Tarrant County Judge Tim O’Hare and Commissioner Matt Krause, both Republicans, voted against a proclamation honoring the 25th anniversary of the Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta Committee of Tarrant County.
County commissioners often honor local organizations at the beginning of their meetings. On Wednesday, Democratic County Commissioner Alisa Simmons brought forward a proclamation honoring the committee, which formed in 2000 to preserve the legacies of the two Hispanic civil rights leaders.
Krause told Simmons he could not vote for the proclamation because he researched Dolores Huerta and found she has served as an honorary co-chair of the Democratic Socialists of America.
“It would be hard for me to put my name on something that endorsed or supported somebody whose life was spent in furtherance of objectives that are contrary to my personal beliefs,” Krause said.
Chavez and Huerta are two of the most influential labor leaders of the 20th century. They co-founded the United Farm Workers union, which led boycotts and strikes to improve conditions for farm workers.
Huerta, 94, was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2012, the highest civilian honor in the country. Chavez received a Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously, in 1994.
Before commissioners voted on the proclamation, O’Hare asked Krause for the name of the organization Huerta co-chairs. Krause told him it was the Democratic Socialists, and both voted against the proclamation.
The proclamation still passed 3-2. Republican Commissioner Manny Ramirez voted to approve it alongside his Democratic colleagues.
Last year, Ramirez was accused of trying to get rid of Cesar Chavez Day as a county holiday, which he denied.
The county was indeed considering replacing Cesar Chavez Day with another paid holiday, but that plan was thrown out after pushback from the community.
Richard Gonzales pushed to establish Cesar Chavez Day as a county holiday. He’s a founder and advisory board member for the Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta Committee of Tarrant County, and he was there for the proclamation vote Wednesday.
It would have been more respectful for Krause to abstain from voting, Gonzales said.
“To me, that's pretty much black and white thinking, not comprehensive thinking, not seeing what she contributed to our society,” he said of Krause’s vote. “I think he should have done more homework to truly understand the depth of her contributions and the admiration she holds in the Latino and Black community.”
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