Plano City Councilman Tom Harrison, under fire over a Facebook share about banning Islam in schools, will face voters in a recall election this November.
At Monday night’s Plano City Council meeting, the city secretary reported that a petition to order a recall election for Councilman Tom Harrison does have enough valid signatures. The city council voted to order the recall election after hearing from Harrison’s supporters and supporters of the recall effort.
“You’re a good man. Plano is lucky to have you here representing all of us,” said one speaker when referring to Harrison.
“Some say he’s already apologized and we should let it go, but his apology wasn’t a real apology,” said another Plano resident.
Mayor Harry LaRosiliere addressed the group and said, “I can earnestly say this agenda item brings me no joy and it brings nobody here joy as well. But it’s not about me, it’s not about our council, it’s about our people and 44 hundred people signed a petition.”
One councilman, Anthony Riccardelli, abstained from the vote to order the recall election, saying he would like to give Harrison more time for a public hearing.
The city’s attorney said the public hearing would be granted, but it’s for the benefit of voters. The council, the city says, didn’t have a choice in ordering a recall once the petition was deemed valid.
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Riccardelli and Harrison were the only two council members to abstain from the vote to order a recall election Monday night. The rest of the council voted for the election to be held. It would be held during the general election unless Harrison resigns.
Harrison said he has no plans to resign, “I think the people know that I made a promise and I’ve kept all my promises.”
The city confirms the group Our Plano, One Plano had more than the required 2,791 signatures of registered voters in Plano needed to force the city council to order a recall election. Last week, the group says it turned in 4,225 signatures.
Harrison is facing criticism over his refusal to step down for sharing a Facebook post in February that said: “Share if you think Trump should ban Islam in American schools.” The post was shared from a Facebook group called "Joined Hands Across America for Trump."
Harrison told NBC 5 by phone on Monday that he is asking for a public hearing to present his case before the council votes on ordering a recall election.
“My whole thing is I need to be able to talk to somebody, have a public hearing and tell them this was a discussion about religion in school that got totally out of hand and that’s it,” said Harrison.
When asked if he regretted sharing the post he said, “I think it’s my right to share and say whatever I want to say from the First Amendment. That’s for number one. Number two, am I sorry I did it? Probably. And the reason I am is because it has caused my wife and I a lot of concern and a lot of hate mail from these individuals on issues that don’t even talk to the issue that I was discussing with the gentleman. Should religion be in school?”
Harrison said he is not resigning.
An organizer for Our Plano, One Plano says the group is focused on a recall election, which would be held during the general election in November.
Harrison’s term expires in May of 2019. He was elected to a four year term in 2015.
