LOVING COUNTY, Texas (WKRC) – An Indiana man is being sued after allegedly attempting a “political takeover” with his “followers” in the State of Texas.
According to a statement issued by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a lawsuit and a temporary restraining order has been filed against Malcolm Tanner of Crawfordsville, Indiana to “enforce compliance with the Texas Health and Safety Code.”
The attorney general said Tanner purchased two five-acre tracts of land in Loving County, Texas, in January, which “lack utilities or improvements.” Tanner is accused to inviting numerous people, including woman and children, to live on the land without proper sewage disposal and treatment. The attorney general said the restraining order seeks to prevent Tanner and others living on the land from discharging human sewage in a way that might contaminate soil or subsurface water and prohibits them from living on the property until compliance with Texas health code is achieved.
The lawsuit also follows an investigation into an alleged illegal scheme hatched by Tanner, in which he deceives other individuals through the promise of free housing in exchange for political support. Tanner reported announced his intent to take over Loving County on social media, and offered free housing to those who would assist him, per the statement.
Court documents state that the defendant intends to “overthrow the local government” in Loving County, change its name to “Tanner County” and run for president in 2028. The suit claims Tanner “has been soliciting ‘followers’ to move to Loving County by offering a free place to live on the Property and $5,000 per month,” and “appears to be targeting women with children.”
“Contrary to Tanner’s advertising, however, there are no ‘free’ homes. Rather, reports indicate that individuals who move to Defendant’s property are evicted when they fail to make monthly payments or perform work on Defendant’s behalf,” the suit states. “And that Defendant and his co-conspirators seek to engage in organized criminal activity on the property.”
Loving County is located in rural west Texas and has a population of 64, according to the 2020 census.
“Indiana resident Malcolm Tanner has no right to try and take over Loving County with illegal schemes that endanger real Texans,” said Attorney General Paxton. “His deceptive and unlawful scheme to lure people with free housing for the purpose of conducting a political takeover is a disgustingly fraudulent plot to line his own pockets. I will not stand by while frauds try to carve up Texas for themselves and make everyone sicker and less safe along the way.”
To read the lawsuit, you can click HERE.