Fort Bend County Judge KP George Charged with Misrepresentation of Identity
Fort Bend County Judge KP George, the top elected official in a suburban Houston county, was indicted on Thursday over accusations that he created fake and racist social media posts during his 2022 re-election campaign. A grand jury charged George with a misdemeanor for misrepresentation of identity of a candidate, according to the indictment.
The allegations center around a fake Facebook account under the alias “Antonio Scalywag,” which George allegedly used to post a campaign communication intended to harm another candidate or influence the outcome of the election.
Accusations of Fake Campaign Posts
The indictment accuses George of making the false post on Sept. 26, 2022, using the “Antonio Scalywag” alias on his own Facebook page. Though the indictment did not specify the candidate injured or the election influenced, George, a Democrat, was running for re-election as county judge at the time against Republican candidate Trever Nehls. Nehls is the twin brother of Texas Congressman Troy Nehls.
As county judge, George serves as the chief executive officer of Fort Bend County, one of the most diverse and rapidly growing counties in the U.S.
Involvement of Former Chief of Staff
The investigation into George’s actions stemmed from a search warrant issued on Sept. 17, which alleged that George worked with his former chief of staff, Taral Patel, to post racist social media content under the “Antonio Scalywag” alias. The goal, according to authorities, was to generate sympathy for George by making it appear as if he was the target of racist attacks.
Authorities seized George’s cell phones and computer after the search warrant was executed. Patel, who is currently running for a county commissioner seat in the upcoming November election, was indicted earlier this month on multiple charges of online impersonation and misrepresentation of identity.
George’s Response to the Indictment
In a statement following the indictment, George expressed disappointment but remained confident that justice would prevail. “In this country, you are innocent until proven guilty, and I fully intend to prove my innocence in court,” George said. He turned himself in to authorities on Thursday evening and was released on a personal recognizance bond.
Despite calls from at least one Fort Bend County commissioner, Vincent Morales, for him to resign, George firmly stated, “I have no intention of stepping down.”
Expanded Investigation Includes County Judge
The Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office, which has led the investigation, confirmed that its probe into Patel’s actions had expanded to include George. The county judge’s indictment stems from his alleged involvement as a co-conspirator in the same scheme for which Patel had already been charged. Patel faces four charges of online impersonation and four charges of misrepresentation of identity related to his own political campaign.
