Texas: Bid to remove GOP leader Dr Shahid Shafi, because he is Muslim, backfired

Texas: Republications rejected vote to oust GOP leader because he is a Muslim. CNN with reference to the Star-Telegram stated that ‘the Tarrant County Republican Party voted on Thursday to keep Dr. Shahid Shafi in his post as vice chairman’. It added that in a video posted on the Star-Telegram’s website, Mike Snyder of the Tarrant County Republican Party announced, “the vote total was 139 to support Dr. Shafi and only 49 to reject him.”

Revealing that the majority of Republicans in Tarrant County stood with Dr. Shahid Shafi, Snyder went on to say, “tonight’s vote demonstrates. And on the firm foundation of religious freedom memorialized in the Declaration of Independence.”

Expressing his views after the vote, Dr Shahid Shafi, who was appointed in July, said, “Our union is a little more perfect today. And it’s time for us to put those divisions to rest.”

The lone dissenter, Precinct Chairwoman Dorrie O’Brien brought forth a motion to oust Shafi. She wrote on Facebook “We don’t think he’s suitable as a practising Muslim to be vice chair because he’d be the representative for ALL Republicans in Tarrant County, and not ALL Republicans in Tarrant County think Islam is safe or acceptable in the U.S., in Tarrant County, and in the TCGOP, and there are big questions surrounding exactly where Dr. Shafi’s loyalties lie, vis a vis Democrat and Republican policies.”

Standing by Shafi, Tarrant County GOP Chairman Darl Easton said he appointed Shafi to the position after observing his work on an outreach committee and a campaign committee. He said, “I’m standing by him.” Easton added “I have no doubt what his allegiance is to, he’s not a radical jihadist or terrorist. I think he’s more dedicated to the party than many of the ones who are asking for his resignation.”

Shafi is a US citizen, an immigrant from India.