HOUSTON — Tension boiled over at Harris County Commissioners Court on Tuesday, leading to a public confrontation between Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia. You can see the exchange in the video above.
It came Tuesday night shortly after a vote from commissioners on a flood control project. Hidalgo announced that the vote was 5-0, but Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey said he wanted his vote recorded.
That’s when things started to escalate.
“My colleague here, when he’s silent, it’s a ‘yes,’” Hidalgo said, referring to Garcia. “And when I asked to clarify, I get a glare, so I just…"
“That’s what he does,” Ramsey shot back. “That’s not what…"
“I can’t cater to any one of them,” Hidalgo said. “So I’m going to keep asking for your vote.”
Precinct 4 Commissioner Lesley Briones jumped in, asking to get back to the business of commissioners court and soon after, said they should take a bathroom break.
There was more back and forth about the vote, then things got more personal.
“I just don’t like this kind of rude behavior from males,” Hidalgo said. “I’m sorry, but I don’t.”
She went on to say that Garcia won’t look at her or say hello, to which Garcia looked at her and said, “I will look at you to call the next item. Please do so.”
That’s when Hidalgo called for a break and shot back at Garcia, “I am done taking your disrespect! When someone says hello, you say hello back."
On Friday, Hidalgo posted a response on X where she doubled down. “In regards to my confronting Commissioner Garcia on his months of disrespect: My only regret is not having called attention sooner to his well-known history of blatant disrespect toward me and other colleagues, community leaders, and county employees who dare to disagree with him. He is known to permanently stop greeting, responding to, acknowledging, and even looking at those who cross him. No matter which side of the aisle it comes from, I will not tolerate a pattern of disrespect.”
Garcia responded, also on X, saying “I have nothing to say about the repeated outbursts at Commissioners Court or on social media. My years of experience in public service have taught me the political arena requires the ability to not take things personally.”
Ramsey gave a response on Friday, as well, saying, "“When the four Commissioners meet, we have rational and reasonable discussions. Her leadership style leads to chaos on Commissioners Court. Her conduct speaks for itself. This is not the first time the county judge has made the news for her behavior at court and I’m sure it won’t be the last.”
Commissioners Court will meet again on August 15.
This isn’t the first time Hidalgo has had a public confrontation with a local leader. After the derecho in May, she and Houston Mayor John Whitmire had an exchange during a news conference about response.
And in June of last year at commissioners court, she threw out a profanity to commissioners when talking about Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg.