After reading a nextdoor post by user Lynn S. on Matt Varble's accusations against opponent Mark Cronenwett, we did some digging to get the truth of what really happened.
"Varble is spinning the story to insinuate that Mark Cronenwett supported the action by the perpetrator and that the perpetrator is associated with him, and also that Mark knew about it and did nothing, showing complicity.", posted Lynn S.
The issue came about when Varble's wife found one of his signs vandalized with a swastika.
Irving Police have charged Guy McCord with two Class-C misdemeanors for defacing the sign and removing some smaller ones.
According to Police, McCord has fully cooperated with the investigation.
McCord used to live in University Park in Irving where Varble was president of the HOA. Since then, there's been an on-going feud between McCord and Varble.
According to a report by The Dallas Express, residents have accused Varble of censoring HOA opposition, specifically on the nextdoor app where he served as a moderator.
As to the video that Varble provided where Mark Cronenwett is seen talking with Guy McCord, Lynn S. posted the following: "When Mark was putting out his campaign signs on Sunday night, the perpetrator approached him. He told Mark he was planning on stealing a sign. Mark thought he was talking nonsense and focused on going to the next polling location to put out his campaign signs. He didn't take him seriously because such an action seemed so insane and he thought the man was just blowing smoke. Mark did not see the perpetrator actually take the sign."
The Dallas Express report confirms what Lynn S. posted..
Irving Police Department has refuted Varble’s claims, with public information officer Robert Reeves telling The Dallas Express that he was “disappointed to see those accusations. Mark was a witness and essential in helping us identify the suspect.”
“He neither condoned nor participated in this incident,” Officer Reeves said.
Regarding the incident itself, Reeves explained, “This definitely was not a hate crime. Just a very poor decision by the suspect, and once he realized that he contacted us to handle the situation.”
Mark Cronenwett denounced the defacement, telling The Dallas Express, “Neither I, nor my campaign, nor the Families for Irving PAC, nor any of its volunteers have anything to do with this appalling event.”
The finger pointing and attacks continue on social media, but readers can come to their own conclusion based on what has been reported and the investigation concluded by Irving Police.
The Irving City Council election is May 5. Early Voting started April 24 and runs through May 2.
Varble and Cronenwett are not the only candidates for Irving's District 5. Anthony Stanford, Heather A. Stroup and Jesse Koehler are also on the ballot.
