Authorities investigating removal of party chair from GOP bank account

A complaint filed with investigators contends Bandera County Republican Chair Lynn Haueter was unlawfully removed from three GOP bank accounts, leaving 26 staffers who worked the March primary without a paycheck.

“A complaint was filed and we have reached out to the Texas Rangers to assist with the investigation,” said Bandera County Sheriff Daniel Butts

The Rangers, a division of the Department of Public Safety, investigate allegations of public corruption, among other duties. A spokesperson told the Bulletin Monday the Rangers had not yet opened a file on the Bandera County matter.

Chair-elect and current Bandera Republican Party Secretary Conrad Streigl told the Bulletin in an email Haueter was removed from the bank accounts in line with five Articles of Censure presented to her earlier this month by members of the Bandera County Executive Committee (CEC), but two state GOP officials call the action groundless and say Haueter remains chair till the end of her term on June 12.

Haueter says she learned she’d been removed from the accounts on March 14.

“I was informed by Wells Fargo Bank that Bandera County Republican Party Secretary Conrad “Butch” Striegl, along with other individuals, entered the Bandera branch on March 8, presented false documents purporting to authorize them to empty out and close all of the BCRP bank accounts, and proceeded to transfer all BCRP funds to new bank accounts under their control,”

Haueter said in a statement. Hauter told the Bulletin Wells Fargo carried out Streigl’s request even though he was not an authorized user on any of the party’s bank accounts.

Although Wells Fargo officials did not respond to a request for comment by the Bulletin’s press deadline, Haueter says the incident has been moved up to the bank’s Escalation Department.

Haueter told the Bulletin there are three party accounts totaling over $13,000, one of which was funded by the Texas Secretary of State to compensate election workers for their services during the March 1 primary.

“Our office can confirm we’ve been notified of the Bandera County Republican Party’s situation, and we understand law enforcement is involved,” said Sam Taylor, Assistant Secretary of State for Communications Office of the Texas Secretary of State. “Beyond that, we don’t have any additional information to provide at this time.”

Streigl says Haueter was removed from the accounts in accordance with conditions of the censure, one of which was that she relinquish financial and administrative controls.

“She was given every opportunity to rebut but refused,” said Streigl in an emailed statement to the Bulletin. “She was directed to relinquish the website and all financial assets , she refused. Consequently, she was removed from all financial accounts and a complete financial review is currently planned. No money was removed are taken from any accounts, we would be happy to provide a complete listing of all account transactions before and after account transfer. She was replaced by 3 individuals with equal access and a new dual signature requirement was imposed when before there was no such requirement. [sic]”

A March 14 letter obtained by the Bulletin from Jennifer Hall, Organization Director for the Texas Republican Party, said Haueter remains the current chair of the party, echoing last week’s statement from Texas Republican Party Vice-Chair Cat Parks that the CEC’s Articles of Censure had no merit and were unenforceable.

“Her term of office does not end until 11:59 p.m., June 12, 2022,” wrote Hall. “Texas Election code 171.028 states the Chair has until the 30th day after the end of their term to relinquish control of the bank accounts.”

Hall also cited Texas Election Code sections 173.031, 173.033(a) and 173.034(a) as providing authorization for Haueter as County Chairman to create and manage financial accounts for Primary Elections and other party business.

In another email, Streigl told the Bulletin he “knew a censure had no teeth because the [Republican Party of Texas] had routinely failed to strengthen Rule 44,” but the action was done on principle. Rule 44 refers to the censuring process as outlined by the state party.

“It had to be done to make the public aware of what had occurred, make it known that the CEC won’t tolerate a breach of the rules, and to stop the behavior, once and for all,” he said.

Haueter says she hopes this situation doesn’t interfere with the orderly conduct of the party’s upcoming runoff in May.

“I thank our Republican election judges and clerks for their service and patience as we and state authorities work to resolve this matter,” she said.

The Bandera Republican Party convenes at 10 a.m. this Saturday for their biannual Precinct and County Convention, where delegates for the State Convention will be chosen. That event is being held at the Lakehills Community Center, 11225 Park Rd. 37 in Lakehills.

Another condition of the CEC’s censure is that Haueter has no part in Saturday’s convention.

“I plan on convening the convention as part of statutory duty,” said Haueter.