Despite calls for retraction, Hawkins mayor stands behind statements on cybersecurity incident | Local news

HAWKINS – Hawkins Mayor Debbie Rushing said Friday she stands by her statement that a city council member’s son broke the law in early April when he conducted a “cybersecurity audit” of the city’s computer system.

Rushing accused Shahaub Tafreshinejad, the son of Councilwoman Eleta Taylor of Place 4, of hacking into the city’s computer system on April 1, hours before Rushing took office.

Rushing and other city officials shut down the city’s computer system because they feared a data theft might have occurred, and the Texas Rangers launched an investigation into the matter. Rushing and other city officials said Tafreshinejad did not have authorization to access the city’s computer system.

Following a Hawkins City Council meeting on Monday, Tafreshinejad delivered a letter to Rushing demanding that she retract her statements about the incident to local news outlets because her “baseless allegations” were “inherently damaging” to his reputation.

“We seek damages for the emotional and mental anguish he has suffered as a result of your actions, as well as for the loss of income and potential loss of earnings he and his company have suffered as a result of your defamatory actions,” the letter said.

On April 1, Tafreshinejad spent several hours at City Hall, where video footage of the city’s utilities director showed him working on a computer in the mayor’s office. Former interim mayor Chuck Richoz allowed him into the building to conduct a “cybersecurity audit” of the city’s computers, Richoz said during a City Council meeting in April.

Richoz had signed a contract with Tafreshinejad to do the work for free for the city. But the City Council never approved the contract. Council members, including Taylor, in March considered paying Tafreshinejad $36,000 to perform cybersecurity work for the city, even though the law prohibits paying relatives of city officials money for work those officials do.

The city’s IT expert determined that remote access and network mapping software had been installed on the computer in the mayor’s office, giving the person responsible access to the city’s computer network. Rushing and city officials then disconnected power to the computers in City Hall.

City Hall employees worked without computers for weeks until new ones were installed in late April. City residents paid their electric bills with cash or checks, and city officials were worried they would no longer be able to deliver utility bills to their customers, losing tens of thousands in revenue.

Rushing told the News-Journal in early April that Taylor, Richoz and Tafreshinejad should face criminal charges for the incident. During the April 15 meeting, she told residents, “I know a crime was committed.” Tafreshinejad asked who committed the crime, and Rushing responded, “You did, Shahaub. And you gained access by installing a city councilman.”

Following the meeting, Tafreshinejad told the News-Journal that he had not committed any crimes.

“I am a cybersecurity expert with extensive experience. I know what I’m doing,” he said.

In his May 18 letter to Rushing, Tafreshinejad wrote that Rushing had 30 days to formally retract her statements to local news outlets and exonerate him of any wrongdoing.

“The seriousness of the allegations made against him and his company cannot be overstated,” the letter states. “The dissemination of these false allegations has resulted in significant reputational damage.”

On Friday, Rushing said she stood by her statement that Tafreshinejad’s actions were illegal.

“Everything I said are facts and truths,” she said.

Rushing said Tafreshinejad slipped the letter under her office door after Monday’s city council meeting and said, “You’ve been served.”

“It was an intimidation tactic, and it just didn’t work,” Rushing said. “Because it’s not from a lawyer. It’s not a lawyer’s signature on it. It’s not a lawyer’s letterhead on it. It’s just paper.”

Tafreshinejad did not respond to emails seeking comment.

Sergeant Sam Albritton of the Texas Department of Public Safety told the News-Journal on Tuesday that the agency had no updates on its investigation into the possible hacking attack.