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Texas Trump Voter Arrested Over ‘Basket Of Deplorables’ T-Shirt [Video]

By Patricia Ramirez
Published on: 09:51 PST, Oct 28, 2016

A Texas Trump voter was arrested on Monday, the first day of early voting in that state when he attempted to cast his ballot wearing clothing featuring Donald Trump propaganda slogans. The attire in question included a “Make America Great Again” baseball cap and a “Basket of Deplorables” T-shirt. The hat should be familiar to Trump voters, as “Make America Great Again” has become Trump’s go-to campaign slogan, and the Trump hats are a staple at Trump rallies. (According to a Jezebel report, the Trump campaign has spent more on hats than on polling this election cycle.)

The T-shirt worn by 55-year-old Texas Trump voter Brett Mauthe was a reference to a comment made by Hillary Clinton earlier this year. The Democratic nominee referred to Trump supporters as a “basket of deplorables” (or at least half of them), and since then, many proud Trump supporters have used the term as a badge of honor.

As Fox News reports, the Texas Trump voter showed up at his polling place decked out in his finest pro-Trump gear, a violation of the election code. According to the Trump voter, he didn’t know that his pro-Trump hat and shirt violated any rules when he wore them. Before casting his vote, Texas voter Brett Mauthe was reportedly asked by officials at the polling location to remove his pro-Trump hat. He promptly complied.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPT1Fii-oc8

However, when the election officials asked the Texas Trump voter to either turn his “Basket of Deplorables” shirt inside-out or take it off, Mauthe stopped complying and refused. It was then that the Trump voter was arrested.

His crime?

According to Cynthia Jaqua, the Comal County elections coordinator, the Texas Trump voter was arrested for “electioneering.” The law prohibits campaigning for or otherwise promoting any candidate within a certain distance of polling places while voting is going on. The precise distance varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, but in Comal County, Texas, the distance is 100-feet.

“Electioneering is prohibited within a 100-foot marker. You cannot express views for or against a candidate or political party by wearing buttons, T-shirts, hats, whatever else or carrying signs.”

Electioneering is a Class C misdemeanor crime, and the Texas Trump voter was booked into the Comal County Jail and then released on a $500 bond. The crime of electioneering carries a potential fine of $500 if he is convicted.

As My San Antonio reports, the fact that the Texas Trump voter was arrested over his alleged electioneering is an oddity in and of itself. It’s not uncommon for voters to be unaware of the law and to show up to vote wearing gear promoting their candidate of choice. However, in nearly all instances, voters are willing to remove or otherwise cover items that violate the law when they are asked to do so.

“Every election we have to advise people. Even if it’s a school bond issue. They wear candidates’ shirts and we just have to remind them. ‘Please go into the restroom and turn it inside out.’ This is the first time I recall someone getting arrested.”

While the Texas Trump voter might have gotten an expensive and publicly humiliating civics lesson on Monday when he refused to comply with a lawful request to cease his alleged electioneering, some other Texas voters are crying “foul,” alleging that electioneering rules aren’t being applied fairly and equally among voters.

Bexar GOP Chairman Robert Stovall says that his party has had some “unofficial poll watchers” keeping tabs on voting in his area. According to him, the watchers have witnessed some pretty disturbing and partisan enforcement of electioneering laws.

“They (poll officials) made one of our voters, who had a Trump T-shirt, take the T-shirt off. The two ladies behind him with Hillary shirts didn’t have to take their Hillary shirts off.”

Despite his allegations that Texas Trump voters and Hillary voters are not being treated equally, Stovall admits that violating electioneering laws isn’t allowed. And, as one Texas Trump voter apparently found out first hand, refusing to comply with election officials requests could have immediate and severe consequences.

“You can’t do it,” Stovall said of electioneering. You can be belligerent if you want, but you won’t end up in a good place.”

For his part, Brett Mauthe isn’t speaking to the media about his encounter with the law, alleging that the story of his arrest has been “twisted around.” As such, the Texas Trump voter has chosen to remain fairly quiet about what happened when he tried to cast a ballot while wearing a pro-Trump “Basket of Deplorables” shirt.

[Featured Image by Comal County Jail]

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