Fort Bend Co. Judge KP George arrested after indictment for racist posts
FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- Fort Bend County Judge KP George was booked into jail Thursday evening hours after his indictment for an alleged election scheme involving racist social media posts.
George was later released on a personal recognizance bond, according to a statement from his office in which he claimed his innocence and vowed he wouldn't step down.
ABC13 learned of the indictment Thursday afternoon. It accuses George of using a fake Facebook account under the name "Antonio Scalywag" with the "intent to injure a candidate or influence the result of an election."
The latest findings come after a lengthy search warrant last week revealed incriminating text messages between George and Precinct 3 Commissioner candidate Taral Patel.
READ MORE: New warrant suggests Fort Bend County Judge KP George knew about staffer's alleged wrongdoing
George claimed he was the target of racist social media posts that investigators believe he knew his then-chief of staff, Patel, created to work in his favor. The search warrant alleges that the second-term Democrat was attempting to bolster his 2022 re-election bid.
Patel has been charged with online impersonation but remains a candidate for Fort Bend County Precinct 3 Commissioner.
Investigators believe Patel created fake Facebook accounts and then posted racist comments targeting George to garner sympathy. Some of those comments, which referred to George as an "arrogant foreigner" and "Muslim IT scammer," ended up in a collage that Patel posted on social media two months before the election.
The warrant says investigators found text messages from Patel to George that said, "I am posting the image now."
Immediately after the screenshot was a message from Patel that read, "Let me know if you approve, I'll share this post," the warrant reads.
The warrant also said George then responded with the following request: "Also add, 'this heinous act doesn't represent Fort Bend County, we are that most diverse and inclusive county, our diversity is our strength.'"
News of George's indictment sent shockwaves through Fort Bend County. Calls for him to step down have only grown louder with the indictment, but George says he has no intention of doing so.
Democrat Patricia David, who ran for a county position two years ago, campaigned with George. But now, she's calling for him to resign.
"It's a sad day in Fort Bend," David said. "It's a sad day for the community. It's a sad day for the people who entrusted him and believed in him. It's a really, really sad day."
Fort Bend County Precinct 3 Commissioner Andy Meyers, a Republican who Patel is running against, said George should resign if he is guilty.
"It's never a good day for anybody that's charged for doing something of this nature," Meyers said. "I don't think it's a benefit to anybody."
Fellow Republican County Commissioner Vincent Morales shared on social media he also believes George should step down.
"I hereby call for County Judge KP George to resign his office and to allow our commissioners court to peacefully continue the service and protection of our citizens," Morales posted on social media.
Democrat County Commissioner Dexter McCoy didn't go as far as calling for George to step down, but he expressed some concerns over the indictment.
"I share in my fellow residents' concerns about these allegations and its effect on public trust and our ability to conduct the people's business. Holding positions of public trust mandate that we hold ourselves to a higher standard, and today's grand jury indictment demonstrates a clear breach of that standard," McCoy said in a statement to ABC13.
State Rep. Jacey Jetton, a Republican who represents Fort Bend County, has also joined the resignation calls.
"For him to stay in office despite everything that's happened, despite this indictment and eventual conviction, would just be such a tarnish on this county," Jetton said.
Some Fort Bend County residents Eyewitness News spoke with weren't aware of the criminal charge against George.
Those aware of the charges joined elected leaders calling for him to step down.
"He really needs to give up," Frank Alderete said.
"He probably needs to resign, yeah. I would say resign," Tiffiny Carter said.
"If you're lying for publicity or for votes, that's not something that I stand for, and I feel like he just needs to do what's right and step down," Amanda Carranza said.
ABC13 reached out to George's communications person after the indictment was released but didn't receive a response until around 9 p.m.
They sent Eyewitness News the following statement:
"Although I am disappointed by the charges brought against me, I am confident that when all the facts are presented, justice will prevail. In this country, you are innocent until proven guilty, and I fully intend to prove my innocence in court. This evening I voluntarily reported to the agency that held the warrant and was released on a PR Bond, demonstrating my commitment to fully cooperating with the legal process. Despite calls for my resignation, I have no intention of stepping down. My focus remains on serving the people of Fort Bend County, as I was elected to do. My office and staff will continue working tirelessly on behalf of our residents, ensuring that the County's business moves forward without interruption. I look forward to clearing my name and continuing the important work entrusted to me by the voters."
