Stop Big Money’s Influence: Tell Brigid Shea to Return $50,600 to Republican Megadonors
Brigid Shea,Travis County Commissioner Pct. 2
Travis County Commissioner Brigid Shea has accepted $50,600 in campaign contributions from Ellyn and Stephen Yacktman,[1] who have a long history of conservative activism.
During the 2023-2024 campaign cycle alone, Ellyn and Stephen Yacktman donated $500,000[2] to the Judicial Fairness PAC, a group dedicated to electing conservative judges, which is also heavily funded by Elon Musk. In 2024, the PAC helped flip multiple Texas appellate court seats from Democrat to Republican.[3]
The Austin Chronicle has reported that Brigid Shea was aware of the Yacktman family’s political agenda as early as 2014, in her first campaign for County Commissioner.[4] Nevertheless, she continued to accept their contributions, totaling $50,600 as of June 30, 2025. 
This is unacceptable. Shea is one of only five officials responsible for setting the budget for the Travis County courts, sheriff’s office, constables, and jail – departments that are essential to the fair functioning of our legal system, which are facing constant attacks from the Trump administration and its financial allies, including the Yacktman family.
Ellyn and Stephen Yacktman have also funded anti-LGBTQ, homophobic, and anti-trans causes and politicians, including donating more than $80,000 to Dawn Buckingham and $10,000 to Donna Campbell, both have sponsored legislation to criminalize gender affirming care for minors.
Travis County deserves better. Join us in demanding that Brigid Shea immediately return all contributions from Ellyn and Stephen Yacktman.
[1] Campaign contribution reports
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1o3a31zv0spmoE_k44GNabT67At_YmdSj/view?usp=sharing
[2] $250,000 on December 31, 2023 (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eaC1EIeJa9lyX_udG6VX-BROEcsU-r0u/view?usp=sharing)
and $250,000 on October 30, 2024 (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FZ6i2YDmpqWLVncNDPC2-vN4aNLrpCma/view?usp=sharing)
[3] “GOP Claws Back Dem Judicial Seats with Big Money and Big Red Wave,” Texas Observer, (Nov 5, 2024), available at https://www.texasobserver.org/intermediate-appeals-results/
[4] Excerpt, “Pct. 2 Campaigns Trade Barbs,” Austin Chronicle (Feb. 14, 2014) (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tKl9iqdikQcPtSx34i5vcNsecUP_iQuo/view?usp=sharing)
To:
Brigid Shea,Travis County Commissioner Pct. 2
From:
[Your Name]
We, the undersigned residents of Travis County, demand that you immediately return the $50,600 in campaign contributions you have accepted from Ellyn and Stephen Yacktman.
The Yacktmans have long used their wealth to push Texas politics sharply to the right:
— They contributed $500,000 to the Judicial Fairness PAC in the 2023–2024 cycle—a PAC heavily funded by Elon Musk and dedicated to electing conservative judges. Its spending helped flip multiple Texas appellate court seats from Democrat to Republican in 2024.
— They have bankrolled anti-LGBTQ, homophobic, and anti-trans politicians, including more than $80,000 to Dawn Buckingham and $10,000 to Donna Campbell, both of whom championed legislation to criminalize gender-affirming care for minors.
Further, it is well–documented that you, Commissioner Shea, have been aware of their agenda for more than a decade, including reporting that you knew of their activities as early as your first county campaign in 2014. Yet you continued accepting their support, totaling $50,600 as of June 30, 2025.
These contributions are not benign. They represent a direct line between far-right political funding and your role in shaping Travis County’s justice system. As one of only five officials responsible for overseeing the budgets of our courts, sheriff’s office, constables, and jail, you owe this community a higher standard of independence, integrity, and alignment with our shared values.
We demand accountability. Travis County must not allow its leaders to rely on money from donors who work to shift our courts into partisan hands and undermine the rights and safety of our LGBTQ community.
We demand you, Commissioner Shea, return all contributions from Ellyn and Stephen Yacktman immediately. Travis County residents deserve leaders who reject the influence of extremist funders.