Police defunding ‘stupidest idea in the history of politics,’ says county judge candidate

A group of around 30 marched from the Fort Worth Police and Firefighters Memorial to the steps of the Tarrant County Courthouse Saturday morning in the name of law enforcement and first responder support.

The event was held by the Frederick Douglass Republicans of Tarrant County.

From the get-go, those waiting to march down Fort Worth’s West Seventh Street to Throckmorton Street and onto West Weatherford Street were met by a set of three counter protesters. One pair held a set of two signs that called former president Donald Trump a “LOSER, LIAR, TRAITOR” and told the Texas GOP to “STOP Lying! DAMN WELL... BIDEN WON/TRUMP LOST.”

Across the street, another man wearing a shirt for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Beto O’Rouke held a large white sign with red font that read “PRESERVE, PROTECT AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.”

Those making the walk to the courthouse arrived to the march with American flags. Another carried a flag calling the Second Amendment “America’s original homeland security.”

Waiting for the marchers at the end of the route were speeches from Republicans seeking county political offices, as well as Republican office holders. All expressed their commitment to working with law enforcement if elected.

Phil Sorrells, Tarrant County’s Republican candidate for criminal district attorney, said that even with his 25 years of experience as a judge, he was still in awe of how first responders did their job.

Republican Precinct 2 commissioner candidate Andy Nguyen told the crowd, which had grown to around 40 people by the time the rally began, that he had recently had coffee with a pair of police officers. He said he mostly sat and listened to their stories about near-death experiences, late nights and frustrations.

“Know that freedom is not free,” Nguyen said. “Know that security and safety is not free. So this morning, let us renew our commitment to be true to our first responders, to know that they are not doing it for money because no amount of dollars is enough to sacrifice their own lives and their own families for it.”

Tarrant County Judge candidate Tim O’Hare asked those in the crowd to raise their hands if they, a relative or a friend had a first responder save their life.

O’Hare said he believed the idea to defund of law enforcement “may go down as the dumbest idea in the history of politics.”

The event also featured speeches from Republican Sheriff Bill Waybourn and Taylor Mondick, Republican candidate for Texas House District 95.

One of the final speeches came from Porsha Jackson of the Frederick Douglass Republicans. She told the crowd it filled her heart to see “red-blooded patriots coming together” for law enforcement.

Jackson centered her speech on what she called Democrats’ negative impact on the Black community.

“Democrats have told you that police can only exist in affluent neighborhoods,” she said. “Democrats have told you to hate the police. Democrats have told you that you’re not worthy of justice nor that you are worthy of peace.”

At one point in her speech, Jackson called Black Lives Matter a monster like the Netflix show “Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story,” starring Evans Peters.

Jackson said the county had “watched the emasculation of black men at the hands of Democrats” and she criticized former President Barack Obama’s support of former Miami Heat basketball player Dwayne Wade’s daughter Zaya.

“This isn’t hate speech,” she said. “This is facts speech.”

Those who attended the rally said they like the messages they heard. Chris Sims, who attended the event with his wife, Julie, agreed with what candidates and officials said about law enforcement. Sims said they were glad to be there to support.

And on Jackson’s speech?

“She’s speaking truth,” Sims said. “There’s a lot of truth.”