Lawsuits, regulatory actions, allegations and widely covered statements involving a signer or their church. Newest first. 5 of 27 signers have at least one item (directly or through their church); 22 were searched with nothing found; 0 are not yet fully searched.
After his appointment as Abbott’s election-integrity adviser, news outlets reported his stated belief that the 2020 election was stolen, which they noted is contrary to the evidence, and quoted him saying “there are powers of darkness that I really believe control the Austin swamp.”
Response: Abbott’s office cited “his proven conservative record fighting for election security.”
Sources: ksat.com · texasmonthly.com
The Fort Worth Report, ProPublica and The Texas Tribune reported on “Campaign University,” a training program for Christian candidates that Schatzline co-created and that runs through Mercy Culture’s political nonprofit.
Response: Schatzline twice agreed to an interview but did not follow up to schedule it or return later calls and emails, the Tribune reported.
Sources: texastribune.org
In a separate suit against Williamson County officials (Story v. Gravell), the Fifth Circuit affirmed dismissal, finding among other things that his arrest was supported by probable cause under a valid warrant.
Response: Not reported.
Sources: ca5.uscourts.gov
U.S. District Judge Jennifer Rearden granted the SEC partial summary judgment, finding Brewer traded COPsync shares on material nonpublic information. In September 2025 the SEC asked the court to order about $160,000 in disgorgement, penalties and interest (Law360).
Response: His attorneys did not immediately respond to Front Office Sports.
Sources: sec.gov · frontofficesports.com · law360.com · complianceconcourse.willkie.com
An independent investigation commissioned by the board of Michael Brown’s Line of Fire ministry found “sexually abusive misconduct” with one woman and an “inappropriate relationship” with a second, both in the early 2000s. A church-convened Elder Accountability Team called it leadership misconduct and recommended his return to ministry, and Mercy Culture — which lists Brown as an “apostolic elder” — publicly backed him. The allegations concern Brown, not any signer.
Response: Brown said his interactions were nonsexual but showed poor judgment; Landon Schott said he refuses to take part in “cancel culture.”
Sources: kera.org · religionunplugged.com
During a zoning dispute with Oakhurst neighbors over the church’s planned shelter for trafficking survivors, co-founder Landon Schott called some opponents “witches” and “warlocks.” The Fort Worth City Council approved the project on Dec. 10, 2024.
Response: Schott later apologized to offended residents but stood by his claims about specific people.
Sources: religionunplugged.com· medium confidence
The Texas Observer reported that For Liberty & Justice, a 501(c)(3) led by Schatzline, circulated an all-Republican candidate list and a flier for block-walking for Sen. Ted Cruz’s campaign. Experts it quoted said this may violate the group’s tax-exempt status.
Response: He did not respond to the Observer.
Sources: texasobserver.org
Freedom Place Church was Rowlett’s only Dallas County early-voting site in 2024. Mayor Blake Margolis cited parking and the building’s size; a petition filed on behalf of Robert Margolis, Senior Citizens of Rowlett and two other residents led Dallas County Judge Rachel Craig to grant a temporary restraining order adding the Rowlett Community Centre as a second early-voting site. The church remained a polling place. The city had separately said the church’s certificate of occupancy was issued in error.
Response: Huddleston said the church has ample parking and that he was “shocked” by the city’s letter; church counsel alleged religious discrimination.
Sources: cbsnews.com · wfaa.com · nbcdfw.com
Ceh was a defendant in a federal civil suit, tried before an Austin jury, brought by bus driver Timothy Holloway, former state Sen. Wendy Davis and campaign staffer David Gins, alleging that Trump Train participants violated the Ku Klux Klan Act of 1871 during an Oct. 30, 2020 convoy that surrounded a Biden-Harris campaign bus. In September 2024 the jury cleared five of six defendants, including Steve and Randi Ceh, and found only Eliazar Cisneros liable.
Response: “Praise God,” Ceh told reporters after the verdict.
Sources: texastribune.org · tpr.org · mycanyonlake.com
Story and Dustin Clark sued Round Rock ISD and its board members in federal court (W.D. Tex.). On July 26, 2023, Judge David Alan Ezra let Story’s First Amendment claims, Fourth Amendment false-arrest claims against police, an equal-protection claim against the board president and Texas Open Meetings Act claims proceed, and dismissed others with leave to replead, the Daily Signal reported.
Response: The district had not been served and did not comment when the suit was filed, KXAN reported.
Sources: kxan.com · dailysignal.com· medium confidence
Schatzline wrote HB 1266, which would have classed venues hosting drag shows as sexually oriented businesses. A video then circulated of him wearing a dress as a student, and critics called it hypocrisy.
Response: He said it was a teenage class project on a dare and “not a sexually explicit drag show.”
Sources: click2houston.com · nbcnews.com · wfaa.com
Fort Worth Weekly reported allegations from former members that the church pressed members to volunteer heavily and tithe, steered home purchases to leaders who are real-estate agents (including Heather Schott and elder Steve Penate), and asked trafficking survivors to give testimonies at fundraisers for its planned shelter.
Response: The Schotts did not respond to repeated requests for comment, the paper reported.
Sources: fwweekly.com · fwweekly.com· medium confidence
ProPublica and The Texas Tribune reported that Mercy Culture pastors backed Schatzline’s state House candidacy from the pulpit at a February 2022 service. Tax-law experts they quoted said it violated the Johnson Amendment’s ban on church electioneering.
Response: Schatzline and church elder Steve Penate said they did not believe any laws were broken; Penate said “Mercy Culture has never endorsed anyone.”
Sources: salon.com
Story and another parent were arrested on warrants on misdemeanor charges of hindering proceedings by disorderly conduct after a contentious Round Rock ISD board meeting about masks. The district said the charges also covered conduct at earlier meetings.
Response: Story disputed the district’s account; his attorney said an officer assaulted him.
Sources: kxan.com · kvue.com · dailysignal.com
The SEC sued Brewer in federal court (SEC v. Jack Brewer, S.D.N.Y.), alleging he sold more than $100,000 of COPsync stock in January 2017 on nonpublic information about an upcoming offering, avoiding about $35,000 in losses, and that he acted as an unregistered broker.
Response: Reached by NPR in 2020, Brewer said he was taking off for a flight and hung up; he did not respond to later requests.