Texas mayor under fire for crude remarks about extramarital sexual encounter at LGBT gathering
Controversy Surrounds Arlington Mayor Jim Ross Over 2018 Incident and Tax Debt
Arlington, Texas's Mayor Jim Ross is currently facing criticism and calls for his resignation following a resurfaced video from 2018. In the footage, Ross is seen making vulgar, anti-Christian, and sexually explicit remarks towards a Christian street preacher at the Southern Decadence festival in New Orleans.
The preacher in question is Ruben Israel, who died in 2023. Israel was known for attending pride events with his supporters and holding anti-gay signs. At the Southern Decadence festival, Ross is seen holding a beer and getting up in Israel's face to shout him down.
Ross's rant included derogatory comments towards the demonstrators and their religious beliefs. He allegedly used vulgar obscenities about anal sex and launched into an obscene tirade about Israel's personal life. He also called someone in Israel's camp a 'pssy motherfcker' and pushed through the crowd to confront that person.
Elected Texas Republicans have branded Ross 'disgusting' and 'a disgrace' for his outburst. Tarrant County GOP Chairman Bo French called Ross's behavior 'beyond shocking'. Tarrant County Republican Precinct Chair TK Campbell condemned Ross's conduct, comparing his behavior to that of 'cursing Democrats'.
The event in question is the Southern Decadence festival, held annually over Labor Day weekend in New Orleans. Some Arlington and Tarrant County residents were disappointed or upset about Ross's behavior at the event.
In addition to the 2018 incident, Ross faces criticism related to unpaid federal taxes. Reports reveal he owes over $174,000 in back taxes from 2015 and 2019 to the IRS. Ross has confirmed being on a payment plan for these debts. Records from the Tarrant County Tax Assessor-Collector show Ross owes $940.39 in penalties and interest, with a total outstanding debt of $174,945.93 as of June 2025.
It's important to note that Ross was not the mayor of Arlington at the time of these events.
The Daily Mail approached Jim Ross's office for comment regarding the incident, but no response has been received as of yet.
- Despite facing criticism over the 2018 incident at the Southern Decadence festival, where he made vulgar and derogatory remarks, Arlington's Mayor Jim Ross is also under scrutiny for his unpaid federal taxes amounting to over $174,000 from 2015 and 2019.
- Amidst the continuous debate surrounding his controversial behavior at the Southern Decadence festival, which includes a general-news story of his tax debt with the IRS for over $174,000 and several thousand dollars in penalties, calls for Arlington Mayor Jim Ross's resignation seem to have increased, further crossing into the realm of crime-and-justice discussions due to the inappropriate language used towards demonstrators.
