Fact Check: Did Marion County Judge Leward LaFleur misuse travel and education budget funds?
Claim: Video stating “Public records show the Marion County Judge has burned through $26,650+ in 30 months for Hotel stays. Close to 5 TIMES his yearly travel allowance."
It further states “Documents also show taxpayers floated the judge the money for personal expenses and two stays that were just family vacations.”
Rating: Partially true, but LARGELY FALSE
Context: While there are two trips charged to the County credit card issued to the Judge, for personal travel, ALL of those charges were refunded in full to the County following the trip. Other departments utilize the credit card issued to the County Judge as the County only has six issued credit cards.
Information:
This week the write-in candidate for Marion County Judge, Dina Carroll, or her campaign, released a video slideshow alleging current Marion County Judge Leward LaFleur of misusing County funds for frequent “vacations” and personal use.
Examination of the Google Drive linked documents provided, because of a Freedom of Information (FOIA) request, show approximately $26,000 in charges over the last 30 months to the Marion County issued credit card assigned to Judge LaFleur.
The documents in the Google Drive also show where LaFleur reimbursed the County for different charges.
What the documents in Google Drive, and the released video slide-show, DO NOT show is how all of the charges ARE NOT related to LaFleur.
The original FOIA request focused on the County Judge, and not any other elected official’s travel information and expenses. A separate FOIA obtained additional documents for more information about the charges.
The additional FOIA documents provided context for the charges for conferences where the County Judge was not in attendance as they were structured for County Tax Assessors or Commissioners.
In fact, $5,914.10 of those charges belong to the Marion County Tax Assessor/Collector’s (MCTA/C) office, according to records provided by MCTA/C.
In Marion County, there are only six credit cards issued. The Marion County Sheriff’s office has two, the County Judge has one, the County Auditor has one, the District/County Attorney has one, and the District/County Attorney Investigator has one, according to the Marion County Auditor (MCA).
Various departments contact the card holders when they need to purchase something, and a credit card is required.
Some of the reported charges, which are large hotel expenditures, include multiple rooms which were for other elected officials traveling to the same conference.
Conference hotel locations are selected by the conference organizer, not the participant, and come with discounted rooms. Many of those conference locations are held at resort style hotels to accommodate the number of officials and staff planning to attend.
There are 254 counties in Texas, so if the conference is just for County Judges, it would need to have at least 200 rooms.
If it is a conference for County Commissioners or Tax Assessor/Collectors, it would need to be similar or larger in size to accommodate everyone. This limits the number of hotels/resorts available across the State.
The video suggests officials should not stay at the conference hotel and instead choose lower cost rooms in the area. However, those hotels may not have discounted rooms, or be near enough to avoid additional mileage costs.
According to the auditor, the County Judge spent $4,578.35 in 2024 on four seminars. In 2025, his travel expenses were $8,189.17 for five seminars and various meetings. In January through September of 2026, his expenses have totaled $8,712 on one seminar and two meetings.
The County Judge’s office had a budget in 2024 of $5,500 in travel/education. Per the auditor, he spent $4,578.35 or was under budget.
In 2025, there was a budget item of $5,500, of which he spent $8,189.17, so he was over budget by $2,689.17. However, 2025 was a legislative session year, so the Judge’s office has traditionally had higher travel expenses.
As an example, the 2023 legislative year budget, there was $7,770.25 spent on travel and education.
So far in 2026, the Judge’s office has spent $8,712 on travel and education with a budget of $5,500. So far this line item is $3,212 over budget. According to the latest financials ending August 31, 2026, the Administration budget (County Judge’s office) is at 71%, or $131,18.77 out of $184,450 of budget being expended. There are four months remaining since the last financial statement was released.
All the travel expenditure totals provided by the auditor include any reimbursements made to the County.
The County also receives a third-party audit following the end of the fiscal year. In early August, Commissioners heard from the third-party auditor on the 2025 budget, and no issues of impropriety or misuse of funds was found. This has been the case each year during LaFleur’s terms of office.
One candidate has years of clean audits and a record of paying back every personal dollar.
The other has a slideshow that skips the parts that don't fit.
Marion County deserves experience, not an experiment.
RE-ELECT Republican Marion County Judge Leward LaFleur.
In Service To Marion County Republicans,
Hunter Bonner - Chairman
Documents attached for review.
If this was forwarded to you, and you would like to be on our email list, please contact us at marioncotxgop@gmail.com and we will get you added. We will not sell your information.
Comments