WACO, Texas – McLennan County’s newly-elected Texas House member, Pat Curry, has filed a lawsuit and triggered a criminal investigation following what he alleges are deceptive political tactics by a Virginia-based political action committee (PAC). The group, Courageous Conservatives PAC, is accused of misrepresenting Curry’s position on the House speaker race and distributing his personal cell phone number to constituents within his district.
Curry, who took office in District 56 after succeeding longtime State Rep. Doc Anderson, claims the actions of the PAC led to an overwhelming volume of harassing phone calls and messages. The political group, led by Christopher Ekstrom, a former congressional candidate from Wichita Falls, allegedly sent out mass text messages to Curry’s constituents on December 6, 2024, the day before the Republican Caucus was scheduled to vote on the next House speaker.
According to the lawsuit, the text message falsely stated that Curry had not agreed to vote for State Rep. David Cook, R-Mansfield, in the speaker race and referred to him as a “turncoat.” The message encouraged recipients to contact Curry’s personal cell phone to demand he vote against Rep. Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, and instead support Cook. However, Curry had already publicly committed to supporting Cook.
The text, which Curry says was sent to an unknown number of individuals within his district, included his personal phone number. The lawsuit claims that within hours, Curry’s voicemail was inundated with hundreds of calls and texts, many of which contained threatening or abusive language. This surge of communication was so disruptive that Curry’s family and staff became concerned for their safety, prompting security sweeps of his home and office by the Department of Public Safety (DPS).
“This was not just a case of misinformation,” Curry said in a statement. “The dissemination of my personal contact information, coupled with menacing messages, was illegal. It was criminal behavior, and I intend to hold those responsible accountable.”
The lawsuit, filed in Waco’s 74th State District Court, seeks an injunction to force Courageous Conservatives PAC to remove Curry’s personal phone number from its posts and prevent its future use in any political advocacy in Texas until the group complies with state election laws. The suit also argues that the PAC violated the Texas Election Code by failing to include the required political disclosures on their posts and texts.
In addition to the lawsuit, Curry has indicated that the Department of Public Safety has opened a criminal investigation into the matter. The PAC and its chairman, Ekstrom, have not responded to requests for comment on the lawsuit or the investigation.
Curry expressed frustration over the tactics used by the PAC, stating, “I don’t appreciate people trying to destroy other lives, especially with lies. They thought they could intimidate me, but they picked the wrong person.”
The lawsuit also highlights that this was not the first instance of the PAC using similar tactics in Texas politics. Curry has claimed that other lawmakers, including Democrats, were targeted by the group as well, further underscoring the severity of the issue.
The controversy has drawn widespread criticism from both political parties. State Rep. David Cook, whom Curry publicly supported for House speaker, condemned the actions of the PAC, calling their behavior “below the belt politics” and “reprehensible.”
As the legal process unfolds, Curry is determined to set a precedent for holding political groups accountable for spreading misinformation and violating personal privacy. He vowed to pursue legal action to ensure that such tactics are not used against future candidates in Texas.
The case continues to draw attention as it raises important questions about the ethics of political campaigning, privacy rights, and the extent to which outside groups can interfere in local elections.
