On Friday, March 13, 2026, Fox News reported that Lina Hidalgo, the judge overseeing the administration of Texas’ largest county, had her “ex-officio director” status removed by the Rodeo Houston executive committee after being escorted from the venue for the second time. The initial incident occurred earlier in the week when Hidalgo attempted to access a VIP seating area without the required tickets.

The second escort took place on Thursday when Hidalgo held a brief news conference outside NRG Stadium, seeking security camera footage related to the first incident. According to the Houston Chronicle, she was previously escorted out of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo grounds on Tuesday night. On Thursday, she was only permitted to briefly address reporters before being escorted to her vehicle by a police detail, as stated by a rodeo spokesperson.

The Thursday removal stemmed from an incident during a Megan Moroney concert, where Hidalgo attempted to access a premium seating area without tickets. As a result of these incidents, Hidalgo will now be required to pay for access to the rodeo grounds, like any other individual, according to Fox News Digital.

Following the initial incident, Hidalgo posted video and audio clips, along with a letter to rodeo leaders, alleging she was manhandled and threatened with arrest while trying to access the concert’s chute area on Tuesday night. Staffers denied her and her guests access to the area due to sold-out wristbands and instructed them to return to their suite. Hidalgo was asked to leave and escorted out after being repeatedly asked to return to her seating area. Rodeo officials have denied Hidalgo’s claims of mistreatment.

In a letter to board officials, Hidalgo suggested that her treatment was motivated by her being a Hispanic woman, claiming that White men have “felt emboldened to treat others, particularly Hispanics, with physical force.” She added, “I don’t travel without my passport anymore… Many of us do, especially those of us who are not white-passing.”

Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Chairwoman Pat Phillips and Rodeo President Chris Boleman responded with their own letter, expressing disappointment in Hidalgo’s actions and emphasizing the need to enforce the same access policies for everyone. They stated, “The Judge is the only elected official to request, even demand, these seats night after night. As Chairwoman of the Board, the idea that she was treated this way because she’s a woman or Hispanic is absolutely false and insulting.”

Rodeo officials also revealed that Hidalgo had requested and received $9,000 in floor access tickets for herself and her guests for three previous concerts featuring J Balvin, Dwight Yoakam, and Luke Bryan.

On Thursday, Hidalgo called on officials to install more cameras at NRG Stadium, stating, “You can’t really make things out because it’s very dark and it’s from a distance.”

As the county judge, Hidalgo serves as the chief executive and presiding officer of the Commissioners Court, which manages a budget exceeding $4 billion.

 

 

Source: Fox News