Yet another Liberty County Courthouse investigation is underway after an anonymous letter was sent out to members of media falsely alleging 253rd District Court Judge Chap B. Cain III accepted a campaign donation that exceeded the limits allowed by law. Now a federal investigation is confirmed by law enforcement sources.
But this is not anything new to people who have kept up with the news the last few years. Mail which entered the Liberty County courthouse has been summarily screened for years by political operatives. Liberty County officials don’t think much of mail privacy. Back in 2006, Ray Akins’ mail box was invaded by Liberty County Central Appraisal District Field Appraiser, Keith Austin. Liberty Dispatch posted a written story and a photo of Austin with his hands in Akins’ mailbox. The amazing thing about this is that no action was taken against this Liberty County employee.
Now, fast forward to this year, and we have Judge Candidate Chap Cain having his mail and his privacy invaded by Liberty County employees in the Liberty County Courthouse. Judge Cain’s mail was intercepted and opened and the political operatives decided that an enclosed campaign contribution was just the nail they were looking for to manipulate voters into burying Judge Cain in a coffin-like political scandal.
The faxed letter also shows a copy of the envelope containing a campaign donation from a law firm in Beaumont. Sources close to the investigation say that the mail is handled by the county judge’s office, but recent allegations in the media have implied some kind of pact between Cain’s primary opponent Michelle Merendino, recently defeated County Judge candidate Phil Fitzgerald, 75th District Court Judge C.T. “Rusty” Hight, and Zack Zbranek, Democratic candidate for County Court at Law. Nothing has been proven yet but, there is an ongoing investigation. Authorities must consider all people who could benefit by successfully making up a story bolstered by information obtained by tampering with the Judge Cain’s mail. Liberty County’s reputation for dirty politics is not lost on federal investigators.
The faxed letter, which in addition to Liberty County District Attorney- Mike Little, also was sent to Dayton News/Cleveland Advocate Editor- Vanesa Brashier, Controversial Texas Ranger- Grover Franklin Huff, and Liberty County Judge- Phil Fitzgerald. The letter was sent to others but, this list of people many Republicans would consider to be very friendly with Democrats and very likely to interpret the information like they wanted it interpreted. The letter correctly states that Cain received a campaign donation for $6,500 from the Beaumont law firm and that the maximum amount for a campaign donation from a law firm to a district judge is $6,000. But just like some of the political lynchings we have witnessed around here with the Buddy Craig case and the Ray Akins case prove cases are presented very selectively. The truth is that the law firm mistakenly put $6500 in one place and $6000 in the other place on the check.
The political operatives who illegally obtained the letter have tried to:
1. Hang Judge Cain.
2. Frame the Republican Party by crafting a faxed letter stating- “It is obvious from this information that Judge Cain received a campaign contribution from a law firm for $6,500. That amount is $500 more than the cap allowed by law for district judges. The real problem, and consequently, the lie from Judge Cain, is what he reported on his campaign finance form. He lists the contribution from the same law firm as being only $6,000, an amount that is obviously complying with the law, but not the amount actually received.”
Unfortunately for the evil people who did this, but fortunately for Judge Cain, is the fact that the Judge knew the campaign laws and had no intention of campaigning any way but as the law dictated. Cain, not aware of the plot, brought the check to the bank to ask them to cash it for the lower of the two amounts on the check. The bank said it would be better to just have a new check issued.
“I knew there was an error on the check and when it couldn’t be resolved by the bank, I just got in my car and drove to Beaumont to get the new check and to return the old one. I never really thought any more about it until this faxed letter came up” Cain said several days ago.
But the faxed letter has raised questions about the privacy of mail in the courthouse. Cain said that he noticed that the window pane on the envelope had been pried up, but at the time he did not think anything about it.
Cain expressed concern about his rights being violated and a new low in local politics being displayed. This kind of politics could be far more serious than the he said, she said things we have heard in past elections. Once the parties involved in the fax and mail tampering have been identified, they could face the federal charge of Obstruction of Correspondence, which could lead to fines and imprisonment of up to five years, or both. The same charges that, if convicted, people could have had filed on them as they welcomed ray Akins to town a few short years ago.
“This may seem like a new low to the Judge, but this is what met me at the county line as I just came into Liberty County, I understand how Chap feels”, said Ray Akins. “I know we don’t want to admit it, but we have a problem around here and the public is just now starting to see what a few of us have been beaten over the head for trying to stop.”
Liberty Dispatch has been aware of the February 25th letter but deferred reporting it first to the common goal of a successful federal investigation that may lead to uncovering more of this political operation and help to clean up what already has been a mudslinging tirade from enemies of Judge Cain and those who seek to stop a successful Republican election season.
In the past anything that might cast a shadow on friends or political associates of Bill Buchanan, or Texas Ranger Huff, or District Attorney Mike Little, or former Deputy Sheriff Chip Fairchild have been dealt with very selectively and very quietly.
This story will be reported but whether an investigation turns up the breath, the depth, and the width of what is going on, please stay tuned and stay alert as the season for manipulating voters has begun.
Courtesy to, excerpts from Cleveland Advocate
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