On Tuesday, Texas voters will participate in statewide primary elections, while a defamation lawsuit related to a North Texas race is pending before the Supreme Court of Texas.
Paul Chabot, founder of Collin County Citizens for Integrity PAC, has asked the state’s highest civil court to review Frazier v. Chabot, a case that stems from his creation of the website FireFrazier.com during the 2022 Republican primary.
The website criticized former State Rep. Frederick Frazier, who is again seeking the same office and appears on the March 3 Republican primary ballot.
Frazier filed a defamation lawsuit over statements published on the site. Chabot argues the suit targets protected political speech.
Several national and Texas-based advocacy organizations have joined that argument, urging the Texas Supreme Court to take the case. The Court ordered Frazier to file a response by March 9 as it considers whether to grant review.
Coalition Urges Supreme Court To Step In
A coalition of free speech and civil liberties groups filed amicus briefs supporting Chabot’s petition.
Those organizations include:
- Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas
- Texas Association of Broadcasters
- Texas Press Association
- Electronic Frontier Foundation
- Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression
- Institute for Free Speech
- National Coalition Against Censorship
- Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
- Center for American Liberty
- Citizens Defending Freedom-USA
Tony McDonald, Chabot’s attorney, said the case carries broad implications for political speech in Texas.
“The very fabric of our republic hinges on the right of citizens to freely criticize their elected officials,” McDonald said. “When courts permit litigation to proceed on unproven allegations — simply because a public official disagrees with the content of speech — we erode the constitutional protections that make civic engagement possible.”
An amicus brief filed by Citizens Defending Freedom stated in part:
“…allowing Frederick Frazier’s suit to proceed against Paul Chabot turns defamation law into a weapon that public officials can wield to silence political critics.”
The Center for American Liberty wrote:
“The First Amendment precludes using defamation law as a cudgel—least of all by public officials.”
Anti-SLAPP Law At Center Of Dispute
The case centers on the Texas Citizens Participation Act (TCPA), the state’s anti-SLAPP statute. Lawmakers enacted the TCPA to allow early dismissal of lawsuits that target constitutionally protected speech.
Chabot and supporting organizations argue that lower court rulings in the case narrowed protections under the TCPA and weakened safeguards for political speech involving public officials.
The Texas Supreme Court has not yet announced whether it will grant review.
