A Fort Bend County justice of the peace approved the use of her courtroom for a Democrat Party meeting despite the County Judge’s Office saying that political meetings and campaign-related events are prohibited in county courtrooms.
Social media posts indicate the event was one of several Democrat Party meetings and political gatherings held inside county judicial facilities.
Justice of the Peace Sonia Rash confirmed she approved use of her courtroom for a Fort Bend Democrats Listening Tour event, saying the after-hours meeting was open to the public, did not interfere with court operations, and did not involve county funds or facility fees.
“The meeting was open to the public and was not a court proceeding,” Rash told Texas Scorecard. “My decision to allow the use of the courtroom was based on the fact that it was an open public event and did not interfere with court operations.”
Rash said the gathering did not involve county funds and that no facility, security, or custodial fees were incurred.
She later said that requests for after-hours use of her courtroom are considered on a case-by-case basis.
“There is no policy providing exclusive access to any political party or candidate,” Rash said. “Requests for after-hours use of the courtroom are considered on a case-by-case basis, taking into account factors such as whether the use is lawful, open to the public, compatible with the dignity of the courtroom and does not interfere with court operations or the administration of justice.”
“My approval of this request was based on those considerations and should not be interpreted as an endorsement of any political party, candidate, or organization,” she added.
The County Judge’s Office, however, gave a different answer.
“Political meetings, and campaign-related events are prohibited in County courtrooms,” stated Danielle Saldua Garrison, administrative and external affairs manager for the County Judge’s Office.
The office did not identify a written policy or explain whether the prohibition was adopted by the Commissioners Court, or whether individual justices of the peace have authority to approve after-hours use of their courtrooms
Rash’s meeting was not the only Democrat political event held inside a county courtroom.
Publicly available social media posts reviewed by Texas Scorecard document a series of Democrat Party meetings and campaign-related events inside Fort Bend County judicial facilities.
One post from Democrat Texas House candidate Daniel Lee described speaking at a Fort Bend Democrats meeting at a Justice of the Peace facility on Texas Parkway, where he discussed his campaign’s progress, thanked attendees who volunteered, and encouraged supporters to continue building “the coalition we need to win.”
Other posts advertised Democrat County Executive Committee meetings in the courtroom of Justice of the Peace Keisha Smith, while another thanked Rash for allowing her courtroom to be used for a Fort Bend Democrats Listening Tour.
Photographs from the events show speakers addressing audiences from courtroom lecterns in front of judicial benches and county seals.
Fort Bend County Republican Party Chairman Greg Barnes said that, to his knowledge, the county GOP has neither requested nor been granted use of a county courtroom for a party meeting or political event.
Texas Scorecard also sought comment from Smith and the Fort Bend County Democrat Party regarding the events. Neither responded before publication.
