Texas county Republicans vote for Muslim to keep party post
RICHLAND HILLS, Texas— Shahid Shafi, a Muslim, remains a vice chairman of the Tarrant County Republican Party.
Tarrant County Republicans voted 139-49 late Thursday night— after more than 2 { hours of private discussion among precinct chairs— to keep Shafi, 54, in the leadership post.
Loud cheers were heard from where precinct chairs were gathered behind closed doors at the Faith Creek Church in Richland Hills shortly before party officials announced the vote to the media.
“This vote reaffirms the commitment by a majority of Tarrant County Republicans to our core values and moral compass, a demonstration of our allegiance to the Texas Republican Party Platform and the Constitutions of the United States and Texas, which strictly prohibit religious and racial discrimination of any kind,” Tarrant County Republican Party Chair Darl Easton said in a written statement.
“While (Thursday’s) vote brings an end to this unfortunate episode, it also demonstrates we are a party that respects the right of those who disagree on an issue to have a seat at the table and their voices heard,” according to the statement. “Religious liberty won tonight and while that makes a great day for the Republican Party of Tarrant County, that victory also serves notice that we have much work to do unifying our party.”
Shafi said the vote affirmed his belief in Tarrant County Republicans.
“As we struggled through the last few months, it would have been easy for me to quit. But I stayed on to fight,” he said. “We were fighting for religious freedom ... and today we have come out victorious.”
He said Thursday’s vote took a stand “against bigotry of all kinds.”
“Our union is a little more perfect today ... and it’s time to put (party) divisions to rest,” he added.
At least one precinct chair— Arlington Republican Dale Attebery, who was involved in the effort to oust Shafi— reportedly tossed his ID at the lectern after the vote. Easton said he accepted that as Attebery’s resignation.
Thursday’s meeting was much different than the last Tarrant GOP executive committee meeting in November, where members discussed the proposal to remove Shafi but never took a vote.
This time, paper covered the windows into the sanctuary, where Tarrant Republicans gathered for the meeting, and law enforcers stood guard in front of the doors.
The issue of religious freedom this time drew national attention and around two dozen reporters and TV crews to cover the vote.
This issue arose about six months ago, after Easton appointed Shafi— a surgeon and Southlake councilman— to the vice chair post and fellow Republicans approved his proposal.
Opposition from a small group of local Republicans began emerging on social media.
“Dr. Shafi is a practicing, Mosque-attending muslim who claims not to follow sharia law or know what it is,” Republican Sara Legvold wrote on the Protect Texas Facebook page in calling for Shafi’s removal. “As a practicing muslim that is an overt falsehood. Sharia law is anathema to our Constitution because Islam recognizes no other law but shariah.
“As the most conservative county in the nation, this is a demoralizing blow to the conservative rank and file of the Republican Party across the nation and in Texas.”
Then Precinct Chair Dorrie O’Brien, from Grand Prairie, asked for Shafi’s appointment to be reconsidered because he’s Muslim.
She and others have long said this is not about religion but whether Shafi is loyal to Islam and Islamic law or connected to Islamic terror groups.
O’Brien’s motion was delayed until after the Nov. 6 election, which saw Tarrant County turn blue in the U.S. Senate race.
Hours of discussion behind closed doors during a November meeting led to no resolution and pushed the issue to Thursday night’s meeting.
Republican Party of Texas Chairman James Dickey said he stands by the Tarrant County vote Thursday night.
“Our platform clearly and unequivocally advocates religious freedom and non discrimination,” he said in a statement. “We have always and will continue to stand for religious freedom and for welcoming all who share our values into our party.”
A number of people who were not precinct chairs crowded into the church’s lobby Thursday night.
Among them, two men carrying signs stating that they are against hate and for American rights.
“It’s time for the Republican Party to defeat hate,” said Shayan Elahi, a Dallas attorney who carried a sign that said #No Hate in DFW. “Only they can clean their own house.”
A man from Bexar County held a sign that read “Dr. Shafi is an American conservative.” He declined to give his name but said he traveled to Thursday night’s meeting to show support for Shafi.