MCKINNEY, Texas — A Republican primary candidate heading towards a contentious runoff race for State House District 61 in May tells WFAA that at least 75 of his campaign signs have been stolen since last November -- and that the Texas Rangers have since gotten involved in the investigation.
In addition, the district attorney of Collin County has just recused his office from the case and assigned a special prosecutor to review the Rangers' findings, the candidate told WFAA.
Bill Wirskye, first assistant district attorney for Collin County, declined to comment on the case, saying his office does not comment on pending or potential investigations.
Campaign sign-stealing is a common by-product of running for office. But local police departments usually handle those cases just fine on their own, and district attorneys generally prosecute them as misdemeanor crimes, depending on the severity.
That's why Paul Chabot, the candidate whose signs were stolen, is scratching his head.
Weeks ago, he said, the Texas Rangers with the Department of Public Safety interviewed him after he'd reported to McKinney police that a number of his signs had been stolen.
"From having 20 years in law enforcement, it certainly felt bigger than stealing signs," Chabot said. "But the lieutenant I spoke with from the Texas Rangers wouldn't tell me why his office was involved."
Chabot faces Frederick Frazier in a May 24 runoff election for Texas House seat 61. Frazier received 42 percent of the vote during March's primary election, while Chabot received 37 percent. A third candidate, Jim Herblin, didn't advance to the runoff, receiving 21 percent of the vote.
It's a tight GOP runoff, and Frazier and Chabot each have over two decades of law enforcement experience. Chabot also served as a Naval Intelligence Officer with Joint Special Operations Forces in the Iraq War.
Frazier is currently assigned to the Dallas Police Department/Marshal Fugitive Task Force. He also has been endorsed by President Donald Trump.
Chabot told WFAA that he strangely got a call ion December from a manager of a Walmart off of Virginia Parkway in McKinney. The manager, per Chabot, said that someone had been in the store and, after identifying themselves as a code compliance officer with the City of McKinney, asked that Walmart call Chabot's camp to have them removed because Chabot's signs near the business were out of compliance.
Chabot told WFAA his signs were in compliance, and that he went to city hall to speak with the city manager about the complaint.
"The city manager told me that no code compliance officer was ever sent to the Walmart, and said my signs were fine," Chabot said.
Two days later, Chabot said a 4-foot-by-8-foot campaign sign was stolen at the Walmart, so he proceeded with a police report about the alleged code compliance officer and the theft.
At the same time, other Chabot campaign signs have been taken from various locations around McKinney, the candidate told WFAA.
"I feel like I'm being victimized week in and week out, honestly," Chabot said. "I'll be out there until midnight, looking at signs. It's hard enough running a race when it's an unfair fight."
In late January, Chabot said he was called by McKinney police who told him the Texas Rangers were taking the case.
"This was pretty surprising," Chabot said. "It didn't seem right, but I also didn't know why they started investigating the issue."
On Feb. 1, Chabot said Texas Ranger Lt. J. Rodney Odom interviewed him in Garland.
Chabot shared proof of the meeting with WFAA, and said he inquired during it as to why the Texas Rangers were handling the case.
"I wasn't getting any answers, and it didn't make sense to forward this to the Texas Rangers, who deal with much larger issues," Chabot said. "I begged them to interview any suspects, at the very least, so at least they would stop stealing my signs -- because it's exhausting."
On March 3, Chabot said the Texas Rangers informed him that their investigation into his case was completed and that it had been forwarded to prosecutors.
Fast forward to this week, and Chabot's camp has filed public information requests with the Collin County District Attorney's Office to obtain a copy of the investigation or related records to it. But they were told via email that there were no "responsive records."
An email from Debbie Harrison, the Civil Division Chief, reads:
"Later, our office recused itself from this case, and a Special Prosecutor was appointed. The investigative file has been sent to the Special Prosecutor, and that would be the appropriate individual/office to contact regarding any records request. The Special Prosecutor is the District Attorney for the 8th Judicial District, Will Ramsay. His main office is in Hopkins County, 282 Rosemont, Suite 1, Sulpher Springs, TX 75482."
Chabot said the district attorney's office didn't elaborate on why it recused itself from the case.
"We deserve to know what's happening here," Chabot said. "Who's behind this? Where does this go next? The attorney general's office? How many more ladders do we need to climb before getting answers?"
WFAA also reached out to Frazier's campaign and did not receive a response Friday.
