Rep. Justin Holland allegedly attempted to sell a family’s property at a $1.2 million discount to his former colleague who donated to his campaign, according to public documents.
Holland (R-Rockwall) was appointed receiver for the property of a deceased woman in Rockwall in December 2021. This meant he was in charge of issuing the sale of the property for the woman’s children. He allegedly cut a deal within two weeks of his appointment to sell a 4-acre property to his former colleague for $750,000, which the family said was a $1.2 million discount on the real estate listing.
The family alleged in legal complaints that Holland refused to communicate with them as he structured a quick deal for the property. This included claims Holland did not get an appraisal for the property, put up a for-sale sign, or list it on multiple services. However, he allegedly put up a political sign on the land.
Holland was later removed as the receiver of the property.
“It cost my family approximately $45,000 in attorney fees to remove Justin Holland and stop the sales,” Chris Burks told The Dallas Express.
Holland allegedly attempted to sell the property for $750,000 to Brian Berry, a former mayor and city council member for the City of Heath. Holland and Berry were on the city council at the same time and worked at Med-Tech Construction together. Berry, as mayor, honored Holland with a plaque when the latter left the city council to campaign for the Texas House.
Berry donated $11,500 to Holland’s House races from 2015 to 2017, according to Transparency USA.
Holland did not respond to a request for comment.
“It can reasonably be inferred that the Receiver had agreed upon the terms of the East Fork Contract before January 5, 2022, which suggests that he had reached an understanding with the purchaser on the sale price on or before December 30, 2021, the date he formally qualified as Receiver,” the motion to remove Holland as receiver read.
“Further, the purchaser on the East Fork Contract is believed to be an entity whose principal owner is a person who is a current or past business associate of Mr. Holland,” it continued. “If true, a sale to a business associate, absent an appraisal to support the sale price, would cast doubt on whether the proposed sale was an arms-length transaction, and whether the Receiver had a conflict of interest.”
