Texas
Republican Texas House candidate in Collin County charged with impersonating public servant
Join The Transient, our every day publication that retains readers up to the mark on essentially the most important Texas information.
A Texas Home candidate and police officer backed by former President Donald Trump and prime Texas Republicans has been indicted on a cost of impersonating a public servant, based on authorities.
Dallas police stated Friday that Frederick Frazier was positioned on administrative go away after the division was notified {that a} Collin County grand jury indicted him. Impersonating a public servant is a third-degree felony.
Frazier turned himself in to the Richardson jail Friday and posted bond, stated Teddy Yoshida, a spokesperson for the Richardson Police Division.
It’s unclear what the particular allegations towards Frazier are, and a spokesperson for the Collin County district lawyer’s workplace was not instantly accessible for remark.
Responding to the indictment, Frazier’s marketing campaign blamed his Republican main runoff opponent, Paul Chabot, who had urged Frazier posed as a metropolis code compliance officer to get Chabot’s marketing campaign indicators taken down at a Walmart. In an announcement, Frazier’s marketing campaign stated Chabot, who has run for workplace a number of occasions earlier than, is “making an attempt to overturn the outcomes of that election by citing trumped complaints to regulation enforcement and testifying earlier than a grand jury.”
“Frederick Frazier is wanting ahead to having the chance to defend himself in court docket, the place we’re assured jurors will see via Chabot’s lies in the identical method that voters have 5 occasions earlier than,” the assertion stated.
John Thomas, Chabot’s marketing consultant, issued an announcement on Frazier’s indictment:
“An impartial grand jury was empaneled and decided that Mr. Frazier dedicated a number of felonies. In reality, it was the Rangers and the McKinney PD who uncovered the felonies. Frazier’s mendacity and deceit is aware of no limits. He dedicated crimes and refuses to fess up. He’s a shame to himself and to those that daybreak a badge in regulation enforcement. Paul Chabot calls for Frazier have one shred of decency and instantly drop out of the race because it’s essential that each a Republican and candidate with integrity signify the folks of the 61st district.”
Frazier simply gained the Republican main runoff final month for Home District 61, an open seat in Collin County that leans Republican. A well known advocate for regulation enforcement in Austin, Frazier had the backing of Trump, Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and state Home Speaker Dade Phelan. The Democratic nominee within the race is Sheena King.
Throughout the runoff, Chabot spoke out concerning the alleged theft of dozens of his marketing campaign indicators. In a single incident, Chabot stated a Walmart retailer supervisor informed him somebody claiming to work for metropolis code compliance got here in and informed the shop to take down Chabot’s indicators as a result of they had been illegally positioned. Chabot stated he reported that to the police.
The Texas Rangers finally seemed into his claims. Chabot later obtained a report from the Rangers via a public data request that stated the company investigated Frazier in February for “alleged legal violations … of Impersonating a Public Servant and doubtlessly associated Theft.”
On the time, Frazier’s marketing campaign marketing consultant, Craig Murphy, stated his candidate denied any wrongdoing and known as Chabot’s claims “frivolous.”
Texas Scorecard and Steven Monacelli, a contract journalist who extensively coated the marketing campaign signal controversy for Rolling Stone, had been among the many first to report Friday that Frazier had been indicted.
Be a part of us Sept. 22-24 in individual in downtown Austin for The Texas Tribune Competition and expertise 100+ dialog occasions that includes large names you realize and others it is best to from the worlds of politics, public coverage, the media and tech — all curated by The Texas Tribune’s award-winning journalists. Purchase tickets.