GOP hears from ex-Californian, provides update on audit

The Bandera County Republican Party met May 11 and heard from legislative candidate Dennis London; they also conducted regular business that included an updates on a proposed audit and various committees.

London, a former Tea Party Republican from California, is running for State House Representative in District 33, which is centered in the Rockwall and Plano area. He is running against incumbent Justin Holland, also a Republican.

Treasurer Rene Leith spoke about the committee’s first discussion with an auditor about the proposed party audit.

“Until we have something to audit ... right now we don’t have anything to audit,” she remarked, adding the audit cannot proceed forward at this time without receipts and paperwork.

Leith said they received one receipt and two bank statements from former chair Lynn Haueter, although they did have some records from 2016.

Leith also said that the reports required to be filed by the Secretary of State could not be completed with what they were given by Haueter.

Striegl said the only remedy was to update the bylaws and fix the reporting procedures, which he said had been done.

Former county chair Lynn Haueter told the Bulletin, ““Let me get this straight. The person who is under criminal felony indictment for bank fraud is claiming she doesn’t have bank records to conduct an audit? Seriously? These people keep making up all kinds of reasons to avoid an audit. I wonder why?”

Striegl and Leith were arrested and indicted earlier this year on charges of fraudulent securing of document execution between $2,500 and $30K. Prosecution is currently in pre-trial stages.

Hauter said she worked closely with the Secretary of State to ensure she was properly transferring all required bank records and recording that process.

“There is multiple documentation to prove that as well as witnesses to the transfer, including one of our constables and a local attorney,” she said. “The entire bank account of which I had control was transferred to Mr. Streigl, and he had full access to all transactions that occurred on that account.”

Hauter said there was only one receipt for postage used to mail checks to the primary run-off workers.

In other meeting business, Striegl recommended each party member review the CEC goals found on the party website. According to Striegl, this is the first time the county CEC has had goals.

During the the Communications Committee update, John Mata said the newsletter went out with typos but that everything reported was accurate.

One CEC member asked if Cammie Morgan’s delegate status was corrected. Mata said he thought it had been.

Striegl said that issue was adjudicated and indicated the delegate had to be signed in and registered to be counted as a delegate to vote.

“If that process is not completed you are not a delegate,” he said.

Morgan reiterated the statute specified that “state convention delegates serve until the next primary election, state convention delegates selected under this subchapter serve as the delegates to all state conventions held until the next primary election.”

Striegl asked Morgan to send her information to him for further consideration.

A post-election review meeting will happen on August 26 at 9 a.m. at the BEC Community Room.

“The meeting will review what we did good and what we did bad. This has never happened before after county elections,” said Striegl.

Striegl said he highly recommended coming to that event, as coworkers and election judges will review everything about the election process.

Dennis London gave his presentation on how Texas and California differed. A recent immigrant from Orange County, California, he came to Texas to escape the decline of California. London remarked he had moved here for the liberties and life found in Texas.

As a senior administrator for MacAfee, he began making trips to Plano in the early 2000s. He described the suburbanization of that area. He said that native Texans need not fear immigrants from other states. He said that they have lived through the liberalization of their areas and know what to look for and how to fight against that.

His goal is to make a stand and educate the people about this shift toward Democratic politics. He remarked the Rockwall area is a target by Dallas liberals to flip politically.

London emphasized the importance of voting to express your views. He adamantly emphasized that you have the responsibility to get involved.

He spoke at length about the “granny flat bill,” which took away local zoning regulations to allow for one or more accessory buildings to be built on a residential property. This increased the population density and allowed for subdivided property in formerly single-family home subdivisions.

He also took issue with the California statute to send a “vote by mail ballot” to every registered voter. London also came out against ranked choice voting, declarin ranked choice voting is a way politicians control who runs on which organization’s ballot.

London said California is the top state for rules to regulate gun ownership. He especially objected to a background check when purchasing ammunition and a five-cent tax on every bullet which goes toward crime prevention.

The next meeting of the Bandera County Republican Party will be on June 8 at the Utopia Community Center at 7 p.m.