Tarrant County judge uses $1,700 in campaign cash for security cameras
This story has been updated with a statement from O’Hare’s office, which did not respond to a request for comment before publication.
Tarrant County Judge Tim O’Hare used more than $1,700 worth of campaign finance funds to install security cameras.
The March 9 charge appeared on O’Hare’s July 15 campaign finance report and shows the county judge paid Flower Mound-based AV Guy $1,724 for “Security Camera Installation.” The expenditure is listed as a office overhead rental expense.
AV Guy offers a variety of packages for security cameras. A pack of 1080p analog cameras runs $1,790 and other bundles with eight cameras can run up to $3,160.
A representative for O’Hare wrote in an email Wednesday afternoon that the security cameras were listed in a campaign finance report because it was a security expense paid for by the campaign, and that the cameras aren’t used in any government office.
Texas lawmakers are allowed to use campaign funds to furnish their offices and apartments in Austin, and even pay their rent.
The Texas Ethics Commission doesn’t say anything about using funds to pay for security cameras. Permissible campaign finance expenditures include to purchasing electronics for official use in courtroom or judge’s chambers and paying “ordinary and necessary expenses incurred in connection with ensuring their home security.”
Experts say they believe spending campaign money on something like security cameras is in the realm of what’s allowed.
Political science professor Brandon Rottinghaus at the University of Houston, too, said officeholders are not allowed to use campaign finance money for anything that’s personal, recreational or medical.
“We’re in an era of heightened political controversy,” Rottinghaus said. “So that need to be able to keep everybody safe by monitoring what’s happening is of paramount importance.”
In Harris County, commissioners approved more than $320,000 worth of private security for Judge Lina Hidalgo this past August as a result of threats she’s received during her time in office. Representatives for Hidalgo did not return an email and phone call inquiring about security cameras.
This story was originally published July 19, 2023 at 2:57 PM.
