In a significant scandal, a former member of President Joe Biden's team, who is running for a seat in Texas, has been arrested on charges of creating a fake social media account and posting false racist comments about himself. The politician, Taral Patel, 30, who is competing for the position of Texas County Commissioner, was charged with online impersonation last week following an investigation initiated by his opponent, Andy Myers.
The investigation began when the Fort Bend County District Attorney's Office looked into an extensive post that Patel shared on Facebook in September, in which he portrayed himself and his family as victims of a fierce racially motivated defamation campaign by his opponent's supporters, according to a report by the New York Post. The post included dozens of racist messages he claimed to have received during his campaign, labeling him with derogatory terms such as "monkey" and "subhuman," while also attacking his Hindu beliefs.
Patel's claims also included accusations against Trump supporters, stating in a post accompanied by several images, "These disgusting images come from a place of deep fear and misinformation stirred by people like former President Donald Trump." He continued, "The extreme Republican party fears today that immigrants are taking their jobs and starting to harm our community."
However, Patel's deceit was uncovered when his opponent, Myers, became suspicious about one of the names listed in the attached images, "Antonio Scaliwag," as someone who had previously attacked him online, leading him to request an investigation into Patel's claims. Investigators soon called on Facebook and Google for information regarding the user profile, which quickly led them to Patel, along with his address, phone number, bank card number, and more.
Subsequently, the Texas Rangers Security Team arrested Patel last Wednesday on the charge of third-degree online impersonation, a felony, in addition to a first-degree misdemeanor charge of identity fraud. He was briefly held in Fort Bend County Jail before posting bail on Thursday morning, paying $20,000 for the felony charge and $2,500 for the misdemeanor. He is scheduled to appear in court on July 22.
It is noted that Patel's campaign website states that he previously worked in the criminal division of the Department of Justice in the Public Integrity Section and was appointed by President Biden to work in the White House Communications Office, as well as on the White House Commission on Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Affairs.
