Lon Burnam, a former Democratic state representative, was released from jail around midnight following his arrest during a contentious Tarrant County Commissioners Court meeting on Tuesday. The meeting centered on a proposal to reduce polling locations for the upcoming midterm elections.
“I didn’t get home until after midnight, and I’m old,” Burnam remarked on Wednesday. “I’m 73 years old and I’m tired, but the show must go on.”
According to records from the Tarrant County Jail, Burnam was charged with disrupting a meeting or procession, a Class B misdemeanor that could lead to a maximum sentence of 180 days in jail and a fine of up to $2,000. The Tarrant County district attorney’s office, responsible for prosecuting such misdemeanors, indicated that as of 11:30 a.m. the following day, no case had been submitted for review regarding Burnam’s arrest.
The sheriff’s office stated that charges must be filed within five days for misdemeanors and ten days for felonies. They confirmed that a charge will be filed and the case assigned to a detective within that timeframe.
Beyond the criminal proceedings, Burnam expressed to the media that he is in the preliminary stages of consulting with attorneys about the possibility of suing Republican County Judge Tim O’Hare over his arrest. The office of O’Hare has yet to respond to requests for comment.
Burnam’s arrest occurred during an extended discussion about the proposed closure of nearly half the voting sites for Election Day on November 3, as well as several early voting locations. Supporters of the plan argue it is a necessary cost-saving measure, whereas critics, including Democratic Commissioner Alisa Simons, who is challenging O’Hare in the upcoming election, contend that it is a tactic by the GOP to maintain their political power.
This proposal is seen in the context of recent changes that may impact Black and Latino representation in Texas’s largest purple county. These changes include a contentious congressional redistricting effort last year and a recent redrawing of the county commission district map. Although many elected positions are held by Republicans, Democrat Taylor Rehmet made headlines earlier this year by winning a Texas Senate seat in a special election.
The meeting attracted a significant number of attendees opposing the proposed closures, which they view as a form of voter suppression lacking transparency. Burnam, who served in the Texas House from 1997 to 2015 and is a frequent speaker at county meetings, was among those voicing their concerns.
“I was a big fan of all the legislation that Lyndon Johnson signed into law, and they’ve been chipping away at the Voting Rights Act,” he commented. “This was just something that I had to act on.”
During the meeting, Burnam wore a pin reading “Protect Voter Rights” and a shirt referencing the 1960s nonviolent sit-in movement aimed at desegregating lunch counters. While he spoke out against the proposed cuts, he also supported another speaker, Base Mego, who had been removed for using the microphone without permission. Mego, who has autism, had previously received accommodations for this action.
“Set the microphone down,” O’Hare instructed from the dais.
Burnam continued speaking despite the directive, prompting O’Hare to request his removal. When Burnam refused to leave, four sheriff deputies physically escorted him out of the meeting.
Following hours of public testimony, county commissioners postponed a vote on the proposed closures until September, with O’Hare acknowledging that the suggested cuts were “too large.”
Despite his recent experience, Burnam indicated he plans to attend a quarterly meeting of the Texas Commission on Jail Standards on Thursday to address issues concerning the Tarrant County Jail, which has faced scrutiny over medical neglect and numerous in-custody deaths in recent years. “Ironically, I was going to talk about jail conditions,” he noted, “and now I know more on a personal basis.”
