Judge orders Bandera Republicans to follow Election Code

Nine members of the Bandera Republican Party, including its chair, were ordered by a Texas judge last week to follow state election code regarding the removal of county precinct chairs.

The order was delivered after a hearing held in the wake of seven indictments delivered on behalf of precinct chairs Cammie Morgan and Joseph Kitzman to six other precinct chairs and party chair Conrad Striegl.

Affidavits from Kitzman and Morgan alleged they were going to be removed from their position as precinct chairs, citing a violation of Texas Government Code 171.029.

Texas Judge Keith Williams, sitting by assignment, ordered both plaintiffs and defendants to agree to follow Section 171.029 “in all respects with regard to any consideration by the CEC of the proposed removal of any precinct chair,” according to documents filed with the Bandera District Clerk’s office on Sept. 28.

According to those documents, party members also agreed “any notice of meeting containing consideration of those items contained in Section 171.029, Election Code, shall incorporate the statutory language in the notice.”

Party members also agreed each party shall be responsible for their own costs and attorney’s fees. Court filings alone totaled $930, according to court records.

The order was signed by Striegl, Morgan, Kitzman, Brandi Conover, David Speicher (by proxy), Elisa Greene, Deanna Skoglund, Laura Briscoe and Ken Denny (by proxy).

The sole missing precinct chair from the case was the recently appointed John Mata, who some allege was appointed illegally.

The County Attorney’s office has filed a motion alleging Mata’s illegal appointment. The Bulletin will have that story in next week’s issue.