At a press conference this month, embattled Fort Bend County Judge KP George unveiled his latest magic trick: Presto! Change-o! He transformed himself into a Republican.
For George, this is only the latest in a long line of impersonations and magic words. In the past, his act involved fake posts and invented racism. Now he’s throwing around what he seems to believe are magic words: "lawfare," "Soros," "MAGA."
Say the right thing, George seems to believe, and Republicans will forget everything else. Say the right thing, and accountability disappears.But those words aren’t magic; they’re just props in his latest con.Let’s review. George’s former chief of staff, Taral Patel, created a fake persona, "Antonio Scalywag," and in that guise, posted race-baiting social-media attacks against himself, George and others. George and Patel then used the posts in their campaigns to garner support by insinuating that Fort Bend Republicans were racists. Patel eventually pled guilty to two misdemeanor charges of impersonation, and confessed that he’d coordinated with George. Text messages showed Patel asking for George’s approval before posting. George stood at the center of the deception.
That scheme was built on magic words too — statements designed to provoke outrage, drive division and cast George as the victim of a GOP mob. Every post was a spell cast in bad faith. In Fort Bend, where races are tight and stakes are high, even one lie can change the outcome.
Now George also faces a felony indictment for campaign-related money laundering. Against that stark backdrop, George tried his most audacious illusion yet. He stepped onto the stage dressed as a Republican, reciting the script. Freedom. Family. Faith. Trump.
All of it rehearsed. And all of it, we can safely assume, as fake as Antonio Scalywag.
What began as digital fraud has become political theater. The costume has changed, but the scam remains.
Many former Democrats have crossed over to the Republican Party with integrity — among them, Eric Johnson, Ryan Guillen, J.M. Lozano and Rick Perry. In those cases, the party switch aligned with the politicians’ legislative records and long-standing beliefs. None arrived with charges pending and a record of fraud.
George offers no conversion. Only deception. Only another set of magic words.
Any Republican officials tempted to offer George a handshake should remember what those words really mean. Every false welcome chips away at public trust. Every accommodation of corruption drives away serious voters. Every promotion of grift undercuts the credibility of the entire party.
And what of Democrats who propped up George when it was politically expedient? Commissioner Dexter McCoy waited until George's party switch to decry George’s ethical breach. Not after the fake accounts were revealed. Not even after the indictment. Only when it became politically convenient to toss him overboard.
Rejecting George as a Republican isn’t about ideology. It’s about character. George’s party affiliation may have changed, but his character remains consistent: self-serving, manipulative, and deceitful.Being a Republican isn’t a matter of mouthing magic words. Right now, for KP George, the only words that matter are the ones he refuses to say: “I’m sorry. I resign.”
Garrett W. Fulce of Sugar Land hosts "Seeing Red," a Texas politics podcast, and owns Fulce Consulting LLC, a Texas-based public relations and public affairs firm.
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