Weeks of simmering tension boiled over at the May 7 Tarrant County Commissioners Court meeting, when dueling factions stepped up to the speaker lectern to share their opinion on the decorum — or lack thereof — of County Judge Tim O’Hare and Commissioner Alisa Simmons.
“Instead of protecting the ballot box from fraudsters who think our laws don’t apply to them, you, Mr. O’Hare, chose to verbally demean our sole female commissioner,” Mansfield resident Allan Turner Jr. told commissioners before being escorted out of the building by sheriff’s deputies. O’Hare asked him to be removed from chambers for continuing to speak past his allocated time.
“Is this really necessary?” Turner asked deputies outside of the chamber, before being led into the elevator.
Turner was one of dozens of residents who spoke about an incident last month, where Republican O’Hare told Democrat Simmons to “sit there and be quiet” during an April 16 court meeting.
O’Hare sought — and secured — approval to hire Noah Betz, executive director of the Huffines Liberty Foundation, on a five-month $5,000 contract. The county judge said Betz’s contract was to handle the non-political duties of a departing employee. Simmons’ disapproval over Betz’s hiring led to the dispute between the two court members.
O’Hare’s comments prompted quick backlash from some community members who described his words as misogynistic and racist. They also generated a fierce defense from local conservatives, including the Tarrant County Republican Party, who said allegations of racism were unfounded.
Both camps made themselves heard at the May 7 meeting. Before they spoke, O’Hare read portions of the court’s rules of decorum and warned that any cheering or outbursts would result in speakers being removed from the chambers. At one point, the county judge threatened to clear the chambers.
“This is not a political rally,” O’Hare said.
Tensions gradually rose. Speakers on both sides traded lines of scripture they said should guide the debate. Some, like former Democratic state Rep. Lon Burnam, got creative and waved their hands to support speakers in lieu of making noise.
Turner’s removal came at 2:35 p.m. Then, deputies told Turner that O’Hare had instructed them ahead of the meeting to remove disruptive people from the building entirely. He was eventually let back in to attend the remainder of the meeting. One woman, Della Sapp, was later given a trespass warning after cursing and leaving the room.
Ruth Potts, a Fort Worth resident, said O’Hare’s actions at the meeting were necessary to set a productive atmosphere and protect the people gathered to speak. His speech at the April 16 meeting, she said, was for the same reason.
“A curt word, sometimes we just gotta get over it,” Potts said, “because there’s bigger issues.”
Ebony Turner, founder of Black Mansfield Moms and a candidate for Texas House of Representatives District 96, spoke in support of Simmons. She said the most disrespected person in America is a Black woman, and demanded a full apology from O’Hare for furthering that disrespect.
“We will not sit, nor will we be quiet,” Turner said.
Cynthia Brown, a Forest Hill resident, said it’s been years since the Black community in Tarrant County has been as united behind a cause as it is behind backing Simmons. That unity will show up at the polls, she said.
“I’d like to say thank you, Mr. O’Hare, for waking up the sleeping Black panther of Tarrant County,” Brown said.
Tarrant County Republican Party Chair Bo French was among those who came to speak in support of O’Hare. He told Simmons that she cries “racism when you’re told not to interrupt” and that, if anyone has a problem with decorum, it’s her. He referenced instances where she disagreed with staff, including when she cursed at County Administrator Chandler Merritt for leaving her out of decision-making.
“You lack the decorum benefiting a county commissioner, and we deserve better,” French said. “The good people of Tarrant County understand your grift, and we’re tired of it.”
Carlos Turcios, director of Texas Latinos United for Conservative Action, said O’Hare is being criticized because of a philosophy that blames societal issues on race. He praised O’Hare’s leadership as county judge.
“Why is he being attacked? He’s being attacked because he’s a white male,” Turcios said. “If he were a Black individual, he wouldn’t be under attack. If he were a Hispanic individual, he wouldn’t be under attack.”
State representatives from both sides of the aisle spoke at the meeting. Rep. Chris Turner, D-Grand Prairie, supported Simmons, while Rep. Nate Schatzline, R-Fort Worth, supported O’Hare.
Others approached the lectern with one goal in mind: letting the dust settle and moving on to tackle larger issues facing the county. Krista Daniels, a Fort Worth resident, spoke through tears as she addressed commissioners. She gestured to one side of the room, then another — representative of the warring sides present at the meeting.
“What do we do with this unrest? How can we handle it? Is there any way we can come together, sit down at the table, and talk?” Daniels asked.
Michelle Green-Ford, president of the Fort Worth Metropolitan Black Chamber of Commerce, asked that members of the Commissioners Court set examples for others through civility and respect.
“When we invite businesses to relocate to this area, we want to proudly say that we have leadership regardless of race, ethnicity, political party or any other differences or issues, who can work together in a manner that considers everyone’s humanity,” she said.
