Texas deceptive transgender advocacy mailers linked to Illinois printer

A criminal investigation is underway in Texas following the distribution of deceptive mailers targeting households ahead of the November midterm elections. The flyers, which purported to be from the ‘Texas Transgender Student Union,’ provided resources for LGBTQ+ students, including information regarding emancipation from parents. However, the Transgender Education Network of Texas (TENT) has denied authorizing the materials, and investigations suggest the purported sender organization may be nonexistent.

U.S. Postal Service records have identified Three Z Printing, an Illinois-based company, as the permit holder for the bulk mail sent to more than 1 million Texas addresses. The company is owned by Bill Zerrusen, whose son, Matthew Zerrusen, also holds an interest in the business. Federal Election Commission records indicate the family has donated over $700,000 to Republican committees and Trump-aligned organizations. While this connection has drawn scrutiny, there is currently no public evidence establishing that the family personally authorized or financed the mailers.

The campaign has had immediate repercussions for advocacy groups; TENT reported that employees have faced threats, its online resources were taken offline, and planned voter engagement efforts were suspended. TENT has filed a petition in Travis County court to seek depositions as part of an effort to identify the entity responsible for the coordinated campaign.