Transparency or Obstruction? Taylor and Trustee Marwill's Desperate Efforts to Quash Subpoenas

Aaron Silva
Jan 13, 2025
5 min read

Legal Maneuver by Taylor designed to Protect the Westlake Smear Cartel and Prevent Discovery of Actors

Kim Taylor’s recent motion to quash subpoenas seeking to uncover the identities behind several anonymous Instagram accounts exposes a troubling pattern: a continued effort to evade transparency and shield those involved in the Westlake Smear Cartel (WSC). These Instagram accounts are central to proving the lawsuit against Taylor and Marwill alleging they defamed me during the 2024 Eanes ISD trustee campaign by using those accounts to distribute altered court documents. Many of these accounts have been used by the WSC for years to attack other good parents, candidates and citizens.

But this lawsuit is about far more than clearing my name or helping my family heal from the incredible and totally unnecessary smear we endured. It’s about restoring integrity to our elections and creating an environment where good, smart, and capable individuals with business experience feel empowered to run for Eanes ISD Trustee without fear of personal attacks and character assassination. We can’t afford to elect another member of the clique. The stakes are high—not just for the fairness of elections but for the future of our children and Eanes ISD, the crown jewel of our community.

The Subpoenas and Their Importance

In October 2024, our legal team issued subpoenas to Meta/Facebook/Instagram to uncover the creators, operators, and contributors behind several anonymous accounts, including @EanesKids1st and @Character_Counts46. These two accounts were the primary vehicles for disseminating altered court documents designed to defame me. Taylor has admitted in court documents to owning and/or controlling @EanesKids1st but remains evasive about other accounts.

Thanks to our international investigators—referred to as "spooks" in our Anatomy of a Digital Smear blog—we’ve uncovered connections between these primary smear accounts and a larger web of additional anonymous accounts. In total, the subpoenas target about a dozen anonymous Instagram accounts suspected of being part of the WSC.

Our relentless pursuit of justice has clearly rattled the WSC. It’s likely that Taylor’s motion to quash is a desperate attempt to shield not only herself and Trustee Marwill but also the broader network of collaborators who may have been involved in this smear campaign and others in the past.

The subpoenas are critical to our case for several reasons:

They will corroborate our findings about Taylor and Trustee Marwill’s direct involvement in the campaign to defame me and other past candidates.
They will uncover communication between Taylor, Trustee Marwill, and their collaborators, potentially exposing even more members of the WSC here and across Texas.
They may reveal attempts to delete emails, texts, and DMs in an effort to hide their tracks, which could be uncovered in a future jury trial. They’ve already deleted several of the accounts.

Taylor’s Motion to Quash

On January 9, 2025, Kim Taylor filed a motion in Travis Superior Court to quash the subpoenas, citing two main arguments:

The “150-Mile Rule”: Taylor claims that because Meta/Facebook/Instagram’s records are located more than 150 miles from Travis County, the subpoenas are invalid. This outdated legal argument—rooted in an era before the internet—is as obsolete as the pony express. It’s also not her argument to make - the 150 mile limit is a protection for the recipient of the subpoena to prevent inconvenient and costly long-distance compliance. It was never intended to help defendants hide evidence.
Pending Appeals: Taylor argues that because parts of the case are under appeal, we should not be allowed to pursue discovery. This is the law in Texas, so Taylor can use this transparent delay tactic to shield – for a while – the WSC’s network from scrutiny.

Both arguments are absurd. The “150-Mile Rule” is irrelevant in today’s internet age, where subpoenas for digital records are routine. As for the appeals, they do not negate the community’s right to transparency and accountability.

To Kim Taylor: People with nothing to hide don’t hide anything. If you did nothing wrong, if these aren’t your Instagram pages, why are you trying so hard to keep them hidden?

Where Are We Now?

Contrary to some public perceptions, this case is far from over. Here’s a brief “scorecard” summarizing the procedural history:

August 2024: Trustee Marwill’s first motion to dismiss under the TCPA is denied.
October 2024: Trustee Marwill’s motion to reconsider is also denied.
- Trustee Marwill appeals.
December 2024: Taylor’s motion to dismiss under the TCPA is denied.
- Taylor appeals.
December 2024: Trustee Marwill’s third attempt to dismiss under the TCPA is granted.
- Silva appeals this decision.

While the defendants have appealed, the facts remain undisputed: both Taylor and Trustee Marwill admit their actions in court filings. Taylor admits she discovered the unsubstantiated and fake 19-year-old allegations; she ordered the court documents, altered them, and posted them to an anonymous account(s) she owns or controls. Trustee Marwill then downloaded the altered information and amplified it through her campaign, claiming she had no idea her closest political friend and campaign ally was involved. Not only did Trustee Marwill violate every covenant of the Code of Fair Campaign Practices she signed and solemnly swore to uphold as a candidate during the race, she admitted to performing multiple acts that would have even violated the Eanes Student Code of Conduct likely resulting in her suspension (if she were a student). Refer to sections: Misuse of Technology Resources and the Internet; Cyberbullying; Responsible Use Guidelines.

Is this the behavior we expect from an esteemed Trustee of our great school district that may be called upon to make decisions about our students, their conduct, ethics and moral decency?

The Truth They Cannot Deny

The defendants’ admissions make one thing clear: this is not about whether they did what they are accused of—they have already admitted they did, simply by asserting their technical defense. This case is about whether such unethical behavior should be protected under the guise of “free speech.”

Taylor and Trustee Marwill’s legal defense centers on the TCPA (Anti-SLAPP law), claiming their actions are protected as “free speech” even if they are false. While they may ultimately prevail in court on this technicality, the question remains: Should our community tolerate such blatant deceit and abuse of trust? Why did they need to use anonymous accounts to protect free speech?

Why This Lawsuit Matters

This lawsuit is about more than one person. It’s about creating a community where good, intelligent, and capable people feel encouraged to step forward and lead without fear of having their reputations destroyed. Another election cycle will begin in fewer than 60 days.

Eanes ISD is currently facing significant financial challenges from politically inbred, incompetent “leadership”on the Board of Trustees. Managing a $100 million budget and hundreds of millions in taxpayer-supported bonds requires experienced, ethical, and visionary leaders. If we allow the WSC’s tactics to continue, capable individuals will be deterred from running, and Eanes ISD will continue to suffer for it (as it does today).

Uncovering the truth behind the WSC is essential to restoring integrity to our elections and protecting the future of our schools. Together, we must ensure that no one else is subjected to the kind of defamation and harassment my family has endured.

Call to Action

Eanes parents and taxpayers, now is the time to speak up:

Attend the Eanes ISD Board Meeting on January 14th at 6 PM. Use the public forum to call for her resignation from the Board of Trustees for her unethical campaign behavior.
Share this story with your friends and neighbors. The community deserves to know the lengths to which Taylor and Trustee Marwill have gone to avoid accountability.

Conclusion

Taylor’s motion to quash these subpoenas isn’t just about protecting identities—it’s about obstructing the truth. The WSC must be held accountable for its tactics, which have harmed not just me but the fabric of our community.

By exposing the truth and demanding transparency, we can ensure future candidates are judged by their ideas and qualifications—not by lies spread anonymously. Together, we can restore the greatness of Eanes ISD and protect the integrity of our elections.