For Immediate Release
May 21, 2020
Press Release
Mayor Eric Hogue sparks public outrage with latest misogynistic flap.
Collin County, Texas — May 21, 2020 — Women Organizing Women Democrats (“WOW Dems”) has mobilized in response to the release of a controversial email in which Wylie Mayor Eric Hogue cites scripture to support his prohibition on women leading prayer at the council’s May 26 meeting.
After Hogue’s email made local news the evening of May 20, WOW Dems acted quickly, organizing an open protest to be held outside the Wylie Municipal Complex during the city council’s May 26 meeting and initiating a petition putting Hogue on notice.
“This chamber is not Hogue’s church,” WOW Dems President Debbie O’Reilly said. “He needs to remember that, or he needs to go.”
Visit our calendar for info on our protest!
Voices & Voting
While WOW Dems does not particularly favor religious observances in public contexts, the organization’s protest of Hogue centers around two key issues: the discrimination of women and the importance of voting at the local level to elect more inclusive and diverse leadership.
“We’re not protesting anyone’s religion, but rather the divisive, misogynistic attitude of this city’s top elected official,” said O’Reilly. “And this is not a partisan issue, either. This is about valuing all voices in a public forum.”
As a woman-oriented organization with a strong focus on encouraging participation in the democratic process, WOW Dems has taken a lead in not only protesting the mayor but drawing attention to the conditions responsible for this unfortunate circumstance.
“This kind of thing is exactly why people need to pay attention to local elections like city council and school board,” O’Reilly said. “We cannot just get involved when we vote for president or Senate. We have to get involved in every election, all the way down the ballot, because it all impacts all of us so much.”
Call for resignation in order?
Hogue’s time may indeed be limited. For more than a decade, Hogue has purposefully excluded women from leading prayer at city meetings. This, combined with allegations that Hogue maintained the mayoral seat because of what many consider an illegal holdover order issued by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, has resulted in calls for Hogue’s resignation and for lawsuits aimed at undoing the holdover order.
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WOW Dems is the largest member-based Democratic organization in Collin County, with members also hailing from counties across the Dallas-Ft. Worth metroplex. WOW takes a significant part in area politics by encouraging voting and campaigning, informing the public about policy, hosting relevant and/or service organizations at meetings, analyzing legislation, and vetting, endorsing, and supporting women candidates. Members of the WOW board oversee various aspects of the organization’s fundamental pillars, such as legislation, candidates, fundraising, communications, and programming.
For more information, press only:
Debbie O’Reilly, President | 214.732.1717 | president@wowdems.org
Secondary contact:
Angie Timmons-Hanselka, Communications Chair | 972.921.5294 | communications@wowdems.org
For more information
Wowdems.org