Kellye Burke, a Texas councilwoman and member of the anti-gun group “Moms Demand Action,” is facing a disorderly conduct charge after she allegedly screamed obscenities and berated a group of teenage girls because one of them was wearing a pro-Trump T-shirt.
The blow-up reportedly happened while the girls were in line at “Tiny’s Milk and Cookies” in West University Place in Harris County, Texas, on Saturday, waiting to buy cookies for younger girls at their nearby church.
“A tall, short-haired blond woman came up to them and screamed, ‘Grab em by the (expletive) girls!'” the father of one of the girls said.
The man told Click2Houston that the girls initially tried to laugh off the unhinged city councilwoman’s outrageous behavior, but she persisted in ranting at them.
“Then, she yells it again!” the father said. “At that point the girls were getting kind of scared, and then the woman starts, you know, going, ‘MAGA! MAGA! MAGA!’ while shaking her fist.”
One of the girls was wearing a shirt that read “Trump: Make America Great Again,” the father explained.
He added that one of the girls said she saw Burke taking a picture of her. The teenagers left without responding.
“They were scared,” the father said. “They were absolutely scared. My little girl essentially wanted to know if this woman was going to hurt her.”
The Harris County Precinct One Constable’s Office filed a class C misdemeanor charge against Burke, according to KPRC2. “This will be decided by the Justice of the Peace we are told, if the judge doesn’t throw out the case altogether,” said reporter Brandon Walker.
“How dare anyone attack children,” a West U woman said.
KPRC2 knocked at Burke’s door, hoping for an interview, but she yelled from inside, “What are you doing at my house?”
“You know why we’re here at your house,” KPRC2 anchor and reporter Jacob Rascon said. She claimed not to know. “The disorderly conduct charge,” Rascon responded.
“I’m putting my kids to bed!” she yelled back. “Go away!”
Burke is a native Texan who has lived in West U for over a decade, according to her biography on the city’s website.
Her Twitter profile lists her as a volunteer for a group called Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America.
Burke released the following statement through her attorney on Thursday:
“I have repeatedly apologized for the bad judgment I used and making the statement I did, but I do not believe repeating the words of the President of the United States is a crime. However, I will apologize again on behalf of myself, the President of the United States and all the media outlets who repeated his words both electronically and in print.”
The West U mayor also issued a statement on the matter:
“Thank you for reaching out about the city’s position on one of its councilmember’s actions last Saturday. The reported comments definitely do not speak for the City of West University Place’s government or employees. My position as Mayor, however, does not afford me any official authority with respect to matters such as this. Neither the city council nor the Mayor has any authority to remove fellow councilmembers.
“I am glad to know that this councilmember, who was independently elected by our city voters, is taking responsibility for her own actions and has reached out to the affected families to apologize for her remarks.
“This incident is a reminder that part of our responsibility, as elected officials, is to set a good example of civil discourse for those we represent, particularly our young people. I hope that my Council colleagues and I will move forward in that spirit in doing the work we were elected to do.”
“Adults can’t behave towards children like that, period,” the father said.
He told KPRC that Burke reached out to him and his wife, and apologized to both of them.
“We accepted her apology,” the father said. “I would be just as angry if any parent said this to my child but as an elected official I’ll let her voters handle this matter.”
The father spoke to KPRC 2 Click2Houston on condition of anonymity in a darkened room, his face obscured in shadow, out of fear of retaliation against his daughter.
All because someone he knows showed support for the president in public.
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