[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/www.mbfc.com\/blog\/schwertner-sexting-probe-inconclusive\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.mbfc.com\/blog\/schwertner-sexting-probe-inconclusive\/","headline":"Schwertner Sexting Probe: Inconclusive","name":"Schwertner Sexting Probe: Inconclusive","description":"State Sen. Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown.\u00a0(Photo by Jana Birchum) The University of Texas has concluded its inquiry into allegations that state Sen.\u00a0Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown, sent lewd texts and an explicit photo to a graduate student in August. While Schwertner and his attorneys proclaimed the senator exonerated, the report is in fact inconclusive, largely due to Schwertner\u2019s […]","datePublished":"2018-12-19","dateModified":"2023-01-24","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.mbfc.com\/blog\/author\/mbfc\/#Person","name":"Perry Q. Minton","url":"https:\/\/www.mbfc.com\/blog\/author\/mbfc\/","identifier":12,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/61479d018bb374df87055f74efb25f1134c9a2f95664464cfb27b6aedf242ae8?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/61479d018bb374df87055f74efb25f1134c9a2f95664464cfb27b6aedf242ae8?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Minton, Bassett, Flores & Carsey, P.C.","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.mbfc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/logo-desktop.png","url":"https:\/\/www.mbfc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/logo-desktop.png","width":186,"height":104}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.austinchronicle.com\/binary\/665e\/Schwertner.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.austinchronicle.com\/binary\/665e\/Schwertner.jpg","height":"","width":""},"url":"https:\/\/www.mbfc.com\/blog\/schwertner-sexting-probe-inconclusive\/","about":["In the News"],"wordCount":614,"articleBody":"State Sen. Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown.\u00a0(Photo by Jana Birchum)The University of Texas has concluded its inquiry into allegations that state Sen.\u00a0Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown, sent lewd texts and an explicit photo to a graduate student in August. While Schwertner and his attorneys proclaimed the senator exonerated, the report is in fact inconclusive, largely due to Schwertner\u2019s own stonewalling.The student, interested in working at the Legislature, met Schwertner at a university-affiliated event and began online communication, through\u00a0LinkedIn\u00a0and text message. Schwertner allegedly wrote to her, \u201cSorry. I really just wanted to fuck you,\u201d \u201cThis is Charles,\u201d and \u201cSend a pic?\u201d He also wrote \u201cAnd I have more proof of life ;)\u201d with a graphic photo (redacted in the report) said to be of his genitals. The student responded: \u201cPlease stop, this is unprofessional. I’m a student interested in learning about Healthcare Policy. These advances are unwanted.\u201dUT hired\u00a0Johnny Sutton, the former U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas (which includes Austin), to determine if Schwertner had violated UT policies or federal Title IX requirements protecting the student. In the report, Sutton states he spoke with the student and hired a forensic investigator to examine the phones in question, and the report concludes definitively that the student did receive the messages in question and had reason to believe they were from Schwertner.However, Sutton writes, he \u201crepeatedly\u201d requested to interview Schwertner, but the senator refused and also declined to answer five questions designed to \u201cbring clarity to the investigation.\u201d The senator \u201chas access to information that could allow a more definitive conclusion to this matter, but is unwilling to share that information and the University lacks authority to compel him to investigate more fully,\u201d wrote Sutton. Schwertner\u2019s lawyers, David and Perry Minton, said in a statement that they had prevented the senator from participating in an \u201cunfair\u201d process that would not protect his confidentiality.Sutton\u2019s investigation revealed that the phone number Schwertner gave the student was attached to an account on\u00a0Hushed, an app that allows callers to communicate without using their real cell phone numbers. The lewd messages were sent not from his primary cell phone but possibly from another device, which Schwertner would not provide. Through Schwertner\u2019s lawyers, an unidentified third person, whose existence has not been proven, claimed to have accessed the senator\u2019s Hushed and LinkedIn accounts and sent the messages without his knowledge.\u201cWe recognize that it is plausible [Schwertner] sent the text messages and photograph from a device other than his personal cell phone and the third person claiming responsibility is being untruthful or does not exist, but we have no evidence to support those possibilities,\u201d concluded Sutton. \u201cIt is also plausible that the third person who claims to have sent the text messages and photograph does exist and did in fact send them.\u201d Because \u201cavailable evidence\u201d could not support the allegations, the investigator wasn\u2019t able to conclude Schwertner engaged in actions that violated Title IX or UT policy.Schwertner, elected to the Senate in 2012, has chaired the upper house\u2019s\u00a0Health and Human Services Committee; his website describes him as a \u201cphysician, family man, and life-long conservative.\u201d The anti-choice stalwart drew criticism for infamously breaking a glass table last legislative session as he gaveled a pro-choice witness into silence. The Senate, which just updated its own sexual harassment policies, can conduct its own investigation into Schwertner\u2019s alleged conduct; as of Tuesday evening, Lt. Gov.\u00a0Dan Patrick\u2019s office claimed to be reviewing the Sutton report.Got something to say? The\u00a0Chronicle\u00a0welcomes opinion pieces on any topic from the community. Submit yours now at\u00a0austinchronicle.com\/opinion."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/www.mbfc.com\/blog\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Schwertner Sexting Probe: Inconclusive","item":"https:\/\/www.mbfc.com\/blog\/schwertner-sexting-probe-inconclusive\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]