BY RITA COOK / Freelance Writer
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ELLIS COUNTY – Ellis County Commissioner, Pct. 2 Lane Grayson, who is currently on the ballot running for Ellis County Judge, was found this week to have falsified a financial statement regarding his campaign funds.
The falsification related to the date of a contribution made to him by Ellis County Judge Greg Wilhelm for the 504th Judicial District Court
Wilhelm was named Judge in the 504th Judicial District Court on Nov. 24, 2025, by Texas Governor Greg Abbott.
The appointment was effective on Dec. 1, 2025.
He made the donation to the Lane Grayson Campaign before his appointment and apparently before Grayson had announced he would be running for Ellis County Judge.
Grayson falsified the campaign donation document when he reported the $250 donation by Wilhelm as Feb. 5, 2026.
Wilhelm posted on social media Wednesday that on “July 28, 2025, following a campaign fundraiser held in June 2025, I gave a single check as a contribution to the Lane Grayson Campaign. At that time, Commissioner Lane Grayson had not yet announced his candidacy for Ellis County Judge. When I made the donation, I was a practicing attorney, as a Partner with Cantey Hanger LLP. I was not a judicial candidate, and I had not been sworn in as Judge of the 504th Judicial District Court. No other checks or contributions were made to Commissioner Lane Grayson (or any related entity) at any time after July 28, 2025.”
Wilhelm went on to explain, “On Feb. 24 it was made known that Grayson had reported the July 2025 contribution in his February filing as if received on Feb. 5, 2026. Upon learning of this late and inaccurate reporting by Mr. Grayson, I took immediate and appropriate corrective steps, as guided by the Ellis County Elections Department and the Texas Ethics Commission, to address the matter and correct any mistaken impression that a contribution or endorsement of Lane Grayson occurred while I was a judicial candidate or serving as a sitting judge.”
Financial fines are the most common consequence when reports are not filed and can accrue daily until the proper financial reports are submitted. In some states persistent failure to file can impact a candidate’s ability to run for or hold office.
Grayson was in touch with The Ellis County Press after this article was written and posted denying his reports had been falsified.
He explained, “The check arrived after the July 15, 2025, semiannual reporting deadline, so it was appropriately set aside in a file folder for inclusion in my next required filing. In early February, 2026 – while organizing campaign records, after my December 2025 announcement to run for County Judge and amid a surge of new contributions and expenses – the check was located. In preparing the eight-day pre-election report, it was inadvertently recorded with the Feb. 5, 2026 deposit date instead of the check receipt date of July 25, 2025. This was a simple clerical oversight during file organization, not an intentional misrepresentation or falsification of any document. Upon learning of the discrepancy, I took immediate corrective action. I met with Ellis County Elections Administrator Jana Onyon, who professionally guided me through the amendment process.
“In late July 2025, following a successful fundraiser I held as Precinct 2 Commissioner on June 27, Greg and Monica Wilhelm mailed me a generous $250 personal check enclosed in a note card with an encouraging note. At that time, Greg was a practicing attorney – not yet appointed to the bench – and I had not announced my candidacy for Ellis County Judge.”
Grayson said he has since filed a corrected report listing the contribution under his current office (County Commissioner, Precinct 2) with the accurate July 25, 2025, date and an addendum removing it from the February filing associated with his Judge candidacy.
Grayson is currently running against two challengers for the Ellis County Judge seat: Waxahachie City Council member Travis Smith and former Ennis Mayor Kameron Raburn.
