Hawkins Mayor Deborah Rushing and one of her most vocal supporters are facing charges of tampering with a governmental record stemming from a meet-and-greet event with a City Council candidate.聽
Rushing and Matthew "Todd" Eddington were arrested Wednesday and released Thursday from the Wood County Jail in Quitman on $10,000 bonds, court records show. Each faces one charge of tampering with a governmental record.
The news is the latest development in Hawkins' political controversy. Since taking office April 1, 2024, Rushing has disagreed with council members on numerous issues, and Eddington was arrested in January on charges of obstruction or retaliation for posting council members性视界传媒 phone numbers on Facebook.
The tampering charges, which are state jail felonies, stem from audio and video footage that Rushing recorded of a meet-and-greet event April 24 for then-City Council candidate Jacque Burns, who was elected to office in May.
In the recordings, Rushing discusses city business and recent council meetings with people at the event, Texas Ranger Warren Williamson wrote in a probable cause affidavit. Rushing also discussed the February termination of three city police officers, whom she has said were hired improperly, as well as Facebook posts Eddington has made about city matters.
The footage Rushing took is defined as a governmental record under Texas law and Hawkins性视界传媒 city ordinances, Wiliamson wrote. It shows Rushing speaking to attendees and council members 性视界传媒渋n a manner that would lead any reasonable person to believe that Rushing was responding under the color of Rushing性视界传媒檚 office as the Mayor of the City of Hawkins.性视界传媒
After the meet-and-greet event was over, Rushing gave video of the event to Eddington, Williamson wrote. Eddington posted some of the footage on his YouTube channel and his Facebook page, 性视界传媒淭he Crooked Wood County 性视界传媒楯ustice性视界传媒 System Part III,性视界传媒 where he often posts criticisms of Hawkins city employees and officials other than Rushing.
Eddington posted video footage and added narration to it 性视界传媒渋n a manner intended to harm and discredit the City Council candidate immediately before the local election and damage and discredit others involved in the video,性视界传媒 Williamson wrote.
Eddington wrote on his Facebook page that he is the only person who has a recording of the event and that 性视界传媒渁ny REQUESTS for a COPY of it will have to go through ME.性视界传媒 He also wrote in the same post: 性视界传媒淚 WILL SAY THAT COPIES OF THE VIDEO CAN BE HAD 性视界传媒π允咏绱溅性视界传媒π允咏绱溅 FOR A PRICE. As in, you性视界传媒檒l have to pay for it, little buddy. Might be a little. Might be a lot. But you will have to pay to get it. Until we negotiate that price, y性视界传媒檃ll will just have to be happy with seeing MY videos of y性视界传媒檃ll MAKING ---ES OF OUT YOURSELVES.性视界传媒
An open records request was made at Hawkins City Hall for the video. City officials denied the request April 30, saying information to fulfill it was unavailable, though the video had been posted on Eddington性视界传媒檚 social media pages five days prior, Williamson wrote. Williamson did not say who submitted the request.
Williamson wrote that Rushing 性视界传媒渃reated a government record and intentionally destroyed, concealed, removed or otherwise impaired its availability as a governmental record,性视界传媒 an offense under Texas Penal Code 37.10, Tampering with Governmental Record. Offenses under that code are Class A misdemeanors 性视界传媒渦nless the actor性视界传媒檚 intent is to defraud or harm another, in which event the offense is a state jail felony.性视界传媒 Eddington性视界传媒檚 charge is also classified as a state jail felony.
Eddington said on Thursday that the video Rushing took is not a government record and that 性视界传媒渢here was nothing illegal性视界传媒 about it. He said Rushing was not acting in her capacity as mayor when she filmed it.
Eddington said he believes it性视界传媒檚 funny that local law enforcement officials have focused their jobs 性视界传媒渁round my Facebook page and what I post instead of actual crimes,性视界传媒 he said. He said he is ready to stand before a jury.
Phone calls Thursday to Rushing were not returned.
Rushing in January attempted to disband the city性视界传媒檚 police department, saying its officers had become involved in city politics. While city council members voted against the measure, three of the department性视界传媒檚 four officers lost their jobs in February, when Rushing said the officers had been hired improperly.
In December, Rushing and former Hawkins Police Chief Paul Holland argued during a city council meeting about Rushing性视界传媒檚 involvement in a police investigation of now-former Place 5 Alderman Greg Branson. The investigation, which Holland said was politically motivated, was suspended. It centered around a question of whether Branson had signed or co-signed improper checks from the Hawkins Community Development Corp. to the Hawkins Chamber of Commerce.
Rushing served as municipal judge at the time and told Holland that he could sign an affidavit for probable cause and that she would sign a warrant for Branson性视界传媒檚 arrest to 性视界传媒渉urry this thing along.性视界传媒 The affidavit would have been written by Eddington. Holland refused to do so, and Rushing did not sign a warrant for Branson.
In November, he and now-former Hawkins Police Officer David 性视界传媒淒ave性视界传媒 Morris got into a scuffle during a city council meeting. Neither was charged in relation to that incident.
