West Texas District Attorney Sarah Stogner has opened a criminal investigation into who created and distributed the pamphlets. The people or organization behind them have not been identified.

The name on the mailers does not match the Transgender Education Network of Texas, a legitimate organization whose links appeared in the pamphlets. The network says it had no involvement and has faced threats of violence connected to the mailers.

Public corporate records show a Wyoming corporation using the Texas Transgender Student Union name was established last month. It was filed through a registered agent, a method that can keep the people behind a company private. The mailers listed a Houston-area post office box.

Stogner and others suspect the mailers may have been intended to inflame voters during early voting and encourage support for candidates opposed to LGBTQ+ rights. That motive has not been established, and the investigation is ongoing.

State Rep. Venton Jones said Texas lawmakers may need to consider legislation if existing law does not prohibit mail that falsely suggests it comes from a particular organization. No specific bill or proposal was described.

The episode raises questions about political mailers that use an organization’s name or resources without its consent, particularly during an election when voters are making decisions based on information delivered to their homes.