A former Biden administration liaison and local Democratic candidate in Texas\u2014accused of creating a fake Facebook account to send hate mail to his own campaign and opponents\u2014is now under investigation for allegedly impersonating a judge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Taral Patel, who is running for Fort Bend County Commissioner, is already facing a felony charge of online impersonation for using another local man\u2019s image for his bogus \u201cAntonio Scalywag\u201d profile, which he used to send himself racist comments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Now authorities believe Patel launched a phony account for a local criminal court judge, Surendran Pattel, and could soon file more charges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to NBC affiliate Click2Houston<\/u><\/a>, investigators searching Patel\u2019s Google phone found a Facebook account for Pattel\u2014but one with an email address connected to the suspect and which the judge says he never created nor authorized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pattel was the judge assigned to the rising political star\u2019s pending criminal matter and told the TV outlet he recused himself from the case because of the accusations and because he knows Patel personally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A new search warrant alleges the Scalywag and fake Pattel accounts became friends in July 2021, and Scalywag made multiple \u201ccomplimentary\u201d comments toward the judge. But in January 2022, the sham account \u201cappeared … upset with something Antonio Scalywag had posted publicly,\u201d the legal filing states.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Patel has not commented on the allegations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Last September, Patel shared a thread on X<\/u><\/a> with screenshots, claiming his campaign was \u201cfacing a barrage of racist attacks.\u201d While the usernames were blocked, one noted they were supporting a Patel opponent \u201cbecause he serves Jesus unlike Patel and his followers who worship Monkey and Elephant.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to a complaint and arrest warrant affidavit reviewed by The Daily Beast, the author of that comment was the \u201cScalywag\u201d account.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI am always open to criticism of my policy positions,\u201d Patel wrote in his X post. \u201cHowever, when my Republican opponents supporters’ decide to hurl #racist, #antiimmigrant, #Hinduphobic, or otherwise disgusting insults at my family, faith community, colleagues, and me – that crosses a line.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n In 2021, President Biden appointed Patel to serve as a White House liaison addressing housing, urban development, and disaster recovery and resilience, the Houston Chronicle<\/u><\/a> reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSo much love and gratitude to the Biden Harris Administration for giving this Texan the opportunity of a lifetime to serve,\u201d Patel tweeted in June 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n