The mountain of evidence in a criminal case against a former Biden appointee running as the Democratic nominee for a County Commissioner seat in a Houston-area suburb continues to pile up, as law enforcement has released new search warrants that have uncovered additional aliases used to perpetuate political dirty tricks.
In June, Taral Patel made national headlines when he was arrested on charges of online impersonation after authorities alleged he created a Facebook profile using a photograph of a Needville resident and the alias “Antonio Scalywag” to make racist social media posts attacking himself. Patel then took to social media to decry the “barrage of racist attacks” that he claimed were being made against him.
“Since announcing for Commissioner, I have worked tirelessly to connect with the diverse communities that call our County home. Our campaign is based on the values of: compassion, hard work, and respect for all. Unfortunately, we are facing a barrage of racist attacks,” wrote Patel in a September 18, 2023 tweet.
Patel faces longtime Republican Fort Bend County Precinct 3 Commissioner Andy Myers in the November general election. Although Myers has served in office since 1997, the Democratic majority on Fort Bend County Commissioners Court redistricted the precinct to increase the likelihood that it will elect a Democrat. Despite the district being redrawn to favor a Democrat, local Republicans are hopeful that the controversy surrounding Patel will help propel Myers to re-election.
Earlier this week, the Fort Bend County Republican Party released a statement highlighting new search warrants issued in the case against Patel that uncovered additional aliases he allegedly used:
MORE Aliases Discovered for Democrat Taral Patel as Six More Warrants are Issued
SUGAR LAND, TX – The controversy over Fort Bend County Democrat Taral Patel continues to grow as more aliases have been discovered during a search of one of Patel’s laptops. Patel, a candidate for Precinct 3 County Commissioner, has already been arrested and charged with felony identity theft and sending fake, racist social media posts to himself under the name “Antonio Scalywag.”
In addition to evidence alleging Patel impersonated sitting Democrat Judge Surendran Pattel, new search warrants issued by the Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office allege that Taral Patel used the alias “Paul Rosenstein” to send a series of damaging emails targeting Patel’s Republican opponent Commissioner Andy Meyers. Multiple emails suggested that donating to Meyers was futile. The messages included fabricated polls that falsely showed that Meyers had no chance of winning, including one titled “Polling Memo: Major changes coming to Fort Bend Precinct 3—Patel to win by landslide.”
Fort Bend County Republican Party Chairman Bobby Eberle stated, “We know Patel’s lies worked, because I have heard from Meyers supporters who bought his deceit entirely. No one should vote for a politician, such as Patel, who is willing to go to such lengths to deceive the public, interfere in elections, and destroy the reputation of his opponents.”
The latest search warrants reveal an array of email accounts allegedly used by Patel, including one under the alias “James Banks,” used to correspond with current Democrat County Judge K.P. George dating back to 2019.
“Considering that Patel ran the exact same playbook as Democrat County Judge K.P. George did with claims of racist social media posts, one can only wonder if Fort Bend County has not one, but two Jussie Smolletts,” Eberle added. “Fort Bend County deserves so much better than these Democrats.”
Patel served as Chief of Staff to Democrat Fort Bend County Judge K.P. George before moving to Washington, DC, to serve in the Biden administration. He then moved back to Fort Bend County before launching his campaign for County Commissioner. On his campaign website, Patel touts the endorsements of prominent local and national Democrats, including Former State Senator and Democratic Gubernatorial candidate Wendy Davis, Congressman Joaquin Castro, Harris County Commissioner Adrian Garcia, State Representative Gene Wu, and Colorado Governor Jared Polis.
In addition to the criminal case currently pending against him, Patel could also face a civil lawsuit regarding his alleged online misconduct.
Last month, the Houston-based Hadi Law Firm announced it was preparing a class action lawsuit against Patel.
A website set up by the Hadi Law Firm seeking potential clients states, “Were You Harmed by Antonio Scalywag aka Taral Vipul Patel? We’ve Got Your Back.”
“If you’ve been affected by the actions of Antonio Scalywag, also known as Taral Vipul Patel, you’re not alone. Recent events have shed light on numerous allegations against Patel, including online impersonation and harassment. These serious offenses have led to Patel’s arrest and legal action against him. His actions, such as creating false social media profiles to defraud, intimidate, or threaten others, can cause significant emotional distress, including depression and anxiety.”
The website also describes Patel as a “Disgrace to the Democratic Party.”
Patel is scheduled to be arraigned on a felony count of online impersonation in the 434th District Court on August 26.
