Leader of Black Republican group defends Tarrant County judge against allegations of racism

The president of Frederick Douglass Republicans of Tarrant County is coming to the defense of Judge Tim O’Hare amid allegations of racism after a heated exchange with a county commissioner.

The group, founded by legendary Fort Worth activist and educator Reby Cary, works to empower Black participation in the Republican Party while being a resource for Black Americans at all levels of government.

Chaplain Rich Stoglin said in a statement to the Star-Telegram that disagreements between elected officials happen all the time at all levels of government.

The exchange between O’Hare and Commissioner Alisa Simmons during the April 16 commissioners’ court meeting was no different.

“All disagreements between different racial groups does not qualify as racism,” Stoglin said.

O’Hare is white; Simmons is Black.

Stoglin’s statement comes a day after residents and civil rights leaders gathered in front of the Tarrant County Courthouse to denounce O’Hare for telling Simmons to “sit there and be quiet” during a debate over a $5,000 contract with a political consultant.

O’Hare’s comments were like being transported to the 1960s when women had less political power and autonomy, said Kennedy Jones, president of the Arlington NAACP chapter, speaking at Thursday’s gathering.

“You can’t say that to a woman in 2024,” Jones said.

Stoglin questioned the group’s outrage, asking why there wasn’t a similar uproar when Simmons used a curse word during a tense exchange with County Administrator Chandler Merritt at the April 2 commissioners’ court meeting.

“Is such behavior appropriate when that occurs?” Stoglin asked.

He argued O’Hare that telling Simmons to be quiet wasn’t racist, but merely an attempt to reestablish decorum.

Pastor Michael Bell, who organized Thursday’s press conference, called Stoglin’s statement uniformed and said the April 2 exchange between Simmons and Merritt was taken out of context.

Simmons was expressing her frustration for what she saw as a pattern of the county administrator keeping her in the dark on important matters, Bell said, noting he was present in the chamber and that the comments received a round of applause from the audience.

O’Hare telling Simmons to sit and be quiet was like when people tell basketball players to “shut up and dribble,” Bell said.

Elected officials need to be held to a higher standard, Stoglin said in an interview responding to Bell’s comments.

For Simmons to use a curse word speaking to a county official is unacceptable, and people in her district deserve better, he said.