Heroes of the Week
Two bros and two nonprofits deserve kudos for doing the right thing, especially in the face of so much overreach and terribleness by the White House and the federal government overall.
Our first hero is Bartolo Morales. During an ICE operation (not a “sting,” allegedly) at Mica’s Taqueria on Sylvania Avenue in Riverside over the weekend, Morales led a group of neighbors, bystanders, and other do-gooders in running off the agents before they could do any real damage.
In a social media post, District 2 Councilmember Carlos Flores said the Department of Homeland Security confirmed to Fort Worth police the presence of ICE agents in town. He said he was told they were seeking “specific individuals” and were not “conducting broad enforcement operations.”
Flores enumerated citizens’ rights, including remaining silent and first speaking to an attorney. He also added …
Courtesy Bartolo Morales/Facebook
- “Only a warrant signed by a judge can legally authorize entry into your home or search private areas of your workplace,” because “ICE cannot legally enter into your residence without a judicial warrant or unless given permission.”
- “Please note that FWPD does not enforce federal immigration laws. The department does comply with federal and state laws requiring cooperation with federal immigration authorities.”
- “In public spaces, ICE officers can operate without a warrant.”
- “Do not interfere with federal law enforcement officers carrying out their duties.”
Don’t tell that last bit to hero Morales and his compatriots.
Our second heroes are two nonprofits. DEFIANCE.org and the Institute for Primary Facts are behind the Donald J. Trump and Jeffrey Epstein Bookmobile. The huge van with all the released Epstein Files printed out and stacked on bookshelves within began in New York City and D.C. and will embark on a nationwide tour through the November midterms. The Donald J. Trump and Jeffrey Epstein Bookmobile’s first stop will be on Tue, Sep 8, in Dallas at American Airlines Center, site of the two-day inaugural Republican midterm convention, where Donald Trump is scheduled to appear.
Primary Facts says, “All the files. The timeline of Trump and Epstein’s relationship. A tribute to survivors. And ways you can take action to demand justice and accountability.”
The name of the bookmobile’s traveling exhibit is the Donald J. Trump and Jeffrey Epstein Reading Room. The numbers continue piling up: 200+M views on socials and ~15,000 visitors so far.
Courtesy DEFIANCE.org
The Donald J. Trump and Jeffrey Epstein Reading Room offers ~3.5 million pages of the Epstein-related records released by the White House after Congress voted to disclose them. There’s still a lot to see, even though prominent names have been blacked out. Many survivors of Trump-Epstein abuse will appear along the way at stops of the Donald J. Trump and Jeffrey Epstein Bookmobile, starting in Big D during what’s being called “Trump-a-Palooza.”
“The [GOP] convention,” DEFIANCE.org writes, “is already shaping up to be a bizarre symbol of cultish loyalty to one man. Trump insisted upon the two-day pep rally, even though GOP candidates are worried about associating with him, given his historically weak poll numbers. House GOP members who are running for re-election are being told to fork over $25,000 just to attend, which they are angry about because the president has yet to open his war chest to help them in their races. It doesn’t get Trumpier than that. The whole event apparently exists to celebrate him, to tell the stories he wants to tell and to paper over his misconduct with confetti.”
With more locations to be announced, the Donald J. Trump and Jeffrey Epstein Reading Room/Bookmobile will leave Dallas for ports of call in Nebraska, Iowa, and more. The tour will hit nearly two dozen states. Survivor Lara Blume McGee said the Donald J. Trump and Jeffrey Epstein Reading Room/Bookmobile is “a memorial to every survivor who was told their pain was inconvenient to powerful men.”
Anyone interested in hosting the Donald J. Trump and Jeffrey Epstein Reading Room/Bookmobile — venue owners, neighbors, government officials, organizers — can request a tour stop. Visit TrumpEpsteinReadingRoom.com.
“Because of such efforts,” DEFIANCE.org writes, “the investigation will be reopened one day.”
Our last hero is Reagan-appointed U.S. District Judge David Hittner, who said a ban on drag shows in Texas is unconstitutional. As if any more reminders were needed, wearing a costume in public and possibly dancing and singing is not a crime.
Hittner’s logic?
“For those who find such activities as described in this case offensive,” he said, “the solution is relatively simple: Just don’t go.”
Mind your own business: What a novel idea.
Commissioners Restrict Voting for Midterms
In a 3-2 vote along party lines, Tarrant County commissioners decided Tuesday to reduce the number of voting sites for November’s increasingly important midterm elections, down to 224 Election Day sites from 316 in 2022, when the last midterms were held, and from 50 for early voting to 42. That’s 92 fewer sites in total.
During a meeting that lasted over eight hours, more than 100 concerned citizens spoke, most opposed to the site cuts. Dozens of civic groups rallied outside the county courthouse beforehand to demand the same number of voting sites as in 2022. Or more.
Sixth Jail Death This Year
Since 2017, when Sheriff Bill Waybourn took office, more than 80 jail deaths have occurred.
Now, there’s another.
On Saturday evening, 36-year-old Gemma Leigh Swingle died in custody. The cause and manner of death are still pending.
It’s the sixth jail death this year.
The medical examiner’s website says Haltom City police are investigating. Court records show Swingle was booked into Tarrant County Jail on a prostitution charge in late August.
This column reflects the opinions of the editorial board and not the Fort Worth Weekly. To submit a column, please email Editor Anthony Mariani at Anthony@FWWeekly.com. He will gently edit it for clarity and concision.
