Tarrant County Criminal Court No. 9 Judge Brian Bolton (R) is challenging Democratic opponent Lesa Pamplin’s judicial temperament over screenshots of past social media posts about white people and a profanity-laden meme.
Bolton has launched a Facebook series titled “THIRTY DAYS, THIRTY RACIST/OFFENSIVE SENTIMENTS BY MY OPPONENT,” highlighting screenshots of posts he attributes to Pamplin.
Posts about race
In an October 8 Facebook post, Bolton shared a screenshot dated March 27, 2020, that reads: “You damn straight about that. Whypipoe being white.”
A second screenshot, dated August 8, 2019, reads: “as a POC, I’m glad my family doesn’t have this problem. The one white person that married in knows not to say a damn thing.” Bolton shared that image on October 11.
Both images show replies without the posts they were answering. The Dallas Express has not independently authenticated the original posts.
Bolton questions judicial temperament
Bolton also shared a screenshot of a Kermit the Frog meme with profanity Wednesday. He said he edited the image for Facebook.
“A criminal court judge should bring dignity, not vulgarity, to public discourse,” he wrote on Facebook.
“Judges don’t have to agree with everyone, but sharing profanity-laden memes raises legitimate questions about judicial temperament and the judgment expected from someone asking to preside over a criminal courtroom.”
Pamplin’s campaign website promises “impartial justice for every citizen, in every case.”
Earlier BYU controversy
Pamplin drew national attention in 2022 after alleging that her goddaughter, Duke University volleyball player Rachel Richardson, faced racial slurs and threats during an August 26 match against Brigham Young University.
BYU announced on September 9, 2022, that it had found no evidence corroborating the racial heckling or slur allegations. The university reviewed video and audio recordings and contacted more than 50 people who attended the match. It also lifted its ban on a spectator.
Pamplin said the findings did not change her position, ABC News reported. Duke supported its players in a separate statement.
Television host Will Cain also criticized Pamplin’s social media history in a 2022 post, writing that she had a “litany of racist tweets.”
The Dallas Express reached out to Pamplin for comment but did not receive a response.
