By R.J. Morales | TX3DNews
Collin County Sheriff Jim Skinner says his office has not received any complaints regarding controversial yellow signs reading “MAGA Loves Pedos” that recently appeared in front of Republican campaign displays — and he is denying allegations that he threatened to remove them.
The signs, photographed placed directly in front of yard signs for Congressman Keith Self, former State Representative Frederick Frazier, and State Representative Keresa Richardson, triggered a political dispute last week over whether they violate election law or constitute protected political speech.
In a detailed written response to TX3DNews, Sheriff Skinner addressed questions about enforcement authority, applicable law, and First Amendment protections.
“My office has not received any complaints about such signs, and we have no incidents to investigate,” Skinner wrote.
He also stated unequivocally: “I have never made any such threat.”
How the Dispute Escalated
The controversy began after Collin County Republican Party Chair Byron Henry sent an email to supporters describing the signs as “political sabotage” and urging recipients to report them “so they can be removed promptly.”
Henry’s email encouraged supporters to report the signs to “local authorities or your precinct chair,” but did not cite a specific law enforcement directive ordering removal.
Shortly afterward, Rep. Keresa Richardson posted on social media:
“JR and Congressman Keith Self have contacted the city and the Sheriff’s office. These signs are illegal and will be picked up by the city.”
That post has since been deleted.
The language indicated that city officials and the Sheriff’s Office had been contacted and stated that the signs “will be picked up,” though it did not include a direct quote from law enforcement.
Following that post, Collin County Democratic Party Chair Jeremy Sutka issued a statement asserting that removal of the signs by law enforcement would violate the First Amendment and referencing what he described as a “threat” by Sheriff Skinner.
Sheriff Clarifies Jurisdiction
In his response, Skinner emphasized that enforcement of sign regulations inside municipalities typically falls under city authority.
“In practice, local police departments and code enforcement departments enforce laws and ordinances inside municipalities,” he wrote.
He explained that the Sheriff’s Office is “primarily responsible for enforcement in the unincorporated areas of Collin County and in cities and towns which do not have a police department.”
Because most political signs are placed within city limits, enforcement decisions would generally be made by municipal authorities.
Skinner added that he is not aware of whether any local police department or code enforcement office is investigating a complaint related to the signs.
What the Law Says
Skinner cited several statutes that may be relevant depending on where and how signs are placed.
He referenced Chapter 259 of the Texas Election Code, which governs political signs and limits how municipalities and property owners’ associations may regulate them.
He also cited provisions of the Texas Penal Code that could apply in certain circumstances, including:
• Section 30.05 (criminal trespass)
• Section 28.03 (criminal mischief, including damaging or tampering with tangible property)
• Section 28.08 (graffiti)
Additionally, Skinner referenced municipal ordinances in cities such as McKinney and Plano addressing sign placement and enforcement procedures.
On the constitutional question, Skinner wrote that both the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and Article I, Section 8 of the Texas Constitution protect freedom of speech.
He cited Brandenburg v. Ohio (1969), noting that political advocacy is protected unless it is “directed to inciting or producing imminent lawless action and is likely to incite or produce such action.”
He also referenced Texas v. Johnson (1989), which affirmed constitutional protection for expressive conduct.
At the same time, he noted that the First Amendment does not protect obscenity and cited relevant Penal Code provisions defining and prohibiting obscene displays.
“In disputes involving these questions, the District Attorney’s Office will likely play a more important role than my office,” Skinner wrote.
Democratic Party Clarifies Position
In a follow-up message to TX3DNews, Sutka clarified that he was referencing Richardson’s now-deleted post when raising concerns about potential removal.
“A social media post, since deleted, claimed that city officials would remove certain political signs,” Sutka said. “We have not seen any official statement from the city or the Sheriff’s office confirming this.”
He added that his party’s position remains grounded in principle.
“Whether the post was accurate or not, we stand firmly on that principle,” Sutka said, referring to First Amendment protections.
Outstanding Questions
No individual or organization has publicly claimed responsibility for printing or placing the yellow signs.
It remains unclear whether any municipal authority has taken enforcement action.
TX3DNews has requested clarification from Rep. Richardson regarding the basis for her earlier statement and whether any directive was communicated to her by city officials or law enforcement.
The Collin County Republican Party has also been asked to clarify the specific legal authority under which removal would occur.
Early voting for the March primary continues through February 27.
TX3DNews will update this story as additional responses are received.