A Donald Trump voter in Texas was arrested Monday for wearing a T-shirt to the polls that mocked Hillary Clinton’s infamous comment in which she said half of Trump supporters were “a basket of deplorables.”
Brett Mauthe, 55, was arrested in Bulverde, Texas after wearing a pro-Trump hat, and a T-shirt saying “basket of deplorables,” according to KSAT 12.
Mauthe told the outlet that while he removed the hat at the request of officials, he refused to turn his T-shirt inside out and said he was not aware that wearing it was a violation of the election code. When he refused to remove the shirt, he was arrested.
Other voters told KSAT they didn’t realize the rules, which prohibit "electioneering" by the voting booths, applied to voters.
“I don’t feel like you should be preaching to anybody, but I do feel like you should be able to wear a shirt if you want and if it has the candidate,” local resident Georgina Pereida said.
Cynthia Jaqua, the Comal County elections coordinator, told MySanAntonio.comthat it is almost unheard of for anyone to be arrested on an electioneering charge, but noted that Mauthe’s behavior is in violation of the code.
“Electioneering is prohibited within a 100-foot marker. You cannot express views for or against a candidate or political party by wearing buttons, T-shirts, hats, whatever else or carrying signs,” she said.
Mauthe was released on a $500 bond and is charged with a misdemeanor which carries a possible fine of $500.
