James Talarico Event Host Joins Protest Coalition With Communist, Socialist Groups

Indivisible Dallas hosted a virtual forum titled “Meet The Candidate with James Talarico” on January 15.

“In this electrifying Texas primary race, join Indivisible Dallas and Indivisible groups all across Texas in a virtual conversation with U.S. Senate candidate: TX STATE REP. JAMES TALARICO,” the event page stated.

“Folks will have the opportunity to submit questions in advance and during the call,” the page stated.

Since the March primary, the organization’s Mobilize feed has carried Powered by People volunteer listings promoting Talarico in Laredo and Pasadena. Both listings state that Powered by People hosted the events and that the efforts were not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.

Indivisible Dallas is helping organize the “Dallas March on the RNC Midterm Convention,” a September 10 protest scheduled from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Pike Park in Dallas.

The first Republican midterm convention will run September 9-10 at American Airlines Center, as The Dallas Express previously reported.

“The Republican National Midterm Convention is coming to Dallas and we will be in the streets to say NO to the Trump Agenda!” the event page states.

Protesters will reject what organizers call the “Trump regime’s agenda” and tell Republicans that “their days ruling the great state of Texas and our nation are numbered,” the page states.

The page names the Dallas Against the Trump Agenda Coalition as the organizer and says DATA Coalition and Indivisible Dallas events share a commitment to nonviolent action. Organizers ask participants to de-escalate confrontations, act lawfully and not bring weapons.

Promotional material for the protest features logos for Indivisible Dallas, Communist Party USA Dallas/Fort Worth, Freedom Road Socialist Organization Dallas and Young Active Labor Leaders Dallas-Fort Worth, among other groups.

Coalition partner seeks communist party

Freedom Road Socialist Organization describes itself in its own materials as a national organization of revolutionaries fighting for socialism and building toward a new Communist Party based on Marxism-Leninism.

“We are advancing towards the goal of building a new communist party that can contend for power,” the organization stated after its 10th Congress in a June statement.

Indivisible Dallas has also appeared alongside communist and socialist organizations in Dallas event materials. A March 7 International Women’s Day action hosted by FRSO listed Indivisible Dallas, Communist Party USA DFW, Democratic Socialists of America North Texas, Workers World Party and other organizations as supporters.

Young Active Labor Leaders, meanwhile, is a Texas AFL-CIO constituency group that describes its members as “young workers, activists and progressive allies” working to build power within the labor movement.

CPUSA article backs police and prison abolition

A 2020 article published on the Communist Party USA’s official website advocated police and prison abolition.

“Policing has to be understood as a tool of social control in terms of protecting private property (i.e., capitalism) and white supremacy,” the article states.

The article endorsed eight abolitionist policies, including defunding police, removing police from schools and freeing people from jails and prisons.

“To be a Communist is to also be an abolitionist,” the article states.

The article further argues that abolitionist ideas “can lead to the dismantling of capitalism itself.”

Talarico faces continued scrutiny

As previously reported by The Dallas Express, Talarico said “prison is violence” while advocating criminal justice changes.

Nothing in Indivisible Dallas’ January forum, Mobilize feed or role in the protest coalition establishes that Talarico supports FRSO, CPUSA or their policy positions. The materials also do not establish any connection between the coalition and Talarico’s campaign.

The Dallas Express reached out to Talarico’s campaign for comment on Indivisible Dallas and asked whether he supports the CPUSA article’s call for police and prison abolition. The campaign did not respond by publication.

Indivisible Dallas, which hosted an event for state Rep. James Talarico (D-District 50), the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate, is helping organize a march against the Republican National Committee’s midterm convention as part of a coalition whose promotional materials feature the logos of communist and socialist organizations.