Ousted Gay Texas Council Member Sues Over Recall Defeat

DALLAS (AP) — An openly gay former councilman in a small Southeast Texas town is suing after he was defeated in a recall election, an effort that surfaced after nude photos of him were anonymously sent to city hall.

Cross Coburn was ousted as a councilmember in Groves, Texas, which is 92 miles (148 kilometers) east of Houston, during a recall election earlier this month. The lawsuit filed Nov. 14 in a state court says three residents have reported their signatures were forgeries on a recall petition. It came after screenshots of nude photos from Coburn on a dating application were sent to city hall.

The litigation asks the court to declare the election invalid due to fraud and forgery in the petition. Coburn says the recall targeted him because of his sexuality.

Groves is a small town located southeast of Beaumont.