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McKinney GOP Rep. Frederick Frazier submitted his intent to retire while under investigation to Dallas police, one day before he’s expected to plead no contest to two misdemeanor charges of attempting to impersonate a public servant, officials say.
Dallas police spokeswoman Kristin Lowman said Monday that Frazier is still an active member of the department. The retirement would be made official if approved by his chain of command.
Frazier declined to comment when reached by phone.
Frazier, a Dallas police officer and freshman lawmaker, is due in court Tuesday, where he’s expected to be given one year of deferred adjudication probation, Hopkins County District Attorney Will Ramsay said Friday in an email to the complainant in the case. The Class A misdemeanors also each carry a fine of up to $4,000.
Frazier also intends to plead guilty to criminal mischief, a Class C misdemeanor, and will face a fine of $500, Ramsay wrote.
His attorney did not immediately provide a comment Monday afternoon.
A Collin County grand jury indicted Frazier in June 2022 after Paul Chabot, Frazier’s opponent in the GOP runoff, reported to McKinney police that some of his campaign signs outside a Walmart were removed. Chabot has said store officials told him someone who said they were a McKinney code compliance officer asked them to tell Chabot his signs weren’t in compliance.
Chabot has said a city manager later told him no code compliance officer had been to the store. One of his signs was taken from the area near the store days later.
Frazier has previously denied wrongdoing, calling the case a political stunt.
Frazier serves on the board of the Dallas Police Association and has been a law enforcement officer for about 28 years. Following the indictment, Dallas police placed him on administrative leave and launched an internal investigation. Lowman said Saturday the investigation was ongoing and Frazier has been on approved leave without pay.
The first-term GOP lawmaker received the endorsement of former President Donald Trump ahead of the 2022 midterm election, helping him win an election despite being under indictment.
But the Collin County representative was among the five area lawmakers who voted in May to impeach Attorney General Ken Paxton, who represented the North Texas county in the House and Senate and still lives there.
The Senate, however, acquitted Paxton of all charges — which accused him of sweeping abuses — in September. Since then, Paxton has campaigned against lawmakers who supported his removal. Paxton has endorsed Frazier’s opponent, Chuck Branch, in the March 5 GOP primary election.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott recently endorsed Frazier for reelection when he threw his support behind 58 House Republicans who supported creating education savings accounts — one of his top priorities in 2023.
Frazier filed for re-election last month.