Speaker who switched sides on Bond measure claims veiled threat.
Where Mary Menzel is on the record saying “the Lord is for the Bonds” now Husband Roger is alleged to have claimed the Sheriff ( sheriff’s office) is on our side”
by County Citizen
May 20, 2015 Montgomery County TX.
When Penny Benbow rose to speak at yesterdays commissioners court meeting she revealed that she had switched sides to oppose the bond stating, “that was truly before I got educated”. There was a long line of fellow citizens who also spoke during public comment on various subjects and much surrounding the bonds and the possibility of a future bond election.
VIDEO Courtesy Montgomery County Police Reporter
It was during a short recess of commissioners court that Benbow claims an unknown man gestured for her to step outside the courtroom into the waiting are there. According to Benbow, she was “Sitting in court, a man leans over ( Former Representative )Steve Toth and a friend to tap my arm and motions to go outside of court”. Following him out of the court the man, who at first would not give his name in the end identified himself as Roger Menzel said, ‘You made a big mistake. You will never see a road bond back on the ballot in 2015″ and “The sheriff’s office is on our side, you had better watch out” after handing Benbow his business card Menzel then stated, “and if you say anything about this conversation I will deny it. Be careful” it is claimed.
County Citizen has obtained an email circulated by Benbow titled ” Cornered by intimidation” in which she states –
“It is a sad state of affairs when a Montgomery County citizen is lured outside of a packed Commissioners Court, only to be cornered, and accosted by a man who does not even live in Montgomery County. To say he was trying to intimidate me is an understatement. He was quite aggressive with his words, and leaned over about 2-3 inches from my face, looking me dead in the eyes,” she asks “Does this sound like a threat to you? If you were in my shoes, and saw the look in his eyes, you would have no doubt. I have a first amendment right to free speech, especially in a Government building”.
The email ends, “I am going to pray for this man, because he will answer to God, and every good Republican conservative in Montgomery county who reads this”.
Roger Menzel reached by telephone today is the husband and business partner of Mary Hammer-Menzel, the same “Tools of Satan” lady who in previous commissioners court infamously prayed against those who opposed the the recently defeated bond measure as “Satan’s users”.
Menzel denies most of the allegations, agreeing only that he did speak to Benbow, According to Menzel, ” I don’t think the sheriff was even mentioned, I don’t know what she said” and “all i know was i said it ( the bonds ) wasn’t going to happen” he said. Also, as for luring Benbow out of the court to speak, Menzel says “she followed me out” but when asked could not explain why. Menzel says he was in commissioners court representing a client he declined to name .
Concerning “The sheriff’s office is on our side” County Citizen believes along with all voters that we have a superb sheriff’s department yet among the many political connections in the county and surrounding the bonds issue it is also interesting to Benbow that newly elected Commissioner Riley of Precinct 2 who strongly advocated for the bond approval is husband to Deanne Riley long time administrator for Sheriff Tommy Gage. “That’s very telling” said Benbow. “That makes me feel a little more worried”.
This article was very well written! Thanks for getting the truth out there!!