Austin homeowner receives Ted Cruz campaign mail disguised as Travis County summons

Election day is less than two months away and it appears campaign efforts are becoming more aggressive. One Austin resident said his 88-year-old grandmother received Ted Cruz campaign mail disguised as a summons from Travis County.

Sean Owen received a brown envelope addressed to his grandmother Saturday. In large black print it read “Summons enclosed-open immediately.” However, what he found inside wasn't a summons at all, it was a donation form from the Ted Cruz campaign.

"Towards the end of her life she was facing some cognitive decline and if she opened it she might've thought, ‘I have to pay some money here’ and that kind of you know makes me mad," Owen said. 

Owen said the mail is deceitful and can confuse voters. He posted his frustration on Twitter and received a lot of uproar. Including State Rep Gene Wu (D) Houston, he passed legislation in 2015 as a part of the Deceptive Trade Practices Act to prevent false solicitation.

"I really wasn't surprised that it was Ted Cruz who was busted for doing this again. This is actually not the first time he's done this but this latest letter is really taking it to the next level," Wu said. "I’m not sure if the Cruz mailer itself fit in the exact definition in the Deceptive Trade Practices Act but it does constitute as a violation of the penal code of a criminal statute. Potentially someone at the Cruz campaign is going to be liable for criminal penalties." 

In 2016 Cruz’s campaign came under fire over a mailer sent to Iowa voters. They received bright yellow payers reading “voting violation." It also showed the recipient's voting record as well as their neighbors voting record.

“I think honestly I’d love to see these tactics stopped it seems a little bit too far,” said Owen. “I think we understand that campaigns have to be aggressive in getting out their message and be persuasive and get out the vote but there’s probably a line and maybe that lines been crossed.”

Owen has informed the Travis County District Attorney’s Office of the mailer. A spokesperson for the DA’s office said they are reviewing the matter. FOX 7 reached out to Ted Cruz’s campaign office and are waiting to hear back.