8 February 22 - 28, 2024 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents disqualified from the Dallas mayoral race and later sued the city over the ordeal. Right be- fore that — as in three months prior — he lost his race for the East Texas seat once held by former U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert. Today Jefferson is cosplaying as a hope- ful congressman. And he’s again crying fraud. Amid posting shirtless photos of him- self to social media, he launched a primary bid to topple the Dallas Democrat lauded as a “rising political star to watch”: U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett. Crockett has received glowing write-ups from national outlets such as People maga- zine. She’s scored endorsements from the likes of the late U.S. Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson and two-time presidential candi- date U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont. Actor Mark Hamill, AKA Luke Skywalker, recently inquired about joining her fan club. No matter. Jefferson was sure he had what it takes to topple Crockett. You may have seen the campaign signs. In the lead-up to the March primary, Jef- ferson’s face and name were cropping up around Dallas. In one placard, he beams while dressed in a suit and tie, pointing at nothing in particular. “Vote Jrmar Jefferson for US Congress,” implores the sign, which stood near The Majestic Theatre. “DEMOCRATS, REPUB- LICANS & INDEPENDENTS UNITED FOR A BETTER AMERICA.” Some teeny-tiny text in the display’s bot- tom left corner reads: “WARNING. This Sign is Freedom of Speech. Moving this sign violates a constitutional right subject to a $1,000,000 claim against you.” Someone clearly didn’t heed the stern warning. Shortly after the Observer’s news editor took a photo of the ad, it disappeared. Jrmar Jefferson: Déjà Vu Jefferson is again complaining of fraud in a local election. This time around, the allega- tions are tied to his deflated campaign for Texas’ 30th Congressional District. In a video posted to Facebook last month, Jefferson exits the office of Clerk of the Su- preme Court, documents in hand. He ex- plains that he’s pushing for his name to be put “back on the ballot” and “to remove Jas- mine Crockett’s for noncompliance with the law.” He blames others for supposedly lying about, and messing up, his paperwork. “If JJ gets back on that ballot, I want y’all to begin to thank Yah, because there was no- body else,” Jefferson says, referring to him- self in the third person and citing a sacred name of God. “Believe: Not in me, but be- lieve in Yah. Because at the end of the day, that’s the only thing that matters.” He then walks out of frame. Reached for comment about this latest batch of fraud claims, Jefferson emailed the Observer using the subject line: “Mr.s [sic] Crockett should not be on the ballot, she did not Comply with Texas Election Code.” He argued that Crockett hasn’t done a good enough job of representing everyone in her district and insisted that he would work for all, “not just a select few.” Crockett did not return the Observer’s re- quest for comment. Jefferson’s email further insisted that he’s been a consistent victim of election deception. “I want to address the implication that I’ve followed the rules but have been cheated three times since February 17, 2023, in the mayoral race, for Dallas County Dem- ocratic Chair, and now for U.S. Congress,” he wrote. “This pattern reveals a major issue within the Democratic Party that cannot be ignored. It seems in Dallas, one has to be se- lected, not elected.” That characterization didn’t sit well with the Dallas County Democratic Party. A rep- resentative told the Observer that Jefferson ran for chair last May and earned “less than 2% of the vote,” adding: “The first step in a successful race is following filing guidelines prescribed in the Texas elections code.” The bottom of Jefferson’s email, by the way, ended with a lofty sign-off: “Jrmar ‘JJ’ Jefferson, Statesman.” But just how the “statesman” title might apply is murky. The job background on Jef- ferson’s LinkedIn page includes a nearly five-year stint as CEO, although where re- mains unclear. He also listed experience as a “Natural Living & Breathing Human Being,” dated October 2012 to present. Musician, Reality TV Regular Ah, American Idol: The reality TV engine that cemented the superstar status of sing- ers such as Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Un- derwood. Well, two lesser-known singers appeared on the show, too: Jefferson and his twin brother, Lamar Jefferson, the latter of whom also sued Dallas last year after being disqualified from a bid for City Council. Jrmar Jefferson’s delivery of the classic Four Tops hit “I Can’t Help Myself” spurred his advancement on American Idol, accord- ing to the show’s Wiki fan page. He then progressed after belting “Shake,” an original cut, but fell short of the Top 24. The Jefferson twins later tried their luck on another show, America’s Got Talent, un- der the banner “Timez 2.” Perhaps the pair also longed to appear on a certain music TV channel. The twins filmed themselves in matching muscle-bar- ing shirts and shared the video to Facebook in August 2019. “Me and my brother,” Jefferson wrote in the post. “VH1 style.” Perennial Political Candidate One thing about Jefferson definitely holds true: He’s no quitter. “I am honored to announce my candi- dacy for Congress in Texas’s 30th Congres- sional District,” his campaign website, voteforjj.com, states. “This marks my fourth campaign for Congress and my 15th attempt running for political office, a journey driven by unwavering passion, dedicated leader- ship, and a deep commitment to community service for a better future for all.” Previous campaigns listed on his site span the past decade and include, but aren’t limited to: the mayor of Elk Grove, California, and Sacramento-based candidacies for mayor, county board of education and U.S. Congress. In 2022, Jefferson was the Democratic nomi- nee for Texas’ 1st Congressional District. Controversial Views Shortly after his failed bid for Big D mayor, a post about Jefferson appeared in the Reform Dallas Facebook group. Local activist Soraya Santos published screenshots from Jefferson’s social media, including messages with anti- abortion and anti-LGBTQ+ views and one that rang more pornographic than political. In August 2021, Jefferson shared a post by a woman who touted the “obvious sci- ence to having the greatest orgasms” and en- couraged ladies to “[b]e with a man who always speaks great affirmations about your pussy.” From there, these musings veered even more toward X-rated. “What are your thoughts?” Jefferson asked, innocently enough. Another post purportedly shared by Jef- ferson read: “No pastor can support same sex marriage, homosexuality, transgender, abor- tion and preach the gospel of Jesus Christ.” Vision for Sacramento Jefferson outlined his political goals when trying for Sacramento mayor in 2020. A can- didate nomination submission package be- gan with the introduction: “I am Jrmar Jefferson Google me! Pretty Please.” Next Jefferson explains that he once fell hard for a beautiful Sacramento woman. He argues that overtaxing the working class is a major issue. He vows to serve with a “heart for all people” and waxes poetic about the “wicked” and the “righteous.” “Please vote for me. My number 1 goal is to lower the cost of living so that the average household can afford to compete and live in this city,” Jefferson continues in the state- ment. “I have a plan to solve the homeliness [sic] crisis that is plaguing Sacramento.” Sacramento’s homely residents obviously didn’t dig Jefferson’s pitch. Not even the candidate’s ripped six-pack could persuade the city’s voters to let him lead. ▼ PRIMARIES PRIMARY PRIDE TRANSGENDER CANDIDATE CALLIE BUTCHER WANTS HER KIDS TO BE PROUD TO BE TEXAN. BY CHRISTIAN MCPHATE H atred, bigotry and attacks on transgen- der people and the LGBT+ commu- nity are just some of the reasons why Callie Butcher decided to step into the politi- cal arena. The transgender woman is seeking Colin Allred’s House District 32 seat in Con- gress. The district, solidly blue, covers parts of Dallas, Plano, Richardson and Garland. Hundreds of transgender people are murdered each year, according to the Hu- man Rights Campaign, an advocacy organi- zation that strives to end discrimination against the LGBTQ+ people. “These victims, like all of us, are loving partners, parents, family members, friends and community members,” the Human Rights Campaign points out on its website. “They worked, went to school and attended houses of worship. They were real people — people who did not deserve to have their lives taken from them.” Butcher, the president of the Dallas LGBT Bar Association, is the first trans can- didate in a major party primary in Texas, but she’s facing a crowded March 5 field as nine other Democrats also seek Allred’s seat. The winner will qualify for the general election on Nov. 5. Allred is challenging Ted Cruz for one of two Texas senate seats in November. Like other progressives, Butcher is pas- sionate about diversity, equity and Unfair Park from p6 Kelly Dearmore This sign appeared, then disappeared, near The Majestic Theatre in Dallas. >> p10