Sharon Steinmann\/Houston Chronicle<\/p>\n
A complaint filed with the Texas Ethics Commission accuses\u00a0Letitia Plummer, the Democratic nominee for Harris County judge,<\/a> of seven campaign finance violations, including improperly paying a family member, according to a document obtained by the Houston Chronicle.\u00a0<\/p>\n It\u2019s unclear who submitted the complaint, but it comes as Plummer and her opponent, Republican Orlando Sanchez, have begun campaigning in earnest<\/a> ahead of the hotly contested November election.\u00a0<\/p>\n Harris County Judge candidate Latitia Plummer talks to voters outside of Hiram Clarke Multi-Service Center in Houston on Tuesday, March 3, 2026.<\/p>\n Elizabeth Conley\/Houston Chronicle<\/p>\n The document also accused Plummer of accepting illegal contributions from corporations, failing to properly disclose payments made to her dentistry practice and several other procedural and accounting discrepancies. Plummer often filed her campaign finance reports late leading into the primary elections this spring.<\/a><\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Plummer said in a statement that her team was aware of the complaint and has been in contact with the Texas Ethics Commission.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are doing a full review,\u201d Plummer said. \u201cWe will be ensuring compliance with campaign finance regulations and amend any public reporting if necessary.\u201d<\/p>\n The allegations, which have not been sustained, are based on figures Plummer reported July 15, which spanned May 17 through June 30.\u00a0<\/p>\n PREVIOUS: Who will succeed Lina Hidalgo? Plummer and Sanchez begin county judge campaign sprint to November<\/a><\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Andrew\u00a0Cates, an Austin-based attorney who specializes in Texas ethics and campaign finance law, said that the documents the Chronicle obtained were likely compiled by a law firm hired to target the Plummer campaign. It\u2019s unclear if all of the allegations included in the documents were officially filed against Plummer.\u00a0<\/p>\n But even if the document was politically motivated, Cates said, the allegations are serious enough that the ethics commission will likely conduct an investigation.<\/p>\n \u201cThis was very much a \u2018throw-spaghetti-against-the-wall\u2019 analysis, and I think that as usually happens, not everything is going to stick,\u201d Cates said. \u201cBut I think that there are some allegations in there that would rightfully warrant further review.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n A Sanchez spokesperson said his campaign has not submitted any ethics complaints.\u00a0<\/p>\n While many of the accusations included in the documents are low-level procedural infractions, Cates said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n But a $10,000 payment Plummer made June 2 to her dentistry business, Maxwello Dental & Orthodontics, and a $5,000 payment to a family member June 8, which her report labeled a rental expense, would be significant if sustained, he said.<\/p>\n In both instances, Cates said Plummer would have to prove that the expenses were in exchange for products or services purchased at fair market value.\u00a0<\/p>\n The document also alleged $4,500 Plummer accepted from her business was an illegal corporate contribution, but Cates said her dentist office, as a \u201cprofessional corporation,\u201d is exempt from that prohibition.<\/p>\n The document also lists two other donations from businesses that appear unaffiliated with Plummer, which would be \u201ca real problem\u201d if they are from corporations, Cates said.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Among the other alleged infractions was a reported account balance nearly $8,000 short of what her reported contributions and expenditures would suggest.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n ANALYSIS: ‘We’re tired of moderates’: Why Letitia Plummer took home the ticket\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n