Update: 8:30 a.m.
Fort Bend County Judge KP George was arrested Thursday night and booked into the Fort Bend County Jail.
Fort Bend County Commissioners Vincent Morales, Andy Meyers and other local officeholders called for George to resign from his position as county judge, citing concerns that the indictment would affect his leadership.
Late Thursday night, George released a statement in response to the matter.
“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.”
Original Story:
On Thursday, Fort Bend County Judge KP George was indicted on a misdemeanor charge related to his alleged involvement in creating fake social media accounts to spread racist messages.
According to court records, George was charged with misrepresenting his identity with the intent to influence an election. He is accused of posing as a Facebook user named Antonio Scalywag during his reelection bid against challenger Trever Nehls in 2022.
George is also linked to assisting Taral Patel, the Democratic nominee for Fort Bend County Precinct 3 commissioner and George’s former chief of staff, to create fake racist Facebook accounts in an attempt to sway Patel’s election.
This comes after a search warrant was issued that alleged George was connected to Patel’s efforts to falsify racist messages and send them to themselves in an effort to influence their respective elections.
George initially criticized the authorities’ move to issue a search warrant, saying in a public statement that he would’ve “voluntarily surrendered” the requested items in person to the Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office.
The county judge said the warrant was “unnecessary” and had “fueled unwarranted speculation.”
George was first elected Fort Bend County Judge in 2018, defeating Nehls with 51 percent of the vote. He is the first person of color to serve in the position.
Patel has since been charged with four felony counts of online impersonation to influence the result of an election. As of Thursday afternoon, George had not provided an updated statement on the matter.
This story will be updated as needed.
This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2024.
