Each month, roughly a dozen are consistently in the audience, though the number swells depending on the agenda. Many of those same people address the commissioners during public comment to say their two cents on the decisions being made that day.<\/p>\n
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In a Sept. 29 private meeting with retired Oklahoma City news anchor Jack Bowen, Ramirez said he thinks many of them go to Fort Worth City Council meetings too.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo it\u2019s an organized political organization that most of these folks \u2014 when I say most, probably 75% \u2014 are actually paid by the political organizations that they show up to voice their causes for,\u201d Ramirez said on the recording.<\/p>\n
He said they are not ordinary citizens just wanting to voice their opinions but political activists organizing \u201cto turn Tarrant County Democratic.\u201d<\/p>\n
In a statement to the Star-Telegram, Ramirez didn\u2019t outright say if he does or does not believe it to be true.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is a clear difference between residents exercising their right to address their government and professional political activists whose livelihood depends on generating controversy,\u201d the statement said. \u201cWhether through podcasts, newsletters or social media, political outrage can be profitable. Commissioners Court should remain focused on serving taxpayers, not becoming a platform for organized political grandstanding.\u201d<\/p>\n
In a conversation with the Star-Telegram, Bowen said he decided to meet with Ramirez as his constituent because the commissioner rarely speaks in meetings. Bowen wanted to know Ramirez\u2019s perspective about how Commissioners Court has become a spectacle with people being ejected (and arrested) from meetings<\/a> and disputes between elected officials on the dais<\/a>.<\/p>\n Bowen did not disclose to Ramirez that he was recording, which is legal in Texas<\/a>. When Ramirez claimed most of the speakers during public comment are paid, Bowen was taken aback and now wishes he had pushed the commissioner on the statement.<\/p>\n Bowen shared the audio with some of the frequent flyers at Commissioners Court, who made sure to tell Ramirez they weren\u2019t being paid. About 10 people mentioned it, agitated by the comment.<\/p>\n \u201cI wait for several hours just to get my one minute of time for comment,\u201d Deborah Kratky said. \u201cThen I have to drive 30 minutes to get back home. By the time my blood pressure is literally through the roof, so no, Commissioner Ramirez, you can\u2019t pay me enough to do this. I do it because I love Tarrant County, maybe more than you.\u201d<\/p>\n Another resident accused the commissioner of ignoring public commenters because they don\u2019t support him.<\/p>\n \u201cOver 100 residents showed up to speak against cutting polling locations,\u201d Stephanie Graham said Tuesday. \u201cYou voted for the cuts, anyway. Then you accuse citizens of being paid to speak. Interesting. Campaign donors get your ear. Ordinary citizens get your suspicion. We brought our voices, not our wallets. Maybe that\u2019s why you weren\u2019t listening.\u201d<\/p>\n Though he doesn\u2019t know for sure, Bowen doesn\u2019t believe that Ramirez really thinks people are being paid.<\/p>\n \u201cI think Commissioner Ramirez knows that 75% of the people who protest against things, I think he knows 75% of people aren\u2019t being paid,\u201d Bowen said. \u201cI think that\u2019s kind of a popular political tagline right now. \u2018Everybody\u2019s being paid. Anybody who disagrees with me, they\u2019re just being paid to disagree with me.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
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