One of the people who is running to replace Matt Rinaldi as the Chair of the Republican Party of Texas had a visit from the cops last year over a domestic incident that involved a loaded gun.
According to police reports obtained by The Texas Tribune, officers responded to a call for help at the home of Abraham George on March 11, 2023. George, who recently lost the Republican primary election to represent Texas House District 89, was attempting to leave the house with a loaded gun in his car door. The call had been placed by one of George’s children.
The report states that George believed his wife to be having an affair with a member of their church, causing a fight. The two denied to the officer that George was using the gun in a threatening manner, and George said he only wanted to “make contact” with the man he believed to be sleeping with his wife.
“I do not believe either party to be completely truthful with us, and I suspect [George’s wife] to be afraid that [George] might hurt someone or take unsafe action,” one officer wrote. “However, I did not observe any injuries or get articulable information from either party to confirm this suspicion.”
George eventually agreed to go to a hotel, and apparently argued with the officer who asked for George’s gun. The report also states that the Georges made statements that contradicted themselves. His wife appeared worried George meant to do harm.
“Specifically, she said, ‘I don’t know what he is going to do with it,” read the report.
The news about George’s alarming behavior comes as he is running for the chairmanship of the Texas Republican Party, which is going through its own problems. Current chair Matt Rinaldi announced last week that he would not seek re-election. His last few months have been dogged with accusations that he fraternized with noted white supremacist Nick Fuentes, which Rinaldi denies. Some Texas House committees have also accused Rinaldi of being drunk during party proceedings.
Rinaldi’s exit leaves a large, MAGA-shaped hole in the Texas GOP, one that George hopes to fill. George was the preferred candidate of the powerful Texans United for a Conservative Majority, a spin-off of Defend Texas Liberty after that PAC went dark following the white supremacist accusations related to Rinaldi. The PAC is funded by oil and gas moguls Tim Dunn and Farris Wilks, who have used their vast fortunes to guide the extreme right-ward push of the Texas GOP.
Despite their support, George lost the bid for the Republican nomination for District 89. He announced his plans to succeed Rinaldi mere minutes after Rinaldi made his statement to not seek the office again. He goes up against Texas GOP Vice Chair Dana Myers; grassroots activist Ben Armenta; and San Antonio businessman Weston Martinez.
Thus far, George has denied the allegations made in the Tribune’s reporting, referring to them as an activist paper who only wants to smear him and his family. It is worth noting that the Tribune’s reporting did little but directly quote the police report and ask for George’s comment, which he declined to give them.
