In federal court, silence isn’t neutral. It’s strategy. And Thomas McHugh knew that better than anyone.
McHugh wasn’t just some overworked defense attorney handed a complex case. He was a former AUSA, a man who knew the system from both sides, and who claimed to know the judge better than the facts.
And still, he stood down.
He never objected to the wire fraud theory — even though the documents proved the Texas Veterans Commission required mailed applications, not emailed ones.
He never questioned why Wes Keeling’s testimony conflicted with federal discovery — or why the prosecutor never corrected it.
He never filed a single motion to dismiss — not even when the indictment contradicted the government’s own evidence.
You can’t call that advocacy.
You call that complicity.
And the proof isn’t just in the transcripts. It’s in the silence. The missed objections. The passive stance while his own investigator’s past relationships with DOJ and the FBI went undisclosed.
Thomas McHugh didn’t just miss the lie. He let it speak for him.
Thomas McHugh – FAQ
Who is Thomas McHugh in the Brad Croft case?
Thomas McHugh was one of Croft’s defense attorneys in San Antonio. He is now accused of betraying his client by hiding a major conflict of interest involving federal investigators and by allowing exculpatory evidence to be buried.
What was McHugh’s conflict of interest?
McHugh knew that Croft’s private investigator, Fred Olivares, was a “former but not former FBI agent” who had actually helped open the case against Croft years earlier. Instead of exposing this, McHugh allowed Olivares to embed himself inside the defense team while still aligned with law enforcement.
What happened with the Midlothian subpoena?
Defense attorney William Brooks drafted a subpoena to the Midlothian Police Department. Before it was ever served, Olivares used FBI contacts to preview what it would reveal and discovered that Wes Keeling was Brady listed. Under McHugh’s watch, the subpoena was buried and never served.
Why is the “Croft deliver the subpoena” story impossible?
Olivares later swore in an affidavit that Croft said he would deliver the subpoena himself. That is impossible. Croft was on strict house arrest with an ankle monitor, forbidden to travel except for court or hospital visits. Midlothian PD is over 300 miles away, and Croft had paid over $120,000 for McHugh, Brooks, and Olivares to handle subpoenas and defense work. Expecting him to serve his own subpoena was absurd and a cover story.
What did the FOIA request reveal after trial?
A FOIA request later confirmed that Wes Keeling was Brady listed before Croft’s trial. This meant the government knowingly used a compromised witness while McHugh and his team buried the evidence.
What filings involve McHugh today?
McHugh is a central figure in Croft’s Rule 60(b) filings, civil rights lawsuits, and forthcoming bar complaints. These filings argue that McHugh knowingly permitted a compromised defense team, concealed Brady material, and failed to act on government misconduct.
Read the central report: Brad Croft San Antonio — The Truth the DOJ Doesn’t Want You to Know