Two Texans are facing criminal charges in Tarrant County for something that should never be treated as a crime: speaking bluntly to their own elected officials.

On August 4, 2026, radio host and activist EJ Carrion criticized a plan to nearly cut Tarrant County's polling places in half, from 316 down to 176, right before the November midterms. He called the vote "bullshit" and walked away from the microphone. A week later, police stopped him near his own home and arrested him, charging him with two counts of disrupting a meeting, according to a police report reviewed by 404 Media. Former Texas state representative Lon Burnam was arrested on the same charges later in that meeting, after he picked up a microphone while criticizing the commission.

This isn't happening in isolation. Across the country, people are being arrested for speaking too long, clapping, or raising their voice at public meetings about issues like data centers and voting access. Even Tarrant County Commissioner Roderick Miles Jr. spoke out against the arrests, saying, "Residents should never have to wonder whether speaking forcefully to their elected officials could result in a warrant, an arrest, or an encounter with law enforcement."

Arresting people days after a meeting, over words and not violence, tells every resident that criticizing the government carries real legal risk. That should worry anyone, regardless of party, who wants elected officials held accountable to the people who put them in office. The Tarrant County Commissioners Court and Criminal District Attorney's Office should drop the charges against Carrion and Burnam and make clear that no one will be arrested for speaking their mind at a public meeting. Sign the petition to protect the right to criticize elected officials without fear of arrest.