A Texas lawmaker is facing more legal trouble as a trial approaches, over accusations that the Dallas police union charity he headed took money intended for families of fallen officers.
Freshman State Rep. Frederick Frazier (R–McKinney) works for the Dallas Police Department, but has been on administrative leave since last June. That’s when Frazier was charged with two felony counts of impersonating a public servant, which are tied to campaign sign shenanigans during the 2022 Republican primary.
In 2017, Frazier was sued by Dallas Police Department Detective Katrina Ahrens, the widow of Dallas PD Senior Corporal Lorne Ahrens—one of the five officers killed in the 2016 downtown Dallas sniper attack.
Ahrens’ lawsuit accuses Frazier and other leaders of the Dallas Police Association‘s charitable foundation Assist The Officer (ATO) of stealing donations meant specifically for the families of the five slain officers.
Frazier chaired the ATO at the time and is currently vice chairman of the organization.
The lawsuit describes Frazier and Michael Mata, current president of the DPA, as “ringleaders” in a “scheme to benefit themselves” at the expense of Ahrens and others.
Ahrens claims in the lawsuit that the ATO “has stolen and cashed checks” written to her and other fallen officers’ families.
The suit alleges the ATO “lost” a substantial sum of the cash donations and is “holding donations meant for Det. Ahrens and her family hostage, refusing to transfer them to her unless she agrees to the ATO’s conditions, like keeping quiet and releasing the ATO and its leaders from all liability.”
Frazier and Mata deny Ahrens’ allegations.
After years of delays, the lawsuit appears to be moving forward.
Over the summer, multiple parties gave depositions in the case, which is scheduled for an October 23 trial. The City of Dallas is also a defendant in the lawsuit.
Frazier’s felony impersonation case has also moved forward during the past two weeks, with new motions filed and several subpoenas issued.
Since he took office in January, Frazier has delayed action in that case by taking advantage of a perk known as a legislative continuance, which allows lawmakers to postpone court proceedings while the legislature is in session as well as for 30 days before and after.
The most recent special legislative session concluded on July 13, so Frazier’s latest continuance has expired. He cannot request another delay until the governor calls another special session.
Frazier is also the subject of a Dallas PD Internal Affairs investigation surrounding the felony impersonation charges and what investigators describe as behavior that violates the department’s code of conduct.
Despite his legal troubles, the first-term lawmaker has announced he is running for re-election to represent Texas House District 61 and will seek the Republican nomination in the March 2024 primary.
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