Randal Tye Thomas (August 23, 1978 – January 13, 2014) served as
Mayor
In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...
of
Gun Barrel City, Texas
Gun Barrel City is a town in Henderson County, Texas, United States. Its population was 6,190 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, up from 5,672 at the 2010 census.
The town began as an Municipal corporation, unincorporated community kno ...
. He was also a member of the
Electoral College in the
2000 Presidential Election.
Early years
Tye Thomas was born August 23, 1978 at a small hospital in
Terrell, Texas
Terrell is a city in Kaufman County, Texas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 17,465. Terrell is located about east of Dallas.
History
Terrell developed as a railroad town, beginning in 1873 with construction here ...
and was raised in
Mabank, Texas
Mabank ( ) is a town in Henderson, Van Zandt and Kaufman counties in the U.S. state of Texas. Its population was 3,035 at the 2010 census, up from 2,151 at the 2000 census.
Geography
Mabank is located in the southeast corner of Kaufman County at ...
. As a teenager, he was an active member of the
Methodist
Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's b ...
church in Mabank. He began to demonstrate unusually bright entrepreneurial qualities at an early age, and while he was a student at
Mabank High School
Mabank High School is a public high school located in the city of Mabank, Texas, United States and classified as a 4A school by the University Interscholastic League (UIL). It is a part of the Mabank Independent School District located in central ...
, he founded and published a newspaper known as ''Cedar Creek Briefs''. Years later, he was quoted by a newspaper reporter, and he claimed that he was earning a profit twice as high with his newspaper than his parents' combined annual income. Based on this newspaper, he entered a high school entrepreneur contest sponsored by
Johnson & Wales University
Johnson & Wales University (JWU) is a private university with its main campus in Providence, Rhode Island. Founded as a business school in 1914 by Gertrude I. Johnson and Mary T. Wales, JWU enrolled 7,357 students across its campuses in the fa ...
in
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. One of the oldest cities in New England, it was founded in 1636 by Roger Williams, a Reformed Baptist theologian and religious exile from the Massachusetts Bay ...
. He won the competition and a full scholarship to the University, where he eventually enrolled as a business student on the Providence campus.
Thomas immediately made himself well known on campus at Johnson & Wales, where the student body numbered approximately 10,000 on the Providence campus. As a freshman, he was elected to serve as the first president of the newly formed
College Republicans
College Republicans are college and university students who support the Republican Party of the United States. Many members belong to the organization College Republican National Committee (CRNC), College Republicans United (CRU), or various in ...
club. Later, he was elected Student Body President (which made him the leader of the Student Government Association) by a margin of three votes. As a student at Johnson & Wales, Thomas owned a vending route that was rumored to have included a portfolio of almost 100 vending machines scattered all over
Rhode Island
Rhode Island (, like ''road'') is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is the List of U.S. states by area, smallest U.S. state by area and the List of states and territories of the United States ...
. He was employed for several years at Coastway Credit Union, where he worked in various positions, including SBA loan generation and as a personal assistant to the President, Reynolds German. He also worked for almost a year as a volunteer in the Executive Offices of then Rhode Island Governor
Lincoln Almond
Lincoln Carter Almond (born June 16, 1936) is an American attorney and politician who served as the 72nd Governor of Rhode Island from 1995 to 2003. A member of the Republican Party, he previously was the United States Attorney for the District ...
.
Thomas graduated from Johnson & Wales in June 1998 with an Associate of Science degree in Business Administration and in November 1999 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing. He immediately moved from Rhode Island to
Gun Barrel City, Texas
Gun Barrel City is a town in Henderson County, Texas, United States. Its population was 6,190 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, up from 5,672 at the 2010 census.
The town began as an Municipal corporation, unincorporated community kno ...
, where he had purchased a lakeside condominium several months prior.
Mayor of Gun Barrel City
In January 2000, Thomas founded ''Lakeside News'', a weekly newspaper in Gun Barrel City. In February 2000, he launched a campaign for Mayor of Gun Barrel City, and he campaigned vigorously for three months. On May 6, 2000, he defeated his only opponent Charles Robinson in the general election in a landslide, winning 67% of the vote. He was twenty-one years old and became the city's youngest Mayor and the youngest Mayor in Texas history.
The first few months of Thomas' administration were marked by significant accomplishment, widespread support, and tremendous local, state, and national media attention. One of his first actions as Mayor was pushing through an immediate 10% pay raise for all police department employees. The Gun Barrel City Council voted at one point to allow the local hospital to raise the cost of an ambulance ride by $200.00, and Thomas vetoed their decision. It was the only time he used his veto power. Two weeks later, the City Council, in a 4-1 vote, was able to override Thomas' veto, and the price increase was ultimately implemented.
Thomas was considered a rising star in the Texas Republican Party. He announced that he would seek the office of State Representative when his term as Mayor ended. At the time, he was a close, personal friend of Congressman
Pete Sessions
Peter Anderson Sessions (born March 22, 1955) is an American politician from Texas who is the U.S. representative for Texas's 17th congressional district. A member of the Republican Party, he has served in the U.S. House of Representatives for ...
, whom Thomas considered to be a political mentor. He also maintained close relationships with then Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
Carole Keeton Strayhorn
Carole Stewart Keeton (born September 13, 1939), formerly known as Carole Keeton McClellan, Carole Keeton Rylander and Carole Keeton Strayhorn, is an American politician and the former Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts.
Elected to the comptro ...
, then State Senator
Todd Staples
Douglas Todd Staples (born August 24, 1963)
is the former two-term Texas Commissioner of Agriculture. He unsuccessfully ran for the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor in 2014.
On September 18, 2014, Staples announced that he would ...
,
Governor Rick Perry
James Richard Perry (born March 4, 1950) is an American politician who served as the 14th United States secretary of energy from 2017 to 2019 and as the 47th governor of Texas from 2000 to 2015. Perry also ran unsuccessfully for the Republica ...
, then State Representative
Betty Brown
Betty J. Brown (born August 20, 1939) is an American politician and rancher who served as a member of the Texas House of Representatives from 1999 to 2011.
Career
From 1999 to 2011, Brown represented House District 4 for Henderson and Kaufman ...
, then Dallas Mayor
Ron Kirk
Ronald Kirk (born June 27, 1954) is an American lawyer, politician and member of the Democratic Party who served as the United States Trade Representative from 2009 to 2013 and the 57th Mayor of Dallas from 1995 to 2002.
Born in Austin, Texas, ...
, State Senator
Bob Deuell, Congressman
Joe Barton
Joseph Linus Barton (born September 15, 1949) is an American politician who represented in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1985 to 2019. The district included Arlington, part of Fort Worth, and several small towns and rural areas south ...
, then Congressman
Tom DeLay
Thomas Dale DeLay (; born April 8, 1947) is an American author and retired politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Texas's 22nd congressional district from 1985 until 2006. He was Republic ...
, then House Majority Leader
Dick Armey
Richard Keith Armey (; born July 7, 1940) is an American economist and politician. He was a United States House of Representatives, U.S. Representative from Texas's (1985–2003) and Party Leaders of the United States House of Representatives, ...
, U.S. Senator
Kay Bailey Hutchison
Kay Bailey Hutchison (born Kathryn Ann Bailey; July 22, 1943) is an American attorney, television correspondent, politician, diplomat, and was the 22nd United States Permanent Representative to NATO from 2017 until 2021. A member of the Republi ...
, then Texas Land Commissioner
David Dewhurst
David Henry Dewhurst (born August 18, 1945) is an American politician, businessman, and attorney who served as the 41st Lieutenant Governor of Texas, serving from 2003 to 2015. A member of the Republican Party, he was the Texas Land Commissioner ...
, and other elected officials.
Thomas was a member of the Electoral College in the
United States presidential election in Texas, 2000. He was elected during the Fifth Congressional District caucus to this position while serving as a delegate to the State Republican Convention, defeating one unknown opponent. When
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...
was elected President in 2000, Thomas technically became a Texas Statewide Elected Official for one day when he cast his Electoral vote in
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas, as well as the county seat, seat and largest city of Travis County, Texas, Travis County, with portions extending into Hays County, Texas, Hays and Williamson County, Texas, Williamson co ...
on December 18, 2000.
Legal difficulties
Community support began to diminish when
Henderson County, Texas
Henderson County is a County (United States), county in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, its population was 82,150. The county seat is Athens, Texas, Athens. The county is named in honor of James Pin ...
District Attorney Donna R. Bennett launched an investigation focusing on Thomas. She utilized the
Texas Ranger Division
The Texas Ranger Division, commonly called the Texas Rangers and also known as ''Los Diablos Tejanos'' (), is an State bureau of investigation, investigative law enforcement agency with statewide jurisdiction in the US state of Texas. It is ba ...
of the
Texas Department of Public Safety
The Department of Public Safety of the State of Texas, commonly known as the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), is a department of the state government of Texas. The DPS is responsible for statewide law enforcement and driver license adminis ...
, and the investigators were Texas Ranger Sergeant Steve Foster, assisted by District Attorney Internal Investigator (and now Henderson County Sheriff) Ray Nutt. The allegations included that Thomas misused city equipment for personal gain and perjury.
Bennett presented the case to a Henderson County Grand Jury, who "passed" on the case and declined to issue an indictment, or no bill, of Thomas. In April 2001, a new Grand Jury was impaneled and issued an indictment against Thomas for one count of perjury (a Class A Misdemeanor). The Grand Jury took no action on the allegation of misusing city equipment. The indictment alleged that Thomas lied under oath about how long he had been a resident of Gun Barrel City so he could be eligible to run for Mayor. The same week, Thomas was arrested by the Gun Barrel City Police Department (in a very unusual situation) for Public Intoxication (a Class C Misdemeanor) after he called 911 repeatedly, demanding that the police come and arrest him. The Police arrived at Thomas' home and tried to calm him down, but he insisted on being arrested.
Finally, then Police Chief David McCoy ordered the responding officers to arrest the Mayor, stating that he believed Thomas was "a danger to himself and others". Thomas was transported to the Henderson County Jail instead of the Gun Barrel City jail. Chief David McCoy later told a local newspaper that he made that decision because a nurse was on duty at the County Jail and he wanted Thomas to be monitored by a nurse. Thomas was granted a phone call when he arrived at the Henderson County Jail. It was approximately 2:00AM and Thomas called recently elected Justice of the Peace Dale Blaylock at home. The phone call woke Judge Blaylock from his sleep, but Thomas nonetheless asked him to come to the jail right away and arraign him, presumably so Thomas could be released quickly. It was reported in a local newspaper that Judge Blaylock immediately traveled at least thirty miles to the Henderson County Jail in
Athens, Texas
Athens is a city and the county seat of Henderson County, Texas, Henderson County, Texas, in the United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city population was 12,857. The city has called itself the "black-eyed pea, Blac ...
and arrived at approximately 3:00AM. He arraigned Thomas first and set his bail at $500.00, the maximum allowed by law for the offense. It was also reported that while Judge Blaylock was at the jail, he arraigned and set bond for all other inmates waiting to see a Judge the following day. It was reported in the local newspaper that Thomas' father, Larry Ray Thomas, was waiting at the jail and posted the $500.00 cash bond only a few minutes after Judge Blaylock set his bail, and Thomas was immediately released.
Thomas later admitted that he mixed alcohol and Xanax (he claimed the Xanax was prescribed by his physician for anxiety) and it caused him to have a bizarre episode and a nervous breakdown. Thomas claimed the stress of the Grand Jury investigation caused him to drink alcohol frequently and abuse Xanax.
Resignation as mayor
Thomas' arrest was the lead story on all
Dallas
Dallas () is the List of municipalities in Texas, third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of metropolitan statistical areas, fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 ...
and
Tyler, Texas
Tyler is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the largest city and county seat of Smith County, Texas, Smith County. It is also the largest city in Northeast Texas. With a 2020 census population of 105,995, Tyler was the List of cities in Texa ...
television news stations for several days after the bizarre arrest for public intoxication. A few days later, with his criminal attorney Mike Head and his brother, sister, and father by his side, Thomas held a televised press conference in front of Gun Barrel City Hall, and he used the opportunity to harshly criticize District Attorney Donna R. Bennett for the indictment and her investigation. He claimed at the press conference he had proof that her office sent investigators to
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. One of the oldest cities in New England, it was founded in 1636 by Roger Williams, a Reformed Baptist theologian and religious exile from the Massachusetts Bay ...
to investigate his activities while a student at
Johnson & Wales University
Johnson & Wales University (JWU) is a private university with its main campus in Providence, Rhode Island. Founded as a business school in 1914 by Gertrude I. Johnson and Mary T. Wales, JWU enrolled 7,357 students across its campuses in the fa ...
. There were approximately 100 people in attendance at the press conference, including every television station from Dallas and Tyler and all regional newspapers. Many citizens - and even some of the City Council members who originally supported Thomas - demanded his resignation. Thomas, however, insisted he would not resign and he would fight the perjury charge.
A few weeks later, however, after serving for 54 weeks, Thomas submitted his resignation as Mayor to City Secretary Christy Eckerman. All criminal charges associated with the District Attorney and Texas Ranger investigation were dismissed by County Court at Law Judge Matt Livingston at the recommendation of then County Attorney James Owen.
After his resignation, Thomas and the community were featured in dozens of publications and programs, including a feature story in
Texas Monthly
''Texas Monthly'' (stylized as ''TexasMonthly'') is a monthly American magazine headquartered in Downtown Austin, Texas. ''Texas Monthly'' was founded in 1973 by Michael R. Levy and has been published by Emmis Publishing, L.P. since 1998 and is ...
and a long interview on the popular national radio program
This American Life
''This American Life'' (''TAL'') is an American monthly hour-long radio program produced in collaboration with Chicago Public Media and hosted by Ira Glass. It is broadcast on numerous public radio stations in the United States and internation ...
, as well as feature stories by the
Fort Worth Star Telegram
The ''Fort Worth Star-Telegram'' is an American daily newspaper serving Fort Worth and Tarrant County, the western half of the North Texas area known as the Metroplex. It is owned by The McClatchy Company.
History
In May 1905, Amon G. Carter a ...
,
The Dallas Morning News
''The Dallas Morning News'' is a daily newspaper serving the Dallas–Fort Worth area of Texas, with an average print circulation of 65,369. It was founded on October 1, 1885 by Alfred Horatio Belo as a satellite publication of the ''Galvesto ...
, the
Tyler Morning Telegraph
The ''Tyler Morning Telegraph'' is a daily newspaper based in Tyler, Texas, United States. It is privately owned by M. Roberts Media.
History
The newspaper begin publishing weekly in 1877 as the ''Weekly Courier''. In 1882, the ''Daily Courier' ...
, the
Corpus Christi Caller Times
The ''Corpus Christi Caller-Times'' is the newspaper of record for Corpus Christi, Texas.
History
There has been a newspaper in Corpus Christi for almost as long as there has been a town. In 1883, the ''Caller'' was started in a frame building ...
, the
Houston Chronicle
The ''Houston Chronicle'' is the largest daily newspaper in Houston, Texas, United States. , it is the third-largest newspaper by Sunday circulation in the United States, behind only ''The New York Times'' and the ''Los Angeles Times''. With it ...
, the
Austin American Statesman
The ''Austin American-Statesman'' is the major daily newspaper for Austin, the capital city of Texas. It is owned by Gannett.
The paper prints Associated Press, ''New York Times'', ''The Washington Post'', and ''Los Angeles Times'' international ...
, the
San Antonio Express News
The ''San Antonio Express-News'' is a daily newspaper in San Antonio, Texas. It is owned by the Hearst Corporation and has offices in San Antonio and Austin, Texas. The ''Express-News'' is the third largest newspaper in the state of Texas, with ...
, and many other media outlets. Two students from the
University of North Texas
The University of North Texas (UNT) is a public research university in Denton, Texas. It was founded as a nonsectarian, coeducational, private teachers college in 1890 and was formally adopted by the state 11 years later."Denton Normal School," ...
created a thirty-minute documentary called "Political Confusion" that told the story about Thomas and his short political career.
Later life and death
Thomas met and became close friends with legendary swindler and convicted felon
Billie Sol Estes
Billie Sol Estes (January 10, 1925 – May 14, 2013) was an American businessman and financier best known for his involvement in a business fraud scandal that complicated his ties to friend and future U.S. President Lyndon Johnson.
Early life
E ...
after his resignation. The following year, Thomas campaigned for a seat on the Gun Barrel City Council but lost because he garnered only 14 votes. Thomas had Estes come to Gun Barrel City for a press conference, where Estes enthusiastically endorsed Thomas.
Thomas moved to the
Dallas County, Texas
Dallas County is the second-most populous county in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the population was 2,613,539, making it the ninth-most populous county in the country. Dallas County is included in the Dallas-Arlington-F ...
area in 2002, where he found employment teaching business courses at small colleges. He switched political parties and became a Democrat, and was active in the Dallas County Young Democrats, who featured Thomas as the keynote speaker at one of their monthly meetings. He was elected a Democratic Precinct Chair several times and was appointed twice by the Dallas County Commissioner's Court to serve as an Election Judge. He also left the Methodist Church and Christianity altogether and became a
Unitarian Universalist
Unitarian or Unitarianism may refer to:
Christian and Christian-derived theologies
A Unitarian is a follower of, or a member of an organisation that follows, any of several theologies referred to as Unitarianism:
* Unitarianism (1565–present) ...
. He and his wife, Catherine, to whom he was engaged while he served as Mayor and eventually married in 2003, were granted a divorce in Dallas County, Texas in November 2005.
Mr. Thomas relocated to Providence, Rhode Island. On January 13, 2014 he was found dead by the Providence Police Department in his residence.
[Nailling, Kathi. (January 14, 2014]
Former GBC mayor dies.
Athens Review. Retrieved January 14, 2014.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thomas, Randal Tye
1978 births
2014 deaths
People from Kaufman County, Texas
Politicians from Providence, Rhode Island
Mayors of places in Texas
Texas Republicans
Texas Democrats
2000 United States presidential electors
Johnson & Wales University alumni
Texas politicians convicted of crimes
21st-century American politicians