Texas Judge Escorted from Rodeo Venue Again
The judge in charge of Texas’ largest county found himself escorted out of a popular rodeo venue for the second time on Thursday. This follows an incident earlier in the week when he was removed from a concert for trying to access VIP seating without a ticket.
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo held a short press conference outside NRG Stadium, where she sought security camera footage of the previous incident. However, much like on Tuesday night, she was asked to leave the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo venue, according to the Houston Chronicle.
Law enforcement personnel escorted her to her vehicle after a rodeo spokesperson stated she wasn’t permitted to enter the venue again and could only speak briefly with reporters.
This latest incident followed Hidalgo’s removal from a concert by Megan Moloney, where she attempted to access premium seating despite lacking a ticket.
As a result, Hidalgo has lost her “ex-officio director” position with the Rodeo Houston Executive Committee and will have to pay for admission to the rodeo grounds like any other attendee, as reported by a spokesperson.
Following the concert incident, Hidalgo shared video and audio clips, along with a letter addressed to rodeo leaders regarding her experience. She alleged that she was manhandled and threatened with arrest when she tried to enter a restricted area at the concert.
According to rodeo officials, she was informed that both she and her guests could not access that area due to sold-out wristbands and were asked to return to their designated suite multiple times before being escorted out.
Rodeo officials have denied Hidalgo’s claims of mistreatment.
In a letter to board officials, Hidalgo indicated that she believed her treatment was influenced by her identity as a Hispanic woman, suggesting that white men felt empowered to use physical force against her.
She remarked, “I will never travel without a passport again. Many of us do, especially those who don’t ‘pass white.'”
The president of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, Pat Phillips, alongside Rodeo President Chris Bollman, responded in writing. They expressed disappointment in Hidalgo’s behavior post-Tuesday but emphasized the need for uniform access policies. They clarified, “The judge is the only elected official who demands these seats night after night. The notion that she was treated this way because she is a woman or Hispanic is completely false and an insult.”
Additionally, rodeo officials pointed out that Hidalgo had previously requested and received $9,000 worth of floor tickets for herself and her guests to attend concerts featuring J. Balvin, Dwight Yoakam, and Luke Bryan.
On Thursday, Hidalgo urged officials to install more cameras at NRG Stadium, commenting on the lack of visibility: “You can’t really see anything because it’s so dark and so far away,” she stated.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Hidalgo. As the county judge, she functions as the chief executive and presiding officer of the county’s governing body, the Commissioners Court, overseeing a budget that exceeds $4 billion.
