Ethics Filer Accuses Austin Council Member Ryan Alter of Using Public Funds for Campaign

Ryan Alter, an Austin City Council member, faces a new ethics complaint alleging he used public money to promote his reelection campaign. The complaint was filed with the Texas Ethics Commission on Monday, October 26. It targets a newsletter Alter sent to voters in his district earlier that month.

The mailer cost 21,700 dollars to print and mail. It reached 34,961 households. Alter told the Austin Bulldog that he cleared the document with the city law department before sending it. He described the project as being within the letter of the law.

The complaint argues the newsletter violated state election laws because it included a link to Alter’s X account. That account mixes official council business with campaign content. The filer claims that directing voters to a social media page containing political material constitutes using public funds for advertising. State law prohibits using taxpayer resources for this purpose.

Adam Haynes filed the complaint. He is a lobbyist for the Texas Conference of Urban Counties and a supporter of Alter’s main opponent. Haynes said the link to campaign material breaks existing laws. He stated that if Alter spends taxpayer dollars to promote his reelection, the commission should answer those questions in a legal forum.

Three Texas-based attorneys reviewed the complaint. They believe the case could warrant an investigation. Andrew Cates, an ethics attorney, said the commingled social media accounts are a problem. Roger Borgelt, an Austin attorney, said he can see why someone complained. He noted the newsletter should not have linked to the X account.

Randall Erben, a former Texas Ethics Commission member, said he would argue there could be a violation. He noted this is if the newsletter linked to an account with political material. He added that he is not going to substitute his judgment for the enforcement staff or the commissioners. He could not say for certain without reviewing all the facts.

Alter declined an interview to discuss the complaint. In a prepared statement, he called the filing an attempt to distract voters from affordability. He said his opponent lacks concrete solutions. He stated he is confident voters will see right through it. The statement did not explain why Alter does not maintain separate social media accounts for his government and campaign work.

David Weinberg is Alter’s opponent in the race. He said the issue is an important subject for voters to know about. He stated that he cares deeply about ethics. The Texas Ethics Commission could not confirm it received the complaint. General Counsel Amanda Arriaga said proceedings are confidential by law. Haynes provided a screenshot showing his complaint was successfully submitted through the online portal.