HOUSTON — The elected leader of a suburban Houston county has been indicted on serious charges involving the creation of deceptive and racist social media posts during his 2022 re-election campaign.
A grand jury has charged Fort Bend County Judge KP George with a misdemeanor for misrepresentation of identity. The indictment claims that on September 26, 2022, George impersonated a Facebook user named “Antonio Scalywag” in a campaign communication on his official Facebook page, allegedly intending to harm a rival candidate or manipulate election results.
The indictment does not disclose the specific election influenced or the injured candidate, but at the time, George, a Democrat, was vying for re-election against Trever Nehls, a candidate closely related to a sitting Texas congressman. The county judge acts as the chief executive officer of Texas counties.
George’s indictment follows an investigation initiated after a search warrant was executed on September 17, where he and his former chief of staff, Taral Patel, were accused of using the “Antonio Scalywag” alias to create racist posts aimed at George to generate sympathy. Subsequent to the search, George’s electronic devices were confiscated by authorities.
As a notable figure, George, originally from India and now a U.S. citizen, made history as the first person of color to serve as county judge in Fort Bend, a rapidly growing diverse region southwest of Houston. He has held the county judge position since his election in 2018.
Patel, who is currently running for a county commissioner role in the upcoming November 5 election, was indicted earlier this month on multiple charges of online impersonation and misrepresentation. Authorities allege Patel utilized the “Antonio Scalywag” identity to produce racist content for his campaign.
Expressing his disappointment with the charges, George stated he is confident that justice will prevail and emphasized the principle of innocence until proven guilty. He surrendered to authorities on Thursday evening and was later released on a personal recognizance bond.
The Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office confirmed the ongoing investigation into Patel has now expanded to include George, indicating that he was indicted in connection to the same offenses for which Patel faced charges.
In light of the indictment, Fort Bend County Commissioner Vincent Morales has publicly called for George to resign, a request George has firmly rejected.
