Judge boots group planning takeover of tiny West Texas county

MENTONE, Texas (CN) — A judge in Loving County on Thursday ordered the followers of an Indiana businessman seeking to take over the local government to clear the property they call home.

The group is led by Malcolm Tanner, a mysterious figure who describes himself as a 2028 presidential candidate, real estate guru and CEO of Tanner and Tanner, a hotel and entertainment venture. Tanner is also the leader of the group, Melanated People of Power, which aims to obtain political and economic power for those who have been disenfranchised.

In January, he purchased 10 acres in Loving County — the state’s least populated county — to move droves of people there in the hopes of ousting local elected leaders and replacing them with candidates picked by Tanner.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton launched an investigation into Tanner and the site, just outside the town of Mentone, which resulted in a lawsuit filed earlier in the week. The state accused Tanner of deceitfully luring people into the desert with the promise of free housing and kicking off a public health nuisance by not ensuring the property had adequate sewage, electricity and running water.

Loving County District Court Judge Alan Nicolas, in his four-page temporary restraining order, found that the state met its burden in showing it was entitled to relief under the Texas Health and Safety Code. Nicolas wrote that, if not restrained, the discharge of human waste by Tanner or his followers could cause irreparable damage to public health and the area’s sub-surface drinking water.

From now until the end of October, Tanner and his followers are prohibited from disposing of their waste on the property. Moreover, Nicolas ordered that no one be allowed to move onto, reside on or establish a shelter on the property. The order did not address the consumer protection law violations that the state raised in its lawsuit.

The restraining order is set to expire on Nov. 1; however, Nicolas scheduled Oct. 31 for a hearing on the state’s application for a temporary injunction. There, the judge will determine whether to extend the current order or issue an injunction pending a full trial on the merits of the case.

“The show is over,” Paxton said in a press release. He claimed victory over Tanner, calling his mission to overthrow the leadership of Loving County a “deceptive political sham.”

“Malcolm Tanner is a two-bit charlatan attempting to defraud people out of their money with false promises of free homes and unlawful government payouts,” Paxton said. “Texas is for Texans, not out-of-state grifters trying to steal political power from the people who live here.”

Courthouse News reached out to Tanner through his business website, but has not received a response.

On Tanner’s TikTok account, all of his prior videos have been removed and a sole post remains, containing a message from him addressing the court’s decision. There, he told his over 70,000 followers that he respects the authority of the court and will fully comply with the order.

“History will record this struggle,” Tanner wrote on social media. “And when it does, let it be said that in Loving County, in the year 2025, when families were harassed and homes were destroyed, we did not bow, we did not run, and we did not give up. We stood. And by standing, we reminded the world that freedom in America is not granted by men, but strengthened by faith and secured by the Constitution.”

In addition to TikTok, Tanner’s YouTube and Facebook pages have been scrubbed of all posts promising free homes to those who move to West Texas.

His past posts provide some level of reasoning as to why Loving County was chosen by Tanner. A key factor is that fewer than 100 people live there according to the 2020 census, improving the odds of a potential political takeover.

However, thanks to the county judge’s action, the revolution has been postponed through at least the rest of the month.

Follow @KirkMcDanie1