Jennifer Combs should not have been charged. This is blatant government overreach and an abuse of power by Trinidad officials. Her Facebook post raised legitimate concerns about contaminated drinking water in a town with decades-old pipes, documented issues, a boil water notice, and an active TCEQ investigation. Even if some details like hospitalizations were unverified reports from residents, relaying public health complaints on a matter of obvious public concern is core First Amendment protected speech, a God-given right, not a privilege governments get to punish when they feel embarrassed. Texas Penal Code §42.06 was never meant for this.
Republicans in Texas have lost their minds! This is what fascism looks like!
Jennifer Combs of Trinidad, TX was ARRESTED and charged with FELONY “false alarm” simply for posting on Facebook about residents getting hospitalized from bacteria filled drinking water.
The town’s pipes are from the 1950s, they issued a boil-water notice, and TCEQ is investigating.
Instead of fixing the toxic water, they threw her in jail for speaking out?!
This is what fascism looks like.