Inside the McKinney Recall: Money, Motives and Missing Answers

By R.J. Morales | TX3DNews

McKinney’s recall campaign is collecting signatures, soliciting donations and discussing potential paid petition workers. But basic questions about who is directing and financing the effort remain unanswered.

The paperwork cites only a “loss of public confidence.” Online, the recall emerged from the Aug. 5 mosque controversy, while organizers have also cited the airport, spending and other concerns with City Hall. Donations promoted for recall expenses are directed to Collin County Citizens for Integrity PAC.

From Mosque Vote to Recall

The recall targets Mayor Bill Cox and council members Justin Beller, Ernest Lynch and Dr. Geré Feltus. The filing does not identify the mosque, airport, amphitheater or any specific council decision.

On Aug. 5, the night the council unanimously approved the mosque site plan, Ashley Marie, who has become a prominent online promoter of the recall, posted: “McKinney this fight is far from over — that recall? Incoming, I’m working on it.”

She has since promoted petition-signing locations and solicited donations for the recall. On Aug. 18, she said contributions would cover “petition printing, legal costs, & signature drives against the council members.”

The QR code included with that appeal directed donors to Collin County Citizens for Integrity PAC.

Where the Money Leads

Paul Chabot, who founded the PAC and is listed in state filings as its campaign treasurer, has also discussed recruiting people to collect recall signatures. He posted that there “may be paid work opportunities for recall signature gathers,” saying he was looking for another 100 people and would “help make the connection.”

The post did not identify who would employ or pay them.

Neither the fundraising nor recruitment establishes that the PAC controls the recall. Its exact role in the effort, however, has not been publicly defined.

TX3DNews asked what recall expenses the PAC is financing, who would pay potential signature gatherers and what role it plays in the campaign. No response had been received as of publication.

What Is the Recall About?

The mosque is difficult to miss in the campaign surrounding the recall, but largely absent when organizers explain the effort.

The recall surfaced immediately after the Aug. 5 mosque vote and was soon promoted by conservative accounts posting about Islam, Sharia and protecting American culture. Ashley Marie, one of the recall’s most visible online promoters, has repeatedly posted about Islam, Sharia and immigration while promoting the effort. Republican congressman Keith Self, opposed the mosque proposal before publicly backing the recall.

The organizers’ public explanation has been different. The filing never mentions the mosque, while Chabot and others involved have pointed to the airport, infrastructure, spending and broader concerns with City Hall.

Those reasons, however, do not fit all four targets neatly. Beller opposed key airport funding measures, Lynch was not yet on the council when major airport contracts were approved, and Cox was elected mayor with his support for airport expansion already public. Self himself has called himself a longtime airport “cheerleader.”

One recent decision all four do share is the mosque vote. All four voted yes, but so did the three council members who are not being recalled.

Signature Counts and Other Questions

Other details about the recall remain unclear, including its current signature totals.

The recall website initially displayed a signature count, but that figure was later removed. Organizers subsequently told The Dallas Express they had collected about 1,500 signatures.

It is unclear whether that figure represents roughly 1,500 signatures per petition, 1,500 voters who may have signed multiple petitions, or 1,500 signatures combined across all four. Each official faces a separate recall petition that must independently meet the required threshold.

John Aselton, one of five people coordinating the recall effort and the creator of its Change.org petition, has not responded to requests for clarification about the petition counts, the campaign’s organization or its rationale. When approached at a publicly advertised signing location, he did not respond to questions about the effort.

The PAC has also submitted a civil rights complaint to the U.S. Department of Justice alleging intimidation and interference with signature gathering. The PAC did not respond to questions seeking details about the allegations or whether DOJ had taken any action.

Filing a complaint does not mean DOJ has opened an investigation or determined that wrongdoing occurred. Self later posted from his campaign account that he supports calls for DOJ to investigate.

What the Record Shows

The formal filing cites only a “loss of public confidence.” Organizers have cited spending, infrastructure and other concerns with City Hall, while much of the recall’s online attention has centered on the mosque, Islam and Sharia.

The PAC’s exact role in financing and organizing the effort remains unclear, as do the individual signature totals for the four petitions.

Those are significant distinctions in a campaign seeking to remove four elected city officials.