\n Tarrant County Commissioner Alisa Simmons is shown beside a transcript excerpt referring to state Rep. Venton Jones as \u201clittle gay guy.\u201d | Image by Tarrant County, TX\/webpage; transcript from Civil Service Commission documents; compilation by DX. <\/p>\n
A 33-page packet tied to former Tarrant County employee Gabriel Rivas IV\u2019s termination appeal includes a transcript attributing the phrase \u201clittle gay guy<\/strong>\u201d to Tarrant County Commissioner Alisa Simmons<\/a> (D-Precinct 2) during an exchange that identifies state Rep. Venton Jones<\/a> (D-District 100) as the person being discussed.<\/p>\n The packet<\/a> also contains a transcript in which Simmons told Rivas he had to decide whether to run for her Commissioners Court seat or \u201close this position.\u201d Eight days later, after Rivas said he had decided to file, a second transcript states that Simmons presented him with termination and resignation paperwork.<\/p>\n The Dallas Express obtained the packet<\/a>, which includes Rivas\u2019 written appeal marked Exhibit 1, his termination notice marked Exhibit 2, an unsigned resignation form, a 26-page transcript of a November 17, 2025, conversation marked Exhibit 3 and a separate two-page transcript dated November 25, 2025.<\/p>\n The November 25 transcript<\/a> does not carry a visible exhibit label in the copy obtained by DX.<\/p>\n Rivas wrote that recordings and transcripts supported his appeal before the Tarrant County Civil Service Commission<\/a>. The packet does not identify who prepared the transcripts. The Dallas Express submitted a request under the Texas Public Information Act<\/a> for the underlying recordings but had not received or independently reviewed them before publication.<\/p>\n Transcript identifies Jones<\/p>\n During the November 25 conversation, Simmons appeared to search for Jones\u2019 name.<\/p>\n \u201cVinton? Venton?\u201d Simmons asked.<\/p>\n \u201cVenton?\u201d Rivas replied.<\/p>\n \u201cLittle gay guy,\u201d Simmons said.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, Venton Jones?\u201d Rivas asked.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah,\u201d Simmons replied.<\/p>\n Simmons then said Jones was attempting to persuade someone named Marc to run for Tarrant County judge and that Jones wanted to run for Congress. The transcript does not identify Marc by his full name.<\/p>\n Jones represents House District 100 in Dallas County and serves as vice chair of the Texas House LGBTQ Caucus, according to his official House biography.<\/p>\n Simmons is the Democratic nominee challenging Tarrant County Judge Tim O\u2019Hare (R) in the November 3 election, as previously reported<\/a> by The Dallas Express.<\/p>\n \u2018Run for that seat or lose this position\u2019<\/p>\n Rivas served as community outreach coordinator in Simmons\u2019 Precinct 2 office.<\/p>\n During the November 17 conversation, Simmons questioned whether Rivas could continue working for her while running for the Precinct 2 seat.<\/p>\n Simmons told Rivas he had to decide \u201cwhether or not you\u2019re gonna run for that seat or lose this position.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBecause I don\u2019t think you can do both. So, I\u2019m struggling,\u201d Simmons continued.<\/p>\n Later in the conversation, Simmons made a more direct statement.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you run, one, I\u2019m not endorsing, two, um, you need to resign,\u201d Simmons said.<\/p>\n Rivas responded, \u201cOkay.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s that,\u201d Simmons said.<\/p>\n Simmons immediately restated her position and connected it to Rivas\u2019 ability to perform his county duties.<\/p>\n \u201cUm. Let me see how, saying that a different way. If you run, I\u2019m not endorsing you. If you run, I truly believe this will impact your work,\u201d Simmons said.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re not going to be able to run a campaign and do the work,\u201d she later told him.<\/p>\n Simmons acknowledged that Rivas had performed his work \u201cfor the most part,\u201d but said she had overlooked \u201ca couple of critical errors\u201d that she believed could have warranted termination. She cited missed messages and what she described as past judgment concerns involving media interviews and political activities.<\/p>\n Termination papers follow filing decision<\/p>\n The November 25 transcript<\/a> records Simmons telling Rivas that he needed to decide quickly.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, I\u2019ve decided I\u2019m filing, so\u2026\u201d Rivas said.<\/p>\n \u201cOkay, well, then you\u2026 Okay, alright,\u201d Simmons replied.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re 100% filing?\u201d Simmons then asked.<\/p>\n \u201cTwo things\u2026 Alright, so. So, I need to change the date on it, but you can take a look at that,\u201d Simmons said.<\/p>\n A bracketed notation in the transcript states that Simmons then printed and gave Rivas a letter of termination and a letter of resignation.<\/p>\n \u201cSo you can be terminated for that or you can resign,\u201d Simmons subsequently said. \u201cIt\u2019s up to you according to the DA\u2019s office. Either way.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou can dispute any of that in the Civil Service process,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n The termination notice was issued by Precinct Administrator Albert Roberts and signed by Simmons. It alleged that Rivas failed to call or report to work on November 18 and November 21 and failed to notify management before arriving late on November 19 and November 20.<\/p>\n The letter cited Tarrant County Civil Service rules governing an employee\u2019s failure to report for work without notifying a supervisor and failure to demonstrate professional behavior supporting team performance. It did not mention Rivas\u2019 candidacy.<\/p>\n Rivas signed the notice to acknowledge receiving it but disputed the allegations in his appeal.<\/p>\n \u201cThe letter alleges that I failed to report to work on two occasions during the week of November 17, 2025, and failed to notify management of two late arrivals,\u201d Rivas wrote. \u201cThese claims are factually incorrect.\u201d<\/p>\n Rivas said he worked remotely, attended evening meetings and public events, remained available by county phone and computer and followed what he described as the office\u2019s established remote-work practices.<\/p>\n \u201cThe sudden claim of attendance issues is a pretext,\u201d Rivas wrote. \u201cThe true reason for my termination is that I decided to run for political office.\u201d<\/p>\n Rivas alleged that Simmons\u2019 office manufactured the attendance violations after he refused to abandon his campaign. The termination letter presents the county office\u2019s stated reason for his dismissal, while the transcripts and close chronology form the basis of Rivas\u2019 opposing claim. The records do not independently resolve the dispute.<\/p>\n The paperwork also contains a date discrepancy. The termination notice is dated and signed November 25 but states that Rivas was terminated \u201cas of today, November 24, 2025.\u201d The unsigned resignation form is dated November 24.<\/p>\n When Rivas asked whether the paperwork displayed the 24th as the date, Simmons responded, \u201cYeah. Uh. 25th.\u201d<\/p>\n The packet does not include the Civil Service Commission\u2019s final decision on Rivas\u2019 appeal.<\/p>\n Simmons discusses county email and staff<\/p>\n