DENTON, Texas — A pair of Denton ISD elementary school principals were indicted on election-charges on Tuesday two months after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton accused Denton ISD of electioneering.
The indictments state that the two principals, Borman Elementary Principal Jesus Lujan and Alexander Elementary Principal Lindsay Lujan, were each indicted on the charge of unlawful use of internal mail system for political advertising, a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail. The indictment details that the two, on Feb. 5, "did then and there knowingly use or authorize the use of an internal mail system to distribute political advertising."
Lindsay Lujan is also Denton ISD's director of special programs.
Paxton filed suit against Denton ISD in February, accusing the Lujans, who are married, of stumping for certain candidates in emails to their staff earlier this month.
Ross Fischer, a former chair of the Texas Ethics Commission, told WFAA that both emails have potential criminal and civil liability.
“It's against the election code to use public resources for political advertising or to use an internal mail system email system for political advertising,” Fischer said.
Paxton said the emails were a violation of state election and education laws. Paxton's office is now seeking a temporary restraining order to stop the two principals "from using state or local funds or other resources of the district to electioneer for or against any candidate."
Paxton called the alleged actions of the principals "absolutely improper."
“It is absolutely improper for publicly funded entities like school districts to engage in electioneering as Denton ISD has done,” Paxton said in a news release. “State law prohibits government officials—including school district personnel—from using either their positions of authority or taxpayer resources to influence the outcome of elections."
