A federal jury in Austin today found no civil liability against New Braunfels Trump Train founders Steve and Randi Ceh and New Braunfels residents Joeylynn and Robert Mesaros for their roles in organizing a convoy of flag-festooned vehicles that chased a Biden-Harris campaign bus up I-35 between New Braunfels and San Marcos on Oct. 30, 2020, the last day of early voting in Texas.
Another defendant, Dolores Park, also was acquitted. The Ceh’s daughter Hannah and then-fiancee Kyle Kruger settled the lawsuit in April 2023, issuing formal apologies for their roles in the incident.
However, the jury ruled that co-defendant Eliazar Cisneros, with the San Antonio Trump Train, did violate the Ku Klux Klan Act of 1871 and Texas law and was ordered to pay $30,000 in punitive damages to plaintiffs who were aboard the bus and $10,000 to bus driver Timothy Holloway.
According to the Texas Tribune, the Klan Act bars groups from joining together to obstruct free and fair federal elections by intimidating and injuring voters or by denying them the ability to engage in political speech.
Plaintiff Wendy Davis, a former Texas state senator, was aboard the bus and campaigning for Texas’ 21st congressional district along with David Gins, Texas state operations director for the Biden campaign, when the incident occurred.
They and Holloway sued members of the Trump Train in 2021, accusing them of engaging in conspiracy and also arguing the confrontation infringed on their First Amendment rights.
After exiting I-35 at San Marcos, Texas, Democrats canceled three other campaign events because of safety concerns.
But Cehs and Mesaros argued the lawsuit violated their First Amendment rights instead.
Jerad Navjar, an attorney representing the Mesaros, told the jury his clients’ actions were taken out of context and “chilled speech.”
Speaking at a press conference today, Christina Beeler, senior supervising attorney at the Texas Civil Rights Project, described today’s verdict as a “win for our clients and its a win for American Democracy.”
By awarding punitive damages, she said the jury sent a message to the public that threats, intimidation, and violence have no place in American elections.
Davis said she and fellow plaintiffs want to make sure that in future elections, the public understands it is not acceptable to intimidate, harass, and threaten people “who want nothing more than to express their right to support the candidate of their choice.
“The three of us strongly believe that no one should be subjected to the kind of intimidation and threat that we were subjected to that day on I-35.”
Steve Ceh, pastor of Canyon Lake’s Solomon’s Porch Ministries, had a different take on today’s verdict.
“Praise God,” he said to reporters gathered outside the courtroom.
Joeylynn Mesaros responded to the verdict on her Facebook page this evening:
“After 4 years of lawfare, justice prevailed. The Constitution upheld. NOT GUILTY, 5 out of 6 of us. One defendant, Cisco Cisneros, was found guilty and will immediately appeal and win no doubt. A huge victory. But not over. Thank you for praying for us and equipping us in this critical fight. We will be sharing how to support Cisco’s continued defense asap.”
