More than a dozen Christian and Jewish faith leaders sent demand letters Friday to local elected officials urging them to denounce Tarrant County GOP chair Bo French’s “hateful rhetoric” toward a Muslim state representative.
Earlier this month, French targeted Rep. Salman Bhojani, a Euless Democrat, on social media with multiple posts about Bhojani’s ethnicity and religion. French called on federal officials to “denaturalize and deport” Bhojani, who is Muslim and Pakistani.
The Faith & Justice Coalition of Tarrant County shared a copy of their letters with the Fort Worth Report on Aug. 22. The clergy-based leaders wrote they were deeply troubled by French’s comments toward Bhojani and asked for elected officials to speak out against “Islamaphobia and all forms of bigotry.”
“These comments are not merely political attacks, they are Islamophobic, divisive, and fundamentally un-American,” the statement read.
Copies of the letter, signed by 17 religious leaders, were mailed to various elected officials in Tarrant County, including Tarrant County Judge Tim O’Hare and county commissioners; Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker and City Council members; and various state representatives and senators, said Rev. Ryon Price, senior pastor of Broadway Baptist Church and a member of the coalition.
“Mr. French has not quit, and I think it’s imperative that religious leaders speak up and say this is completely out of bounds. It goes beyond the political and is something that our community should not tolerate,” Price told the Report.
French did not return a request for comment. In an X post Friday afternoon, he wrote: “There are whispers of yet another hit piece coming out on me. This surprises no one.”
“They are hoping to play up on calls of racism by people who have taken what I say out of context,” French wrote. “Many such cases. Just know, this is not going to stop me. I am going to keep fighting for Texas.”
Parker declined to comment until she receives the letter, saying she would be willing to discuss the issue after she can better understand the faith leaders’ perspectives. Earlier this summer, she joined Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and other Republican officials in condemning French’s “bigotry” for posting a poll on whether Jewish or Muslim people “pose a bigger threat to America.”
Sheri Allen, a cantor and co-founder of Makom Shelanu, an LGBTQ+ affirming synagogue in Fort Worth, was among those who signed Friday’s letter, saying it’s important “to stand up for each other when it comes to that,” regardless of religion.
The Jewish community knows what it’s like “to be scapegoated and to be the victims of hate speech,” Allen said. She added, “For anyone that would say, ‘Oh, it’s just words. It’s just speech, it doesn’t, it can’t hurt anyone. It can’t harm anyone.’ Words can sometimes do the greatest harm.”
Bhojani told the Report he wasn’t aware of the letters being sent to officials, but “it’s good to see that people are standing up for what’s completely wrong and, honestly, disgusting to hear from a leader in Tarrant County.”
State Rep. Salman Bhojani, D-Euless, represents Texas House District 92. (Courtesy photo | Salman Bhojani)
French’s posts against Bhojani came as Texas House Democrats broke quorum to delay Republicans from adopting a new congressional map designed to make at least five districts more Republican-friendly. At the time, French accused Bhojani of lying about traveling out of the country for a family emergency.
“I am officially calling on @RealTomHoman to denaturalize and deport Pakistan born, anti-American democrat, #txlege quorum breaking, @realDonaldTrump’s agenda hating, redistricting blocking @SalmanBhojaniTX,” French wrote on X on Aug. 11.
Bhojani eventually posted photos of his passport stamps and plane tickets to Pakistan. He later joined colleagues in Chicago during the quorum break.
Bhojani became one of the first Muslim Americans elected to the Legislature in 2022 and was the first person of color elected to Euless City Council in 2017. He said he’s used to “hateful attacks” both publicly and privately. However, French’s inflammatory online comments have driven an increased level of harassment to him and his family, the lawmaker said.
His wife and two teenage kids moved into his parents’ gated house after being doxxed online and followed by an unmarked car, Bhojani said. Bhojani said he had hired 24/7 security for his family before Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows ordered state troopers to monitor Democrats who broke quorum over redistricting.
He hopes the demand letters help encourage elected officials to speak out against Islamophobia in their community.
“In this day and age, it’s very difficult for people to take a public stance against that … and I don’t know why — like, why are people shy?” Bhojani said. “I don’t know, but I feel like from our elected officials, we should be expecting them to hold themselves to a higher standard.”
However, Bhojani said, his goal is not to force French into resigning — or to get others to remove him. If French were to get removed, “someone else just like him” could take his place, he said.
Instead, Bhojani said, he wants to foster “a more compassionate, inclusive Texas” where people of all faiths can feel safe and respected.
Since his post about Bhojani, French has posted frequently on X, spreading misinformation about Islam and calling for its eradication from the United States. Last week, French wrote: “Islam is a political ideology intent on conquering non Islamic countries like America. It is not protected by the 1A and must be banned.”
The group’s demand for officials to denounce French comes three months after the party chair’s social media poll about Jewish and Muslim people, which he later apologized for posting. Patrick, Parker and other officials — including Fort Worth Congressman Craig Goldman and Rep. Giovanni Capriglione of Southlake — demanded French’s immediate removal or resignation.
“Too many examples of @BoFrenchTX’s bigotry and hate. This is one of the most egregious examples. Go fishing on X for some of the other prime examples. Too many to list here. New leadership with @tarrantgop is a given. Clear the deck. #blessyourheart,” Parker wrote at the time.
After Parker initially declined to comment, her spokesperson said via email that the mayor “stands by what she has previously said.”
To Bhojani, the lack of public response to French’s recent flurry of Islamophobia is a “stark contrast” to the reprimands the party chair received over his poll in June.
“I guess now he’s trying to switch to giving people the red meat that they’re looking for, because Islamophobia does exist prominently in so many different ways,” Bhojani said.
Rev. Dr. Stephen Cady, president of Brite Divinity School who signed the demand letter, said antisemetic and Islamophobic comments are nonpartisan issues.
“It’s dehumanizing, and it undermines all people of faith,” Cady said.
Since June, French has held firm in his seat as chair and made it clear that he will not resign. Several Republican precinct chairs told the Report this summer that they stand by French and will not support his removal from the party.
Marissa Greene is a Report for America corps member, covering faith for the Fort Worth Report. You can contact her at marissa.greene@fortworthreport.org.
Cecilia Lenzen is a government accountability reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact her at cecilia.lenzen@fortworthreport.org.
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