Representative Wesley Hunt, a Republican running for U.S. Senate in Texas, filed a police report after a senior aide to Senator John Cornyn’s reelection campaign allegedly posted an image of Hunt’s 2016 provisional ballot that displayed personal information about Hunt and his family.
The Harris County Constable’s Office confirmed that a report had been filed, Fox News Digital reported.
Matt Mackowiak, communications director for Cornyn’s campaign, posted images of the unredacted ballot on X on Friday. Cornyn’s campaign account then reposted the images before they were deleted. The images contained the last four digits of Hunt’s Social Security number, his driver’s license number and a home address, according to the report.
Newsweek reached out to the Hunt and Cornyn campaigns for comment Tuesday.
Why It Matters
The alleged disclosure of personal identifying information surfaced days before early voting in the Texas Republican primary and underscored escalating tensions in a closely watched U.S. Senate race featuring high-profile GOP contenders.
Early voting began Tuesday statewide, according to the Texas secretary of state, intensifying scrutiny over campaign tactics.
What To Know
Hunt’s campaign said he filed a police report Tuesday after Mackowiak posted the unredacted 2016 provisional ballot on X on Friday, Fox News Digital reported.
Mackowiak, a Cornyn campaign aide and president of Potomac Strategy Group, told Fox News Digital that the documents are public records obtainable via a county clerk request, noting that the Daily Mail article published the unredacted documents a day after his post.
Prior to Mackowiak’s post, the Hunt campaign provided the provisional ballot to the Houston Chronicle for an article published Thursday, with sensitive personal information redacted, the report said.
The underlying controversy is related to whether Hunt voted in 2016, with the outlet reporting that he said he supported President Donald Trump in 2016 but did not cast a ballot that November because he was not registered at the time.
Texas Penal Code §42.074 addresses unlawful disclosure of “personal identifying information” under specified circumstances, including intent requirements, according to the Texas Legislature’s website.
Legal experts told Fox News Digital that criminal charges might be difficult if specific intent to dox, intimidate or harass cannot be proved beyond a reasonable doubt.
What Is Doxxing?
Doxxing generally refers to publicly revealing or publishing private personal information about an individual without consent, often to intimidate, harass, or endanger the person.
How Did Texas AG Ken Paxton Respond?
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican who is running in the same Senate race, criticized the Cornyn campaign on X over the posting of Hunt’s and his family’s information, and he highlighted the issue of listing a member of Congress’ address, according to KRIV in Houston.
According to a survey this month by the Hobby School of Public Affairs at the University of Houston, 38 percent of likely voters intend to vote for Paxton, 31 percent for Cornyn, 17 percent for Hunt and 2 percent for others, with 12 percent undecided.
What People Are Saying
Representative Wesley Hunt, on Tuesday in a statement to Fox News Digital: “Despite knowing how dangerous and irresponsible it is to doxx someone’s family, the Cornyn campaign did it to mine…I will continue to pursue every legal avenue available to make sure my parents are safe and that those responsible are held accountable.”
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, on X: “I still can’t believe that John Cornyn’s senior staffer last night doxxed Wesley Hunt’s family and posted his social security number on X and then Cornyn defended it…The man who’s made ‘character’ the centerpiece of his campaign is cheering on his staff doxxing his opponent’s family.”
Andrew Cherkasky, a former federal prosecutor, told Fox New Digital: “Laws criminalizing the posting of Social Security numbers, addresses, or other personal information are generally focused on situations in which the specific intent in posting the personal information was to doxx, intimidate, harass, or otherwise cause harm.”
Rachel Hooper, general counsel for the Republican Party of Texas, told Fox News Digital: “The public release of personal identifying information should be investigated and the safety of elected officials, candidates, and their families must be given the utmost priority.”
What Happens Next
Law enforcement officials intend to subpoena X to retrieve the deleted post containing the personal information, according to a source from the Hunt campaign, Fox News Digital reported.
With early voting underway, campaigns could face further scrutiny regarding handling of personal data and compliance with Texas’ unlawful disclosure statute. Any charging decisions would rest with local prosecutors and would depend on evidence of specific intent and the circumstances of the posting.
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