolidation
going on. The state decided they wanted fewer task forces, because
there were problems with them. We just didn't need those sorts of issues here."

Johnson said that when he worked at the district attorney's office,
no one was supposed to get probation for delivery of a controlled
substance. But there were instances in which drug dealers gave up
boats, cars and more to the state, and then received probation, he
said. Another former prosecutor has said publicly that such deals
were struck with a half-dozen defendants over two years.

"In essence, you just bought leniency," Johnson said. "The mere fact
that they have cars, jewelry, et cetera, will not get them a probation offer."

But Isaacks said that such deals do not happen.

"I can assure you that your chances of going to prison for narcotics
delivery are a hell of a lot higher here than it is anywhere else in
the state," Isaacks said.

Isaacks said police from Dallas County arrange drug buys in
Lewisville because they know drug dealers will go to prison if
prosecuted in Denton County.

Johnson also promises that if he's elected, residents will see their
district attorney in the courtroom more often.

"I will personally try more jury trials in my first year than Bruce
Isaacks has for the past 16 years," Johnson said. "I think it's
important that the people know their district attorney will actually
try cases and get in those trenches and not just be a paper pusher."

But Isaacks said Johnson will likely reconsider that promise if he
ever becomes a district attorney, since that is not the best use of
the district attorney's time.

"Quite frankly, it's a lot more fun to be in the courtroom trying a
case," Isaacks said. "That's where the excitement and the action is."

But, he said, the more important job of a district attorney is
preparing cases for grand juries, because it determines the quality
of the cases arriving in courtrooms. He also said another function of
his job is to hire and maintain a staff of aggressive, effective prosecutors.

"I think in a county this size and of this population, handling this
many cases per year -- we handle over 10,000 cases a year through
here -- the district attorney's job is to make sure we hire, train
and retain efficient, effective, aggressive prosecutors," Isaacks
said. "I don't think you're going to see the elected DA down handling
cases on a day-to-day, week-to-week basis in a county this size. It's
not realistic. You can't do both."

Also, Isaacks said Johnson doesn't have the experience to try a
death-penalty case.

But Johnson said he has plenty of criminal trial experience -- that
he has prosecuted more than 100 criminal jury trials over 15 years,
and that he was the chief felony prosecutor in the 158th District
Court. He said that experience has made him more than ready for a
death-penalty case.

Johnson said in one instance, while working for the district
attorney's office, he was given what would have been a death-penalty
case, but Isaacks didn't properly prepare the indictment, so the
defendant couldn't face the death penalty.

Isaacks said he never gave Johnson a death-penalty case.

"That demonstrates his lack of knowledge of the system," Isaacks said.

Bruce Isaacks

Age: 49

Lives in: Carrollton

Education: Received law degree at Baylor University in 1982

Career highlights: Was the first district attorney in Denton County
to obtain grants to fund the office's operation. Helped found the
Denton County Child Advocacy Center. Was given two state bar
association awards from the state for founding the COOL (Community
Offering One On One Learning) mentoring program with Rivera
Elementary School. Has encouraged more aggressive collection of bad
checks and violated bail bonds.

Political experience: Served as an assistant Dallas County district
attorney before taking office of Denton County District Attorney in
1990. Has not been challenged by a Republican since taking office, until now.

Paul Johnson

Age: 47

Lives in: Highland Village

Education: Received law degree at the University of Houston in 1985

Career highlights: Worked as a prison guard in 1977. As a result, he
says, when he asks for a prison sentence, he knows what prison's all
about. Has 20 years experience practicing law, including 15 years
prosecuting cases in the Denton County District Attorney's office.
Served as chief felony prosecutor for the 367th and 158th District
Courts. Currently practices civil law, but wants to serve as district
attorney because he prefers criminal prosecution.

Political experience: Has been active in the Republican Party since
1997. Unsuccessfully ran for County Criminal Court 3 in 1998. Has
served as the precinct chairman for the 316th Voter Precinct for six years.