A Democrat running for local office in Texas was arrested and charged with a felony for allegedly creating social media accounts to post fake racist attacks against himself, local outlets reported.
Taral Patel, the Democratic nominee for Fort Bend County Precinct 3 commissioner, in September 2023 made a post to his Facebook account claiming that his “Republican opponents supporters’ decide[d] to hurl #racist, #anti-immigrant, #Hinduphobic, or otherwise disgusting insults,” attaching screenshots allegedly showing prejudiced statements made by residents of the county.
The racist messages were eventually traced back to Patel following an investigation conducted by the Fort Bend County District Attorney’s office and the Texas Rangers, the Houston Chronicle reported.
“We don’t need more sand negroid subhumans who smell like curry and filth in our country,” one comment flagged by Patel reads.
“If I see you wearing that dot on your head, I’ll wipe it off myself,” another reads.
Patel’s campaign has garnered endorsements from high-profile elected Democrats like Colorado Gov. Jared Polis and Texas Rep. Joaquin Castro, according to his campaign website.
The website also states that President Joe Biden appointed Patel to serve in the Office of White House Liaison during which time he says he was “a key member” of the White House Asian American Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Committee.
Republican Commissioner Andy Meyers, who Patel is running against, initially suspected foul play when Patel made his post alleging the racist attacks, according to Houston Public Media.
Meyers recognized one of the accounts as having attacked him before and, suspicious of its motivations, hired a private investigator to figure out who was behind it.
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When his private investigator came up short, Meyers asked the Fort Bend County District Attorney’s office to look into the accounts posting the messages, Houston Public Media reported.
The district attorney’s office issued a subpoena to Facebook and Google and obtained account data that matched Patel’s address, phone number, Texas driver’s license number and bank card number, according to KTRK-TV.
Patel allegedly used a picture of a real man living in Fort Bend County for a fake account, according to Houston Public Media. The man told the district attorney’s office that Patel did not have permission to use his likeness.
Texas Rangers arrested Patel on Wednesday for online impersonation, a third-degree felony, and misrepresentation of identity, a misdemeanor, ABC 13 reported. Patel’s total bond was $22,250, which he paid Thursday morning.
Patel’s campaign did not immediately return the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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