Tarrant Dem commissioner denied town halls over illegal campaigning concern
Republicans on the Tarrant County Commissioners Court denied their Democratic colleague’s use of county facilities Tuesday under the assumption she would be using them for political activity, which is illegal under Texas Election Code.
Democratic Commissioner Alisa Simmons, of Precinct 2, asked permission from the court of five members to use the Arlington Subcourthouse, where her office is, for monthly town hall meetings from July to October. She asked the court to waive the $1,314 cost to pay the necessary staff and security.
Simmons is challenging Tim O’Hare for his seat as county judge in the Nov. 3 election.
Simmons and fellow Democratic Commissioner Roderick Miles voted to approve the request, but the pair was outnumbered by the three Republicans, O’Hare and commissioners Matt Krause and Manny Ramirez.
Friday morning, O’Hare posted on X that Simmons was trying to “misuse taxpayer-funded facilities to hold political, self-serving events.”
O’Hare’s post said Simmons disguised the event’s true purpose by calling it a town hall.
In the Tuesday meeting, Simmons said the topics had not all been nailed down, but one would likely be about the budget and another would be about the jail.
When Krause said the four events being in the midst of a contentious election season was coincidental, Simmons denied having planned any political activity for the town halls.
“It seems very coincidental, maybe, that these town halls line up right when the election season is really ramping up,” Krause said. “We’ve got four in four months, which is right during the heat of that. It kind of seems like to me, maybe we’re using the fee waiver and access to the courtrooms, it could be for political activity.”
Early voting begins Oct. 19 and runs through Oct. 30. The last proposed Precinct 2 town hall was set for October 22, though Simmons’s term lasts until December.
When Krause asked why she wanted to plan the four town halls all of a sudden after not hosting any town halls in over a year, Simmons blamed the July 2025 salary guideline changes that resulted in Precinct 2 staffing cuts.
On the dais, Simmons said her office has held six or seven town halls a year since she became commissioner at the beginning of 2023.
The Star-Telegram verified 15 town halls, among many other community events, from 2023 to 2025. The town halls provided insight on topics including road projects, county assistance programs and protesting property appraisals.
“This is absolutely nothing new,” she said.
“So no political activity, nothing partisan, no email gathering, no any of that stuff?” Krause probed.
“Absolutely no. You can’t. No. You can’t do that,” Simmons said. “I’m not unethical in any way.”
The Star-Telegram reached out to Simmons multiple times but did not receive answers to questions.