Tarrant County says clerical error led to sweeping redaction of commissioner’s campaign finance report
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Diverging Reports Breakdown
Tarrant County says clerical error led to sweeping redaction of commissioner’s campaign finance report
Tarrant County Commissioner Manny Ramirez’s July campaign finance report was redacted. The redaction was an accident on the county’s part and was no fault of Ramirez, an official said. The county elections office receives and stores the finance reports of candidates and office holders. The office is not tasked with vetting any information or ensuring filers follow campaign finance laws, which are laid out and enforced by the state. The department fixed the error as soon as they were made aware of it, an elections official said Wednesday.. Some criticized Ramirez in social media posts over what looked to be misfiled reports. Ramirez has held his seat since 2023 and has reports dating back to 2021.
The report was filed July 15 and covered Ramirez’s campaign donations and spending from Jan. 1 to June 30. All the names of those who donated to Ramirez were redacted when the report was made public online.
Elections Administrator Clinton Ludwig said the redaction was an accident on the county’s part and was no fault of Ramirez.
“When the clerk was entering the data, they clicked the wrong button and redacted it,” said Ludwig, adding that the department fixed the error as soon as they were made aware of it.
Election offices can conceal donors’ addresses in online versions of campaign finance reports, but donors’ names must be public information, according to Texas’ law on election ethics.
The Tarrant County elections office receives and stores the finance reports of candidates and office holders. Its staff redact sensitive information, such as addresses, Ludwig said. The office is not tasked with vetting any information or ensuring filers follow campaign finance laws, which are laid out and enforced by the state.
Ramirez, a Republican who represents the northwestern portion of the county, said he learned about the redacted information over a phone call Wednesday. That morning, some criticized him in social media posts over what looked to be misfiled reports.
The claim that Ramirez had intentionally concealed his donor information was then reposted by the Tarrant County Democratic Party.
“These things get submitted every single quarter like they’re supposed to, and Tarrant County elections are supposed to do the redaction,” Ramirez said.
County commissioners must file two campaign finance reports per year — one in January and one in July.
Ramirez has held his seat since 2023 and has reports dating back to 2021. These, along with others from the county’s elected officers and candidates, are posted on Tarrant County’s campaign finance portal.
Ludwig said staff spent Wednesday looking at other campaign finance reports and ensuring none saw the same mistake.
“Unfortunately, the system, although it’s a great system, you push the wrong button, and apparently it redacts everything,” he said.
Drew Shaw is a government accountability reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at drew.shaw@fortworthreport.org or @shawlings601.
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