Tony Tinderholt, Action or Distraction?

Politics can never be considered boring. It is full of outrageous personalities and egos all trying to capitalize on their positions. None love the attention quite like Texas State Representative Tony Tinderholt (R-Arlington), who takes the Texas sheet cake for saying outrageous things and advocating extreme policies. With taxpayers looking for consistent leadership and good policies, Tinderholt’s fringe positions make him look ridiculous – where he offers more distraction than action.

Tinderholt came to the Texas House with a history of drama with a life chock full of drugs, embezzlement, possible insurance fraud and even five marriages, including one which ended with the issuance of a restraining order against him by his former wife. In each of the four legislative sessions Tinderholt has served, he has gained notoriety for causing commotion; but not passing a whole lot of his own legislation. D Magazine even called him “arguably the angriest, most obstinate politician North Texas has yet produced.”

Since arriving in 2013, Tinderholt’s membership in the extreme right Freedom Caucus has influenced his stances on legislation.  In May of 2017, Tinderhold joined other members of the caucus in what became known as the Mother’s Day Massacre. Tinderholt and his allies blocked legislation from passing at the close of session simply because they were unhappy their fringe priorities were not coming to the floor for a vote.

In addition to creating division among his colleagues, Tinderholt has demonstrated a particular disdain for Texas women. Tinderholt voted against equal pay, against requiring health insurers to cover new screenings for breast cancer and ovarian cancer, and against numerous bills to deter sexual and domestic violence, including one increasing the statute of limitations for victims of child sexual abuse to file civil suit and another to create a database of domestic violence offenders.

Tinderholt is perhaps best known for authoring legislation threatening Texas women and their doctors with being charged with murder and sentenced to death for having or facilitating an abortion. Tinderholt argued his bill – with no exceptions carved out for rape or incest – would “force” women to be more “personally responsible” with sex.

Even conservative pro-life groups, such as Texans for Life Coalition opposed this extreme legislation. They argued women fearing prosecution are unlikely to seek timely treatment in the event of complications from the abortion, possibly compounding the loss of the child with the loss of their own lives.  They called Tinderholt a “fringe element,” counter-productive to their goals.

As expected, Tinderholt’s bill died in committee, but he got what he wanted from it – polarized press coverage, and his face in the news.  At a time when everyday Texans want leaders who can work with others to deliver reasonable solutions and practical results, Tinderholt is more of a distraction than a leader who can deliver meaningful action for Texas taxpayers.