Keith Self Quiet as McKinney Recall Signature Verification Begins

By R.J. Morales | TX3DNews

McKINNEY — U.S. Rep. Keith Self publicly signed the petition to recall four McKinney elected officials, encouraged residents to support the effort and later praised the campaign as an example of how “bullies and tyrants are taken down.”

Since the petition was submitted to the city Sept. 25, Self has said little publicly about the recall.

State Rep. Keresa Richardson, who joined Self in challenging the McKinney Islamic Association site plan before the recall began, also has made no recent public statement about the recall. Richardson has not publicly endorsed the petition.

Both lawmakers, however, have continued speaking about Islam and Sharia law.

The recall targets Mayor Bill Cox and council members Ernest Lynch, Geré Feltus and Justin Beller.

Self backed recall publicly

The effort followed the City Council’s Aug. 5 vote approving a site plan for the McKinney Islamic Association. The vote was 7-0. City staff said the plan met city requirements and required no variances.

Self had urged the council not to approve the plan.

Less than two weeks later, he signed the recall petition on camera and encouraged residents to participate, telling supporters he stood with them and would “have your back.”

His involvement did not stop there.

Self later backed calls for the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate allegations that recall supporters were being intimidated or interfered with while gathering signatures.

In early September, he was still publicly praising the campaign. In an interview, Self said residents had reached a point where they had “had enough.”

“This is how bullies and tyrants are taken down,” Self said. “I’m applauding the McKinney citizens who started the recall effort.”

He also turned his criticism toward former McKinney Mayor George Fuller, accusing him of remaining the “power behind the throne” after leaving office and saying a “cabal” had controlled the city.

Fuller rejected the accusation.

“If Congressman Self has evidence of corruption or some secret group controlling our city, he should produce it,” Fuller told TX3DNews in September. “Otherwise, ‘cabal’ is simply an inflammatory word designed to create a villain.”

Proposed Self-Fuller debate did not happen

The dispute nearly led to a public debate between Self and Fuller.

Recall supporter Louis Maldonado posted Sept. 14 that he had tried to arrange one and shared an email exchange with members of Self’s congressional staff.

In the exchange, legislative assistant Jay Dove connected Maldonado with Ed Valentine to discuss the proposal. Valentine later wrote that the team had “limited time and resources” and that his focus was on the November election.

Maldonado summarized the response by writing: “Our debate was declined between George Fuller and @RepKeithSelf to focus on the election.”

The debate never happened.

Eleven days later, recall organizers submitted their petition to the city.

Self has continued campaigning for reelection and speaking on Islam and Sharia law, but has not promoted the McKinney recall with the same visibility he did while signatures were being gathered.

Richardson continued Sharia discussion

Richardson’s role has been different.

She has not publicly endorsed the recall petition, but she joined Self in opposing the Islamic association site plan before the Aug. 5 vote and raised concerns about Sharia law, an Islamic tribunal and foreign influence.

Richardson continued speaking about those issues after the recall petition was submitted.

On Sept. 26, one day after McKinney received the petition, Richardson participated in a “Don’t Sharia My Texas” panel at Texas Faith Fest in Cedar Park.

The Houston Chronicle reported that participants discussed proposals involving Islamic schools, halal food, public calls to prayer and other Muslim religious practices. During the discussion, Richardson said, “The more uncomfortable they are, the better.”

Richardson later told the Chronicle the discussion was “not about picking on” Muslims and said Christians should “witness to our Muslim neighbors” and “win them to Christ.”

She has continued speaking publicly about Islam and Sharia, but has not publicly said whether she supports recalling Cox, Lynch, Feltus and Beller.

Questions remain as verification continues