A candidate for Wichita Falls City Council has disclosed she will face no civil penalty as the result of a complaint filed against her with the Texas Ethics Commission.
Cathy Dodson provided TEC documents to the Times Record News showing that a complaint was filed against her on on Feb. 11 by Lee Ann Haines, a Wichita Falls attorney and recent appointee to the city’s Economic Development Corporation.
Haines complained that Dodson “failed to appoint a campaign treasurer before taking affirmative action as a candidate for Wichita Falls City Council, District Three in violation of Section 252.001 of the Election Code,” according to the documents.
The TEC determined that prior to filing a campaign treasurer appointment with the Wichita Falls City Clerk’s Office on Feb. 13, Dodson:
“There is credible evidence of technical or de minimis violation of Section 252.001 of the Election Code,” the TEC ruled. “This violation did not materially affect disclosure or undermine public trust in government.”
The TEC said Dodson “took corrective measures in response to the complaint” and agreed to comply with the rules.
While the TEC said Dodson’s compliance agreement could not be disclosed by the agency, she was not prohibited from disclosing it.
She said Tuesday she decided to disclose the TEC results because she may file a complaint of her own with the agency this fall.
This is Dodson’s second effort to win the District Three seat after losing in November 2023 to incumbent Jeff Browning, who will leave office because of term limitations. She faces David Coleman in the Nov. 3 General Election.
Following the 2023 city election, Dodson filed complaints with the TEC on Browning, Mayor Tim Short and councilors Mike Battaglino and Tom Taylor, alleging the candidates did not disclose in-kind contributions from the Wichita Falls Professional Firefighters Political Action Committee.
Each of the men agreed to pay $500 in civil penalties.
This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: Wichita Falls candidate reveals results of ethics complaint
Reporting by Lynn Walker, Wichita Falls Times Record News / Wichita Falls Times Record News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Lynn Walker, Wichita Falls Times Record News | USA TODAY Network
