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2mo ago

Tarrant County Hires Public Interest Legal Foundation, Implements Precinct Changes and Overhauls Historical Commission

The hire signals a legal gamble after residents accused the map of diluting minority voting power

Fort Worth resident Crystal Betts holds a sign saying “We Will Vote You Out” after the Tarrant County Commissioners voted 3-2 to approve county-wide redistricting during a Tarrant County Commissioners Court meeting at the Tarrant County Administration Building in Fort Worth on Tuesday, June 3, 2025.
Matt Krause, the Tarrant County Commissioner for Precinct 3, listens to public comment during a Tarrant County Commissioners Court meeting at the Tarrant County Administration Building in Fort Worth on Tuesday, June 3, 2025. The approval for redistricting is on the agenda for the meeting and has been a controversial topic for the communities possibly affected.
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Roderick Miles Jr., the Tarrant County Commissioner of Precinct 1, and Tim O’Hare, the Tarrant County Judge, listen to public comment during a Commissioners Court Meeting at the Tarrant County Administration Building in Fort Worth on Tuesday, May 6, 2025.

Overview

  • The Commissioners Court voted 3–2 along party lines to retain the Virginia-based Public Interest Legal Foundation at $450 an hour for up to $250,000 to defend a federal racial gerrymandering lawsuit
  • County departments have begun reviewing over 4,000 web pages, updating voter rolls and maps, and reallocating project funding to reflect the new precinct boundaries
  • Under the PILF-drawn map, Democratic Precinct 2 has shifted to a Republican-leaning district, prompting five residents to sue in the Northern District of Texas under the Voting Rights Act
  • Democratic Commissioner Alisa Simmons and multiple residents opposed hiring PILF, citing potential conflicts of interest and distrust of the out-of-state firm
  • County commissioners appointed five new members to the Tarrant County Historical Commission after Judge Tim O’Hare’s letter led to the rescission of an LGBTQ+ history marker application