Latest news with #TimO'Hare
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
SMU researcher says proposed Tarrant County redistricting 'diminishes' voting power
The Brief Tarrant County commissioners are set to vote on new district maps within days, a process led by Republican County Judge Tim O'Hare. Critics say the proposed maps violate racial protections in the Voting Rights Act by concentrating non-White voters into one district, diluting their voting power. An SMU researcher's analysis appears to suggest the new maps may be biased against non-White voters. TARRANT COUNTY, Texas - The Republican-led Tarrant County Commissioners Court is days away from voting to redraw district lines. Critics say the proposed maps violate racial protections in the Voting Rights Act. Now, an SMU researcher is applying her own mathematical review to the maps. The Latest SMU mathematics professor and researcher Dr. Andrea Barreiro has dissected and analyzed the newly proposed maps for Tarrant County districts, the work of a county-hired consulting firm and the public legal interest foundation. The researcher uses mathematics and technology to analyze the redistricting models. She says she was drawn to Tarrant County's current process as attention surrounding the topic began to grow. Barreiro looks for signatures of partisan and racial gerrymandering, she says. The current process to redraw the county's lines is led by Republican County Judge Tim O'Hare. At the center of the controversy are District 1, held by Commissioner Roderick Miles, and District 2, a seat now held by Commissioner Alisa Simmons, both Democrats. What they're saying "It looks like they made small modifications on this basic template where they swap the purple and the blue to get their desired outcome," Barreiro said. Barreiro says a randomly unbiased generated map based on the latest census data would have 60 to 65 percent non-White voters in each of those districts. "The proposed maps do something very different," Barreiro said. "They take a lot of those non-White voters in District 2, and they pack them into District 1, leaving District 2 to be majority White." Barreiro uses advanced software, applying a method known as Markov Chain Analysis. Her experience using the same technology includes similar analysis her team prepared during the state legislative redistricting cycle. "We have continued to reach out to Judge O'Hare for his response to allegations of racial gerrymandering by Simmons, Miles, as well as U.S. Congressman Marc Veasey and ten Tarrant County mayors," Barreiro said. Barreiro stops short of making a legal opinion on whether the proposed maps violate state and federal law. She does say it is clear what the consultant map-maker's mission is. "If black voters could be a large presence in two districts, but instead you pack all those people by picking your map cleverly, you get all those people into one district, then you diminish the voting power of that population," Barreiro said. "There are interesting methodological and mathematical questions about this whole process that I'm eager to explore, and I'm also just interested in basic fairness." What's next Late Thursday afternoon, O'Hare agreed to an interview with FOX 4. The meeting is set for Friday morning. A vote on Tarrant County's redistricting process is set for Tuesday. The backstory The mayors of 10 Tarrant County cities, including Fort Worth, Arlington, Mansfield, and Grand Prairie, have signed a letter expressing their opposition to the proposed map. The group called the effort ill-timed because it's the middle of the decade and, in their opinion, the census data from 2020 is outdated. In early April, the commission voted three to two, with commissioners Alisa Simmons and Roderick Miles opposing, to approve a contract with the Public Interest Legal Foundation to provide consultation with re-drawing district lines. The Source Information in this article came from SMU researcher Dr. Andrea Barreiro and previous FOX 4 reporting.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Mayors clash with Tarrant County judge over "unlawful" redistricting plan
The Brief A proposed redistricting plan for Tarrant County, led by County Judge Tim O'Hare, could split Arlington into three districts. Arlington Mayor Jim Ross and nine other Tarrant County mayors oppose the plan, citing a lack of transparency, insufficient community involvement, and potential violations of state law and the Voting Rights Act. The Tarrant County Commissioners Court is scheduled to vote on the new maps on June 3, with legal challenges expected if approved. TARRANT COUNTY, Texas - Proposed redistricting maps for Tarrant County, if adopted, could see the city of Arlington split into three separate districts. The plan is led by Republican county judge Tim O'Hare to re-draw the county's district lines. What they're saying Mayor Jim Ross says that would be cumbersome for Arlington residents, but it isn't necessarily a bad thing. He points to additional issues. "I've never seen a redistricting process go this quickly without any significant community involvement whatsoever," said Ross. "Where I draw the line in speaking up and standing in opposition to things is if it is done outside the boundaries of the law, and it is done without sufficient transparency." Ross tells FOX 4 that an expert law firm out of Austin was hired to examine what has been done or not with the Tarrant County commissioners' court. "They've come back to us with a report that there appear to be violations of state law, and the voting rights act federally. That's when I reached out to other mayors…" Ross is the mayor who initiated the letter of opposition addressed to county judge Tim O'Hare, that was signed by 9 other Tarrant County mayors, mostly from the southern sector. Mayor Ross says he reached out to O'Hare before sending the letter. "I told Judge O'Hare our preference was to pull it off the agenda for June 3 and let's slow the jets a little bit and look at this thing thoroughly, and we could be collaborative on it. He told me 'I'm not pulling it off the agenda. I'll see you June 3rd.'" O'Hare has said redistricting is needed due to demographics that have changed. Ross feels there isn't enough data to make any adjustments. "When you say there's been a change, yet you use the data from a census report from five years ago, you're using old data, but saying there's new changes. Well, the commissioners' court looked at that old data five years ago and didn't find it sufficient to make any adjustments." Mayor Ross states sufficient data needs to be presented to show that redistricting is not for the purpose of discriminating against minority demographics. "There's other ways of getting that demographic data to prove your point, but you need that data in order to show that you're not discriminating against minority groups. That's required by the voting rights act." A group of elected officials led by U.S. congressman Marc Veasey on Tuesday expressed opposition, calling the effort unlawful and discriminatory to minorities. Dig deeper With the vote on the new map scheduled for June 3, FOX 4 reached out to Judge O'Hare's office for a response. In early April, the commission voted 3 to 2, with commissioners Alisa Simmons and Roderick Miles opposing, to approve a contract with the Public Interest Legal Foundation to provide consultation with re-drawing district lines. FOX 4 contacted the group on Wednesday for feedback on its work, but it has not yet responded. The Source FOX 4's Dionne Anglin gathered details for this story at a town hall event hosted by Congressman Mark Veasey, as well as an interview with Mayor Jim Ross.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Local leaders speak out against Tarrant County redistricting efforts
The Brief Tarrant County Judge Tim O'Hare is leading an effort to redraw the county's commissioner precinct maps. Some Tarrant County Commissioners, Fort Worth City Council members, and local mayors are opposed to the plan, arguing it's an attempt to eliminate the chances of a minority being elected. Legal experts say redistricting to favor one political party over another is allowed, but racial discrimination is not. FORT WORTH, Texas - Tarrant County Commissioners will soon vote on a controversial redistricting map. Not all commissioners agree on it, and some argue that it could reshape Tarrant County politics. What we know Tarrant County Judge Tim O'Hare is reportedly behind the effort to redraw the Tarrant County Commissioners Court precinct boundaries. He and some other Republicans argue the process is more than a decade overdue. New maps are often drawn after census data is released every 10 years. But in 2021, commissioners voted against making any changes. They'll vote again on June 3. The other side U.S. Congressman Marc Veasey made a public statement on Tuesday, strongly denouncing the proposed changes. "Let me saw it loud and clear for the people in the back. This is illegal. this is intentional racial discrimination. It still violates the Voting Rights Act and the 14th Amendment," he said. "If you look at this map, you will see. If you look precisely at this map, you will see that it was meant to dilute black voting power and brown voting power in Tarrant County. Period. End of story." He was joined by two Democratic Tarrant County Commissioners – Alisa Simmons and Roderick Miles – as well as several Fort Worth City Council members. The mayors of 10 Tarrant County cities, including Fort Worth, Arlington, Mansfield, and Grand Prairie, have also signed a letter expressing their opposition to the proposed map. "What you see in this redistricting effort today is nothing more than Tim O'Hare's continued efforts to silence the voices of those in Tarrant County who do not believe like him, to silence the voices specifically of the black and brown members of our community," said For Worth Councilwoman Elizabeth Beck. The group called the effort ill-timed because it's the middle of the decade and, in their opinion, the census data from 2020 is outdated. They also argued that four community meetings are not enough to give residents a chance to express their opinions on the proposed new precincts. Dig deeper Political analyst Bud Kennedy said that while there's nothing in the Voting Rights Act to prevent a redistricting effort that favors one political party over another, there are restrictions against racial discrimination. "The Republicans feel like they have to do this because if they were to lose the county judge seat, along with a commissioner seat, the Democrats would flip the court," he said. "It's something you can do any time. You're supposed to use the best census information." Kennedy is not familiar with what census data the proposed map uses but said the newest estimates would show a growing population in the northern part of the county. He pointed out that, collectively, the opposing cities can't compete with the population boom of the county's northern voters. "You didn't see any mayors from the Republican precincts in the north half of the county on that list (of opposing mayors). There's a reason for Fort Worth to be upset. People in Southwest Fort Worth would have to go to an Arlington commissioner for help. There's a reason for Arlington to be upset about being divided. The problem is these two big cities don't have any control with the county courthouse right now. It's Southlake, Keller, and Haslet that have control," he said. Kennedy said if the map is approved, it will likely be challenged. But with the Supreme Court removing the requirement for pre-clearance of the redistricting map, the approved version would likely take effect while it is contested in court. Kennedy also pointed out that Veasey has been a vocal advocate for fair redistricting at every level. "This is right up his alley. If there is a flaw in this map, he'll find it," he said. The Source FOX 4's Dionne Anglin gathered details for this story at a town hall event hosted by Congressman Mark Veasey, as well as an interview with political analyst Bud Kennedy.
CBS News
02-04-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Tarrant County commissioners vote to redraw precinct boundaries amid heated debate
After a heated debate, Tarrant County commissioners voted to move forward with plans to potentially redraw precinct boundaries before the 2026 election. This process doesn't usually happen in the middle of a decade before official census data is released. Nearly 80 people signed up to speak about this issue at the commissioners' meeting on Wednesday. "Tarrant County needs responsible leadership for its future survival as a leader in Texas, and redistricting is needed to ensure that survival," one community member told commissioners. Republicans said the maps need to be redrawn to better reflect the county's population growth and have also acknowledged redistricting could help conservative candidates. Critics call it a waste of taxpayer money at best, and racial gerrymandering at worst. "What you're proposing here today is not redistricting," said one resident who spoke during public comment. "It's calculated rigging. It's an attempt to gerrymander the voice of the people." Commissioners agreed in a 3-2 vote along party lines to hire a Virginia-based law firm for consulting services for the purpose of redistricting. The Public Interest Legal Foundation is a conservative group that says it's dedicated to election integrity and has sued several states to gain access to voter rolls. Democratic Commissioner Alisa Simmons, who voted in opposition, said the firm has a well-documented history of hostility to minority voting rights. "We should know if there's going to be new data, where it will come from, and the reason why because it seems like it would be a waste of taxpayer dollars to look into this," said one of several community members who also questioned using this particular foundation for the process. "Staff did not choose the firm," said Judge Tim O'Hare. "These were people that I researched and found myself." O'Hare told the court he did not discuss hiring the Public Interest Legal Foundation with any staff or commissioners. He did not answer questions as to why the court should engage in redistricting now. Four years ago, in 2021, Tarrant County commissioners found the precincts were balanced based on a review of 2020 census data and declined to redraw boundary lines. "Had I been on the court at that time, I think I would have voted to say let's go ahead and redistrict with the growth in Tarrant County," said Commissioner Matt Krause. "I didn't get to make that decision for other board members, but with the information before us, I think we can do that now." Redistricting isn't normally done mid-decade. "Besides this glaringly not being the right time to redistrict, PILF is just not the right firm," Commissioner Simmons said. "The track record is poor… The fact that you guys are trying to hire this firm, that in itself is an act of intentional discrimination." Commissioner Manny Ramirez said it was shameful to accuse someone of being racist for "wanting to explore population balance." "Just because you disagree with somebody on policy, does not make them a racist," he told the court. In a statement, Ramirez said: "…There is one distinct responsibility of this job that is, in my opinion, very political and that is redistricting. Conservative policies and values continue to make Tarrant County the greatest and most successful county in the nation. I believe that I have a moral obligation to do everything legally permissible to ensure that our county continues to enjoy responsible conservative leadership." O'Hare expects the firm to evaluate the current precincts and then present any potential maps with new boundary lines at a later meeting. He said there will be opportunity for the public and for other commissioners to weigh in before a vote is taken. "We're hiring a firm and then a process will come out and things will come up," he said. "I get some of you don't want it to happen, and you can vote that way." When Simmons pressed the judge for more details on the work the firm will do, the exchange got heated. "So that contract said the $30,000 is for the initial phase - how many phases do you expect?" she asked him directly. "I don't know, but I don't answer to you," the judge replied. "Vote the way you want." "I will, but you put something on the agenda, so you ought to be able to speak to it," Simmons said. Democratic Commissioner Roderick Miles Jr. also voted against hiring the firm and criticized the way the plan was presented to the public and to the commissioners. "There are so many questions and challenges associated with this proposal for me," he said. "Due to the gravity of this situation and its impact on our constituents, it's imperative to maximize transparency." He pushed for an open call for proposals instead. "If we will spend money for an RFP for sprinkler systems, the least we can do is put out an RFP for something that will impact everyone in this room and in this county who we are called to represent," said Commissioner Miles Jr. According to the contract that was approved, the county can spend up to $30,000 for the Public Interest Legal Foundation to provide legal advice, map renderings, and other consulting services related to redistricting.
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
University of Texas System chief says schools will not sponsor, host drag shows. Here's why
The University of Texas System will no longer allow its institutions, including UT in Austin, to sponsor or host drag shows, Chairman Kevin Eltife said in a statement shared with the American-Statesman. Tarrant County Judge Tim O'Hare on Thursday urged the University of Texas System's board of regents to ban drag shows after complaining about an event at the University of Texas at Arlington that featured a drag performer. O'Hare cited a Jan. 20 executive order from President Donald Trump, which banned the use of federal funds in promoting "gender ideology," as the basis for the drag show ban. "As an alumnus of UT-Austin, I care about the reputation of the UT System," he said in his letter to the board of regents. "It is imperative the UT System leads in Texas and across the nation as a System prioritizing academics and student dignity." A day later, Chairman Kevin Eltife released a statement through a spokesperson saying the UT System wouldn't allow drag shows at its campuses. More: Texas 'most extreme' in anti-LGBTQ bills, advocates say. How supporters plan to fight back The system's board did not vote to adopt a new policy, as the Texas A&M University System did. Eltife said the board will consider further action if needed, but that all system institutions are expected to follow federal, state and local laws and executive orders. There is no current federal or state executive order explicitly banning drag shows. The Texas A&M System's board on Feb. 28 unanimously passed a resolution banning drag shows at its 11 campuses, citing Trump's "gender ideology" executive order. It said drag shows, which the board views as "hostile" to women, are not in line with the system's values. LGBTQ groups deny that the shows are hostile to women, instead defining the shows as artistic presentations of exaggerated gender expression that originated in the queer community. The Texas A&M System's ban prompted its flagship university to cancel the annual "Draggieland" show, an annual drag performance organized by the student Queer Empowerment Council. The bans by the UT and Texas A&M systems come at a time when students are still reeling from a 2023 anti-diversity, equity and inclusion law that prohibited DEI and LGBTQ support programs and offices at public institutions of higher education in Texas. The Texas A&M University student group behind the Draggieland show, represented by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, has filed a suit against school and the system accusing both of violating the "First Amendment's strict prohibition against viewpoint discrimination" and engaging in prior restraint. State lawmakers passed a bill banning drag shows in 2023, but a federal judge ruled the law was unconstitutional because of its restriction on speech. The Statesman asked the UT System about when it communicated the new rule to its 14 institutions, if the ban will be presented as a policy to the board for approval, and how will it affect student LGBTQ groups which are exempt from Senate Bill 17 — the state's anti-DEI law. The UT System did not respond to the Statesman's questions Monday. "All activities at UT institutions are expected to comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws and executive orders, including any restrictions on the use of public funds," Eltife said in his statement. "Our public university facilities, supported by taxpayers, will not serve as venues for drag shows. Our institutions will not sponsor them." This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: University of Texas System schools can't host drag shows: chancellor
