Two people were arrested at Tarrant County Commissioners Court on Tuesday, the second consecutive meeting with arrests 鈥� and on the same day commissioners passed new rules on behavior in the courtroom.
The updated decorum policy passed 3-2 with Republicans in the majority. The policy specifies when people can be expelled from commissioners鈥� meetings, and, in more extreme circumstances, how long they can be banned from the building. It also lays out when the county judge might limit speaking times, which drew the most complaints from the crowd Tuesday.
People get three minutes to address an issue in most cases. But if 20 or 40 people want to talk about an agenda item, their time might get cut to two minutes, or one.
鈥淚f you are not able to sit there for three measly minutes, which is all we have right now to speak to you, you should resign,鈥� speaker Stacy Melo told commissioners.
Republican County Judge Tim O鈥橦are presides over commissioners court meetings, and he鈥檚 the one with the power to limit speaking times. Previous rules also allowed O鈥橦are to impose time limits, though it didn鈥檛 go into specifics.
Shorter speaking times could make meetings more convenient, Republican County Commissioner Manny Ramirez said 鈥� arguing that people wouldn鈥檛 have to take the whole day off to attend a meeting if the meetings were shorter.
He also emphasized the importance of having clear rules in place for the public.
鈥淭hey deserve to know what to expect,鈥� he said.
The rules have not always been clear. Last year, O鈥橦are expelled one man from a meeting after he spoke eight seconds over his allotted three minutes, and he faced a yearlong ban from the building. At the same meeting, another person went over her time but did not get banned.
At the last commissioners court meeting on Jan. 14, sheriff鈥檚 deputies took two audience members to jail and handcuffed another before letting him go. Two out of three of those people got in trouble again on Tuesday.
Charlie Hermes, who was arrested for shouting at commissioners from his seat at the Jan. 14 meeting, was detained again for clapping after O鈥橦are warned him not to do it.
As sheriff鈥檚 deputies moved in to get Hermes out of the room, he fell to the floor. The deputies carried him out by his wrists and ankles.
Hermes was brought to jail,
Attorney and gun rights activist CJ Grisham was handcuffed, but not arrested, at the last meeting for bringing his gun into the building. He argued he had the right to do so.
This time, he was thrown out for swearing during public comment.
Carolyn Rodriguez 鈥� a local YouTuber who films interactions with police 鈥� got arrested after she took the podium in Grisham鈥檚 defense. She argued that free speech allows people to cuss in the courtroom and then listed off several offensive words.
O鈥橦are expelled her from the meeting. As she walked out, followed by deputies, she yelled 鈥淸Expletive] you!鈥� She鈥檚 also in jail, according to county records.
Democratic County Commissioner Alisa Simmons also defended Grisham鈥檚 right to swear in the courtroom, asking Mark Kratovil, the county鈥檚 attorney, what the rules are.
Kratovil said he could give legal advice behind closed doors.
The current courtroom rules, as well as the new ones, ban profane language, O鈥橦are said.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 fine. That's [expletive] fine, but I need to know if it is protected speech,鈥� Simmons said.
鈥淵ou are simply the most classless person we鈥檝e ever had sitting on this dais,鈥� O鈥橦are said.
Simmons also criticized the new decorum policy. She and fellow Democratic commissioner Roderick Miles Jr. both voted against it.
鈥淭his court decorum policy places way too much discretion to one person, and that鈥檚 Judge Tim O鈥橦are,鈥� Simmons said.
The policy states the county judge can determine the order of public speakers and dismiss people 鈥渇or any other matter at the discretion of the County Judge.鈥�
Simmons said county staff ignored her suggestions for the policy, and that employees are afraid of O鈥橦are.
鈥淭he notion that county staff is terrified of me is the silliest thing I've ever heard of in my lifetime,鈥� O鈥橦are said.
The county judge already has all the powers laid out in the policy document, as it鈥檚 his job to preside over meetings, he said. He also said he鈥檚 committed to running fair meetings.
The new policy requires people to submit their public comment forms by 5 p.m. the day before a meeting. People were previously able to sign up by the meeting鈥檚 10 a.m. start time.
Simmons argued that is a huge barrier for people without internet access at home, who would have to come to the county administration building twice to sign up to speak.
Anyone without a reliable internet connection can call the county judge鈥檚 office to get signed up, O鈥橦are said.
The new policy also explains when sheriff鈥檚 deputies, who serve as security in the courtroom, can give people trespass warnings. Those warnings ban people from the building for a particular amount of time. The new policy limits that time to 180 days.
Sheriff鈥檚 office spokesperson Robbie Hoy previously told 四虎影院 it鈥檚 up to individual deputies to decide when to give someone a trespass warning. The bans usually last a year, but can go up to two or more, he said.
On Monday, 四虎影院 asked whether the sheriff鈥檚 office worked with the county on the new decorum policy, or if it agreed to the restrictions like the trespass warning time limit. The sheriff's office responded with a statement that did not answer those questions.
鈥淪tate and Local laws are in place to protect the community, to include the Commissioners and those peacefully attending Commissioner Court. The statutes related to the disruption of public meetings and disorderly conduct are not new,鈥� the statement reads. 鈥淟aw enforcement has authority to hold those who break the law accountable by removing them from the meeting or arresting them when appropriate.鈥�
People who get a trespass warning can appeal it to the county鈥檚 Sexually Oriented Business Board. That鈥檚 the committee that hears permitting appeals for businesses like strip clubs and adult bookstores.
四虎影院 asked Kratovil why appeals would go to that board, and he referred questions to the spokesperson for the county district attorney's office.
The new speaker policy goes into effect at the next commissioners court meeting on Feb. 4.
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