In the fall of 2022, Comal County politics turned personal. The race for the Precinct 4 commissioner’s seat pitted incumbent Jennifer J. Crownover, a Republican who had held the post since 2015, against local activist Colette Laine. Their bitter contest and the allegations that surfaced during that campaign would later culminate in a formal removal petition.  In March 2025, more than two years after the election, Laine filed a petition in the 433rd Judicial District Court on behalf of “the State of Texas ex rel. Colette Laine.” 

The petition alleged that Crownover misused her official county email and other public resources to attack her political opponent. It included more than forty exhibits: emails, social‑media posts, text messages, and copies of a WordPress site that targeted Laine.

This petition is now public record.

Allegations in the petition: misuse of county email and personal attacks

Although ultimately dismissed, the petition lays out a detailed narrative of alleged misuse of public resources. According to the filings, on August 15 2022, Crownover used her official county email address ([email protected]) to correspond with Spring Branch Mayor James Mayer about her opponent. She wrote that Laine was “a real peach” under her old name and directed him to an Austin Chronicle search page. In another email that day, Crownover wrote to a private citizen that her “file on [Laine] is growing at an impressive rate” and asserted that Laine had legally changed her name “to escape her criminal past”. These statements, if true, would have had to be conveyed in a personal capacity. By using a government address, the petition argues, Crownover turned a public resource into a campaign weapon.

The petition details further episodes. A week later, on August 23 2022, Crownover sent an email titled “34 Gems” to Scott Wayman, executive director of the Bulverde Spring Branch Economic Development Foundation. She urged Wayman to spread the message but instructed him to “use a clean sheet, so it didn’t come from me 🙂”. She also sent him a link to an Austin Chronicle search about Laine and commented that Laine’s “real name is in the search”.

Later that morning Crownover forwarded another link—this time to a criminal‑case summary on Justia—to Wayman. The petition characterizes these messages as both an attempt to spread misinformation and an example of Crownover using county email to circulate political advertising, in violation of the Texas Election Code’s prohibitions on using government resources for campaign purposes.

According to the petition, Crownover’s communications were not limited to private emails. On September 7 2022, an unidentified supporter emailed her, “SPEAK OF THE DEVIL,” and she responded from her county account with a vomit emoji. A few minutes later she emailed the same correspondent: “I kinda think if [Laine’s] lips are moving, she’s lying. I’ll have to look back through my giant file on her, and her 40+ prior addresses”. The petition argues that compiling and discussing a “file” on Laine using official channels constitutes stalking and harassment.

The petition also describes posts on Crownover’s official County Commissioner Facebook page. On October 7 2022, a supporter, Tim Gibbons, posted a comment insinuating that Laine’s name change was due to criminal convictions. Crownover allowed the post to remain and later shared the same Justia link she had distributed via email. On October 20 2022, she replied to a constituent’s question about why Laine was running as a write‑in candidate by claiming Laine “hadn’t lived here long enough to be eligible,” a statement the petition alleges was false.

Publication of a website and release of non‑public documents

One of the more serious allegations involves a WordPress website created on October 25 2022 and registered to Tim Gibbons, a Crownover supporter. The site, called “comaladvocacy.wordpress.com,” featured a caricature of Laine superimposed onto an 1872 cartoon of a carpetbagger along with the caption “No Thanks!”. The site described Laine as “a very poor choice” and speculated that she exhibited “True Opposition Defiance Disorder”.

More alarming, the website posted a petition to legally change an adult’s name that included Laine’s social security number, driver’s license number and date of birth. The document bore an “Unofficial Copy” watermark from the Travis County district clerk. According to an email from the clerk’s office cited in the petition, such documents are available only through an attorney portal, not to the general public. The petition contends that Crownover, or someone acting at her direction, obtained a non‑public document and republished it to embarrass Laine.

The petition further alleges that Crownover used internal county email networks to disseminate the website link. On November 1 2022, a Taxpayer Liaison Officer forwarded the website link via county email to the Comal Appraisal District’s chief appraiser. That email cascaded through county employees until it landed in Crownover’s inbox. When a public information officer responded that Laine was “a lunatic” and “so shady,” Crownover replied “Thank you!”. The petition argues that Crownover’s thank‑you, rather than admonishing staff, encouraged the distribution of campaign material through county systems.

Another element of the petition involves a formal complaint Laine filed against a deputy fire marshal. The fire marshal forwarded the complaint to Crownover via county email, and Crownover forwarded it to the county judge. Seven days later a signed copy of the complaint appeared on the same WordPress site. The petition suggests that Crownover misused confidential information for political purposes—an accusation that underpins the claim of misuse of official information.

Legal claims and relief sought

Based on these allegations, the petition cites multiple provisions of the Texas Penal Code and Election Code. It claims Crownover committed abuse of official capacity by knowingly misusing government property—specifically, county email servers and an internal mail system—for political purposes. It asserts misuse of official information because she allegedly disclosed non‑public documents for a non‑governmental purpose. It argues she engaged in harassment and stalking by sending repeated electronic communications and publishing personal information intended to torment her opponent.

The petition also contends that Crownover violated Texas Election Code § 255.0031, which prohibits using an internal mail system to distribute political advertising. It alleges she failed to include required disclosures on political advertising and concealed the true source of a campaign communication by arranging for others to publish the website while implying it originated elsewhere. Finally, the petition invokes Texas Penal Code § 7.02, arguing that Crownover is criminally responsible for the conduct of others because she solicited supporters to publish material without proper attribution.

To remedy these alleged violations, the petition asked the court to suspend Crownover pending trial, remove her permanently if a jury found she committed official misconduct or incompetence, and order her to pay costs. It also requested the issuance of citation to Crownover and for the court to reconcile the role of the Comal County District Attorney in representing the state.

The court’s order: dismissal as moot

On May 7 2025, Judge Sherri K. Tibbe of the 453rd District Court issued a one‑page order dismissing the petition. The order, filed May 9, notes that the court reviewed the petition and found that “any grounds for removal are now moot as the election has concluded and Commissioner Crownover was duly re‑elected.” Therefore, the court ordered that no citation or service would be issued. In other words, because Crownover had already been re‑elected in November 2022, and the challenged acts occurred before that election, the court could not remove her from office under Chapter 87.

The order did not address the truth of any allegations. It simply held that the requested remedy—removal—was no longer available. The case did not proceed to discovery or trial. The dismissal leaves unresolved whether Crownover’s actions violated the law or county ethics rules.

Public interest and ethical considerations

Although the petition was dismissed, its contents raise important questions about the use of public resources in political campaigns. Crownover’s emails, as reproduced in the petition, show an elected official using an official county email account to comment on an opponent’s personal history, to share politically charged links, and to encourage others to disseminate campaign material anonymously. The use of internal email systems by multiple county employees to circulate a politically themed website suggests a casual attitude toward the separation of public duties and electoral politics. Even if none of this conduct is criminal, it may violate the spirit of the county’s ethical rules, which require officials to “respect the dignity of every individual” and avoid using their positions for personal advantage.

Another troubling element is the publication of non‑public personal information. The petition alleges that the WordPress site contained Laine’s social security and driver’s license numbers and an adult name‑change petition, documents the Travis County clerk’s office says are accessible only to attorneys. Publishing such sensitive information, even in a political context, can expose individuals to identity theft and harassment.

Implications for local government and political culture

For voters and taxpayers in Comal County, the case serves as a cautionary tale. Officials wield public resources—email systems, information portals, staff time—every day. Using those resources to advance a personal or political agenda, even if widely tolerated, can erode public trust. When such conduct surfaces only through a removal petition that is dismissed as moot, the electorate is left to decide whether it cares about ethical norms.

The petition also underscores the informal networks within local government. Emails in the exhibits show county employees forwarding the same political website link to one another, making disparaging comments, and receiving thanks from an elected official. This culture of camaraderie blurs the line between public service and partisan advocacy.

Looking ahead

With the petition dismissed, Crownover remains in office, and Laine’s allegations remain unresolved. Crownover could respond by clarifying her policies on campaign communications, pledging not to use county resources for political purposes, and explaining how the non‑public documents were obtained. At minimum, the county may wish to review its email and social‑media policies and provide additional training to employees.

For Laine and her supporters, the dismissal is a setback. But by placing these emails and documents in the public record, the petition invites voters to examine how their elected officials conduct themselves.

Conclusion: a story of ethics rather than law

At its core, the petition against Commissioner Jennifer Crownover tells a story of ethical boundaries. It is not a criminal indictment; it is a plea for public accountability. The court’s dismissal does not vindicate Crownover nor condemn her. Instead, it leaves citizens with a record of emails, posts and actions that reveal how government resources can be entangled with personal political battles.

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