Access to CEC-Owned Bank Account Statements
October 15, 2023 | Montgomery County, TX
The decision to remove Chairman Bryan Christ from a bank account owned by the County Executive Committee (CEC) was made by the Party majority at a properly called August 13, 2022, CEC meeting (see pages 3-4 and 6-7) due to concerns that the Chairman would use funds for purposes other than Party Headquarters rent and Get-Out-the-Vote efforts leading up to the November 2022 election.
Precinct Chairs are elected by Republican voters on the Primary Election ballot to represent each precinct as the voting members of the Montgomery County Republican Party County Executive Committee (CEC). Precinct Chairs and the County Chairman each get one vote on issues brought before the CEC. Texas Election Code and Party Rules establish that disputed issues are to be debated and settled by majority vote.
Because Chairman Christ refuses to respect the vote of the CEC and conduct Party business in a fair and impartial manner, the CEC body voted to remove him from the bank account and instated Party Treasurer Charles Shirley and Vice Chairman Jon Bouché onto the account.
When Chairman Christ attempted to gain access to the account with a letter from his self-appointed Steering Committee (a minority group of Chairman Christ’s followers), he was informed that he had been removed from the account. He then sent out a newsletter in which he claimed that the Party majority had committed fraud by embezzling the difference between the $53,587 that was in the bank as of the August 13, 2022, CEC meeting (see Exhibit F: Financial Report) and the year-end 2022 amount of $31,134 (see Exhibit D: Income Statement) - a roughly $22,400 difference.
Chairman Christ published this false information publicly despite knowing that every penny of that money was accounted for in three Texas Ethics Commission filings: 30 days before Nov. 8 election, 8 days before Nov. 8 election, and Dec. 31, 2022 year-end report.
Since that time, Chairman Christ and his minority group have continued to accuse Party officers of hiding bank statements and committing fraud by embezzling Party funds.
Montgomery County Republican Party of Texas Statement on Slanderous Accusations Made by Raquel Lewis
Party expenditures are publicly available. Money has never “mysteriously disappeared” from the CEC-owned bank account and all funds have been accounted for with the Texas Ethics Commission (TEC). TEC filings are available at ethics.state.tx.us.
October 3-6, 2023, Email Exchange
The following email exchange between Montgomery County Republican Party Treasurer Charles Shirley, Precinct 105 Chair Charles Parada, and Vice Chairman Jon Bouché, provides additional information on access to the CEC-owned bank account statements.
On Oct 3, 2023, at 2:39 PM, Charles Shirley <xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
[Sent to the entire CEC]
Attached Financial Report, Montgomery County Republican Party of Texas, dated October 3, 2023.
<TreasurersReport--MCRPTX--03October2023.pdf>
On Tuesday, October 3, 2023 at 02:43:22 PM CDT, Charles A Parada <xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Thank you - now can we see copies of the bank statements that support this Financial Statement please.
Thank you,
Charlie
On Oct 4, 2023, at 9:49 PM, Charles Shirley <xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Charlie:
I missed you at the CEC meeting last night. You could have made a motion to the group to see if the Party wants to release its bank information to you.
Have a great evening!
Best,
Charles
From: Charles Parada <xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: Charles Shirley <xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, October 4, 2023 at 09:58:58 PM CDT
Subject: Re: Financial Report MoCo Rep Pty TX October 3, 2023
Why is that necessary. You are the treasurer and you don’t need anyone’s permission or a motion to release any and all financial data that pertains to the Montgomery County Republican Party.
Why do you refuse to comply with such a simple request.
I’ve been the treasurer of numerous organizations and have never refused a valid request pertaining to the financial data of that organization.
What in the world are you guys afraid of?
Who has you so scared or who has told you that you cannot release the bank statements?
I’d certain would like a reply.
Thank you,
Charlie Parada
Pct # 105
From: Charles Shirley <xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, October 6, 2023 4:03 PM
To: cparada<xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: 'John Wertz' <xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>; dj <xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>; Dale Inman <xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>; Gwen Withrow <xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>; Bouche, Jon P <xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: Financial Report MoCo Rep Pty TX October 3, 2023
October 6, 2023
Dear Charlie:
Below is a response from the Party's Vice Chair Mr. Bouche. John sums up the fact that I cannot and will not release bank statements to you or Mr. Christ (or Mr. Frank, etc.)
No, you are wrong. I can't just go and release all of the Party's financial information. I have a fiduciary responsibility as the Treasurer of the local Party and must follow the intent of the body and the laws of Texas. Both of these entities have strongly advised me, for good reasons, not to release bank statements to you or anyone else the body does not want to share.
You made a formal complaint with Texas Ethics Commission demanding the financial statements and they rejected your request summarily. This is matter of record.
Please, Charlie, the matter is closed until the local CEC votes otherwise.
Best,
Charles
[Forwarded message]
On Friday, October 6, 2023 at 03:32:30 PM CDT, Bouche, Jon P <xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Mr. Shirley,
Please let Mr. Parada know that you forwarded his inquiry to the Vice Chairman of the party and here is the reply.
By his repeated and continuing disregard for the will of the majority of the County Executive Committee (C.E.C.) as expressed by their vote, Chairman Christ has lost the trust of the C.E.C.. Because of this, Chairman Christ was removed from the bank account established by and belonging to the C.E.C.. And after learning of his removal from the account, Chairman Christ then contacted the bank where the account was held and attempted to gain access to the account. Since he was not able to gain access to the account, Chairman Christ then attempted to take legal action to freeze the account so as to deprive the C.E.C. of the money that they raised for the Republican “Get Out The Vote” effort.
Chairman Christ's behavior is especially appalling when you consider that Chairman Christ did not help raise ANY of the money in the C.E.C. owned account and still refuses to participate in any fundraising efforts of the Montgomery County Republican Party C.E.C..
The C.E.C. has designated people to manage their account to ensure that their funds are available to them and protected from further attempts by Chairman Christ to seize or encumber their funds. Because if Chairman Christ is successful in taking that money, he would cripple the Montgomery County Republican Party and hinder the “Get Out the Vote” efforts of the party. Chairman Christ’s efforts to undermine and destroy the local party cannot be ignored.
One need only look at what Chairman Christ did when he and his team established the MCTX Republican Victory PAC and asked the public for donations that were ostensibly for the Montgomery County Republican Party. However, soon after Chairman Christ unilaterally shut down the local party headquarters and liquidated all of the party assets, he then transferred the money from the MCTX Republican Victory PAC into the Republican Club of Montgomery PAC that he and his wife started.
Feel free to share this entire email with Mr. Parada but in summary, here is the response from the Vice Chairman to Mr. Parada:
“Unless or until the Montgomery County Republican Party C.E.C. as comprised of the properly elected and appointed Precinct Chairs decides to assign new people to manage and protect their account, this matter is closed. And if any member of the C.E.C. wants to show up at a properly called meeting and make a formal request or inquiry before the officers and C.E.C. members as documented on the party's official website of www.mctxgop.org, they may do so and that request will then be subject to the vote of the C.E.C. as is proper procedure. Since this has been explained in great detail to Mr. Parada on more than one occasion, further emails and phone calls regarding this matter will be considered as dilatory and will be ignored.”
Sincerely,
Jon P. Bouche
Vice Chairman - Montgomery County Republican Party