Texas Rangers hand off investigation of Angelina County judge, commissioners to DA

ANGELINA COUNTY, Texas (KTRE) - The Texas Rangers have concluded their investigation into a meeting involving the Angelina County judge and two commissioners, but the district attorney will decide where the case goes next.

The Texas Rangers were investigating whether Angelina County Judge Don Lymbery, Pct. 1 Commissioner Rodney Paulette, and Pct. 4 Commissioner Steve Smith violated the Texas Open Meetings Act during an Aug. 9 meeting in Judge Lymbery’s office. The act states that a quorum is defined as a simple majority of members in a governmental body.

Lymbery said a person from his office sent in a tip about the meeting, which led the district attorney’s office to file a complaint to the Texas Rangers.

The judge has denied any wrongdoing. Lymbery claimed the conversation between the three did not include county business and added that he had to leave his office for an interview shortly after the two commissioners joined him.

“Oh, I was shocked. There was absolutely nothing; I would never, ever, ever violate the trust of this office, and I know the rules,” Lymbery said during an Oct. 27 interview. “And in my way of looking at the rules the way they’re written we had not violated anything because I explained to them that there would be no county business discussed while I was in here.”

The Angelina County District Attorney’s Office said the investigation remains open at a local level. The Texas Rangers’ findings will be discussed among the district attorney’s office to decide the next course of action, according to District Attorney Janet Cassels.

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+ Angelina County Judge Lymbery says county business wasn’t part of discussion under investigation

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